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Official language or languages of a State

Subject to the provisions of articles 346 and 347, the Legislature of a State may by law adopt any one or more of the languages in use in the State or Hindi as the language or languages to be used for all or any of the official purposes of that State:      Provided that, until the Legislature of the State otherwise provides by law, 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 Constitution.

This is an informational reference compiled from the public-domain text of the Constitution of India. For the authoritative version and latest amendments, refer to the official text published by the Government of India. For help with a real-life situation, see the Citizen Rights Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Article 345 of the Indian Constitution say?

Subject to the provisions of articles 346 and 347, the Legislature of a State may by law adopt any one or more of the languages in use in the State or Hindi as the language or languages to be used for all or any of the official purposes of that State: Provided that, until the Legislature of the State otherwise provide…

Which Part of the Constitution contains Article 345?

Article 345 falls under Part XVII — Official Language — of the Constitution of India.

Related Articles in Part XVII