Article 346 Of The Indian Constitution

Article 346 of the Indian Constitution deals with the recognition of an official language for communication between one state and another or between a state and the Union.

This is a necessary provision as it allows for the smooth functioning of the federal structure of the country by enabling effective communication between different levels of government.

In this blog, we will examine the provisions of Article 346 in detail and explore its implications for the use of languages for official communication between states and the Union in India.

Background of Article 346 Of The Indian Constitution

Did Article 346 of the Indian Constitution face any resistance from the Drafting Committee? Was it debated upon before being adopted to the Constitution of India? Read about its background to know.

1. Draft Article 301D (which later became Article 346 of the Indian Constitution 1950) was not included in the initial draft of the constitution submitted in 1948.
2. It was introduced by a member of the Drafting Committee on September 12, 1949, under Part XVII of the Indian Constitution which comprises a series of articles on the official language of the Union and states.
3. The draft article stated that English would be used for official communication between states and between states and the Union, but also allowed for two states to communicate with each other in Hindi if they wished.
4. One member argued that the draft article effectively made English the mandatory language for communication between states, while another proposed an amendment to add a clause about the language used in state laws and bills, which was rejected.
5. There was no significant debate around the draft article, and it was adopted without any changes on September 14, 1949.

Article 346 Of The Indian Constitution

In this section, we will learn what the clause of Article 346 Of The Indian Constitution says about the language of communication between states or a state and the Union.

The Clause – As it is & Explained

The language for the time being authorised for use in the Union for official purposes shall be the official language for communication between one State and another State and between a State and the Union: Provided that if two or more States agree that the Hindi language should be the official language for communication between such States, that language may be used for such communication.

The above statement is a part of Article 346 of the Indian Constitution, which deals with the recognition of languages for official purposes in the country. It specifies that the language currently authorized for use in the Union (i.e., the central government) for official purposes shall also be the official language for communication between states and between a state and the Union. For example, if English is the official language of the Union, it would be the language used for official communication between states and between a state and the Union.

However, the provision includes an exception to this rule. It states that if two or more states agree to use the Hindi language for official communication between themselves, they may do so.

This recognizes the linguistic diversity of India and allows states to communicate with each other in a language that they are comfortable with. It also gives states some flexibility in the choice of language for official communication, as long as they can reach an agreement with each other.

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Conclusion

In conclusion, Article 346 of the Indian Constitution plays a crucial role in regulating the use of languages for official communication between states and between a state and the Union in India. It defines that the language currently authorized for use in the Union for official purposes shall be the official language for such communication, but also allows for the use of Hindi if two or more states agree to it.

This provision reflects the linguistic diversity of the country and ensures that citizens are able to access and participate in the country’s democratic processes in a language that they are comfortable with. It also allows for some flexibility in the choice of language for official communication between states, as long as there is an agreement between them.

Overall, Article 346 serves as an important part of India’s language policy and helps to facilitate smooth communication between different levels of government.

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