The Telangana Official Languages Act, 1966.

THE TELANGANA OFFICIAL LANGUAGES ACT, 1966. 

(ACT NO. 9 OF 1966) 

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 

Sections 

1. Short title and extent. 

2. Official Languages of the State. 

3. Government’s power to notify the official purpose 
for which Telugu and Urdu to be used. 

4. Continuance of English language for certain 
official purposes of the State and for use in the 
Legislature. 

5. Commission on Official Languages. 

6. Authorised Telugu translation of Central and State 
Acts, etc. 

7. Special provision relating to the use of Urdu or 
any other language or languages, in addition to 
the Telugu language, in certain areas of the State 
for such official purposes and for such periods as 
may be specified by notification. 

8. Power to make rules. 

9. Repeal of Andhra Pradesh Act 16 of 1964. 

 



THE TELANGANA OFFICIAL LANGUAGES ACT, 1966.1 
 

ACT No. 9 OF 1966. 
 

1. (1) This Act may be called the 2Telangana 3[Official 
Languages] Act, 1966. 
 
 (2) It extends to the whole of the 2State of Telangana. 
 
4[2. In the whole of the State of Telangana,- 
 
 (a) The Telugu Language shall be the Official 
Language; and 
 
 (b) the Urdu Language shall be the Second Official 
Language.] 
 
3. (1) The State Government may, from time to time by 
notification in the 2Telangana Gazette, direct that the 
5[Telugu and Urdu languages] shall be used for such official 
purposes of the State and from such dates as may be 
specified in the notification. 
 
 (2) 5[The Languages] to be used- 
 
  (i) (a) in all Bills to be introduced or amendments 
thereto to be moved, in either House of the Legislature of 

                                                           
1. The Andhra Pradesh Official Languages Act, 1966, received the 
assent of the Governor on 13.05.1966. The said Act in force in the 
combined State, as on 02.06.2014, has been adapted to the State of 
Telangana, under section 101 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation 
Act, 2014 (Central Act 6 of 2014) vide. the Telangana Adaptation of Laws 
Order, 2016, issued in G.O.Ms.No.45, Law (F) Department, dated 
01.06.2016. 
2. Substituted by G.O.Ms.No.45, Law (F) Department, dated 01.06.2016. 
3. Substituted by Act No.20 of 1996. 
4. Substituted by Act No.30 of 2017. 
5. Substituted in the marginal heading by Act No.20 of 1996. 

Short title and 
extent. 

Government’s 
power to notify 
the official 
purposes for 
which [Telugu 
and Urdu] to be 
used. 

Official 
Languages of the 
State. 



2   [Act No. 9 of 1966] 

the State and in all Acts passed by the Legislature of the 
State; 
 
   (b) in all Ordinances promulgated by the Governor 
of the State under article 213 of the Constitution and in all 
the Regulations made by him under paragraph 5 of the Fifth 
Schedule to the Constitution; 
 
  (ii) in all orders, rules, regulations and bye-laws 
issued by the State Government or other authority or officer 
of the State Government under the Constitution or under 
any law made by Parliament or the Legislature of the State; 

 
shall be the 6[Telugu and Urdu languages] on and from 
such date as the State Government may, by notification in 
the Telangana Gazette, specify: 
 
 7[(iii) in all correspondence between the State 
Government and any Corporation or Company owned or 
controlled by the State Government or any office thereof 
and in all orders, proceedings, bye-laws and regulations 
issued by such Corporation or Company:] 
 
  Provided that the State Government may specify 
different dates in respect of different items in 8[clauses (i), (ii) 
and (iii)] of this sub-section. 
 
4. Until the State Government otherwise direct by 
notification under section 3- 
 
 (i) the English language shall continue to be used for 
those official purposes within the State for which it was 
being used immediately before the commencement of this 
Act; and 
                                                           
6. Substituted by Act No.20 of 1996. 
7. Inserted by Act No. 19 of 1989. 
8. Substituted by Act No.19 of 1989. 

Continuance of 
English language 
for certain official 
purposes of the 
State and for use 
in the Legislature. 



[Act No.9 of 1966]  3 

 (ii) the English language may continue to be used for 
the transaction of the business in the Legislature of the 
State. 
 
5. (1) The State Government shall, at the expiration of five 
years from the commencement of this Act, by order 
constitute a commission on 9[Official Languages] of the 
State which shall consist of a Chairman and four other 
members 10[of whom one shall be proficient in Urdu 
Language] to be appointed by the State Government and 
the order shall define the procedure to be followed by the 
Commission. 
 
 (2) It shall be the duty of the Commission to review the 
progress made in the use of the 9[Telugu and Urdu 
Languages] for the official purposes of the State and to 
make recommendations to the State Government as to- 
 
  (a) the progressive use of the 9[Telugu and Urdu 
Languages] for the official purposes of the State; 
 
  (b) restrictions on the use of the English language for 
all or any of the official purposes of the State; 
 
  (c) any other matter referred to the Commission by 
the State Government as regards the use of the 9[Telugu 
and Urdu Languages]. 
 
 (3) The Commission shall submit a report with its 
recommendations on the matters referred to in sub-section 
(2) to the State Government, who shall cause the report to 
be laid before each House of the State Legislature. 
 

                                                           
9. Substituted including in the marginal heading by Act No.20 of 1996. 
10. Inserted by Act No.20 of 1996. 

Commission on 
[Official 
Languages]. 



4   [Act No. 9 of 1966] 

 (4) The State Government may after consideration of 
the recommendations in the report so made by the 
commission, issue directions in accordance with the whole 
or any part of that report. 
 
6. (1) A translation in the 11[Telugu and Urdu languages] 
published under the authority of the Governor in the 
12Telangana Gazette on and after the date specified by 
notification- 
 
  (i) in respect of clause (i) of sub-section (2) of section 
3, of any Central Act or of any Ordinance promulgated by 
the President, with respect to any of the matters enumerated 
in List III of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution, or of 
any State Act or of any Regulation made by the Governor, or 
of any other law in force in the State; or  
 
  (ii) in respect of clause (ii) of sub-section (2) of 
section 3, of any order, rule, regulation or bye-law issued by 
the State Government or other authority or officer of the 
State Government under the Constitution or under any 
Central Act, or any State Act or any other law in force in the 
State, 
 
shall be deemed to be the authoritative text thereof in the 
11[Telugu and Urdu languages]. 
 

or 
 

  13[(iii) in respect of clause (iii) of sub-section (2) of 
section 3 of any order, proceeding, bye-law or regulation 
issued by any Corporation or Company owned or controlled 
by the State Government or any office thereof.] 

                                                           
11. Substituted by Act No. 20 of 1996. 
12. Substituted by G.O.Ms.No.45, Law (F) Department, dated 
01.06.2016. 
13. Inserted by Act No.19 of 1989. 

Authorised Telugu 
translation of 
Central and State 
Acts, etc. 



[Act No.9 of 1966]  5 

 (2) Where the State Government have issued a 
notification under clause (i) (a) of sub-section (2) of section 
3 specifying a date from which the 14[Telugu and Urdu 
languages] shall be used in all Bills introduced in, and 
amendments thereto to be moved in, and Acts passed by, 
the State Legislature, the authoritative text in the 14[Telugu 
and Urdu languages] of all such Bills which amend Acts 
which are in English, to be introduced or amendments 
thereto to be moved in either House of the State Legislature 
shall be accompanied by a translation of the same in the 
English Language. 
 
7. The State Government may, from time to time, by 
notification in the 15Telangana Gazette, direct the use of 
Urdu or any other language or languages in addition to the 
Telugu language, in the interests of persons speaking such 
language or languages, in such areas and for such official 
purposes of the State and for such periods, as may be 
specified to the in the notification. 
 
 
 
 
 
8. (1) The State Government may by notification in the 
15Telangana Gazette, make rules for carrying out all or any 
of the purposes of this Act. 
 
 (2) Every notification issued or rule made under this Act 
shall immediately after it is issued or made, be laid before 
each House of the State Legislature if it is in session, and if it 
is not in session, in the session immediately following for a 
total period of fourteen days which may be comprised in 
one session or in two successive sessions, and if, before the 
                                                           
14. Substituted by Act 20 of 1996. 
15. Substituted by G.O.Ms.No.45, Law (F) Department, dated 
01.06.2016.  

Special provision 
relating to the use 
of Urdu or any 
other language or 
languages, in 
addition to the 
Telugu language, 
in certain areas of 
the State for such 
official purposes 
and for such 
periods as may 
be specified by 
notification.  

Power to make 
rules. 



6   [Act No. 9 of 1966] 

expiration of the session in which it is so laid or the session 
immediately following, both Houses agree in making any 
modification in the notification or rule or in the annulment of 
the notification or rule, the notification or rule shall thereafter 
have effect only in such modified form or shall stand 
annulled, as the case may be, so however that any such 
modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the 
validity of anything previously done under that notification or 
rule 
 
9. The Andhra Pradesh State Legislature (Continuance of 
the English Language) Act, 1964, is hereby repealed. 
 

* * * 

Repeal of Andhra 
Pradesh Act 16 of 
1964  


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