Nagpur: High Court Upholds Use of Urdu on Municipal Nameboards Alongside Marathi

Nagpur: It is mandatory to use the Marathi language to write the name of the local authority on the name board. However, Urdu or other languages can also be used as an additional language. The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court, in a judgment, made it clear that the relevant law does not prohibit this. Justices Avinash Gharote and Mukulika Katkar passed the order.

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The name of the municipal council has been written in Marathi and Urdu on the plaque put up on the Patur Municipal Council building in Akola district. Varsha Bagade had filed a petition in the High Court to remove the Urdu names. According to the Maharashtra Local Authorities (Official Languages) Act, it is mandatory to use only the Marathi language in local authorities. Salimuddin Shamshuddin and others had challenged in the High Court the decision to cancel the resolution to write the name of Mangrulpir Municipal Council in Washim district in Urdu along with Marathi. The two cases were heard together and the verdict was delivered. 

No violation 

• According to Section 3(1)(a) to (i) of the Relevant Act, the use of the Marathi language is mandatory for correspondence, applications, orders, placards, etc. of the local authority. 
• However, additional use of Urdu or other language does not violate this provision, the court said in its order.
• While Bagde's petition was dismissed by the court, the court upheld the Urdu resolution by allowing the petition of Salimuddin and others.