Karnataka cabinet clears law for 60% Kannada in signboards across state

“The law is intended to ensure that signages and displays in the state are 60 per cent in Kannada. The cabinet has given its consent for introducing the law,” Law Minister H K Patil said Friday after the meeting of the Congress government’s cabinet.

The move follows recent protests by Kannada organisations against the use of English signages by shops and commercial establishments. On December 27, what was initially planned as an online campaign by a Karnataka Rakshana Vedike faction took a violent turn when more than 5,000 activists of the right-wing outfit created havoc, bringing business activity in the country’s IT capital to a standstill.

Many investors, stunned by the wave of pro-Kannada vandalism, expressed concerns about what they described as the “soft-handed” approach of the Karnataka government and the police on the issue.

Ramesh Chandra Lahoti, president of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry, had then told The Indian Express: “It was really unfortunate that police could not protect businesses. Bengaluru is a globally noted city. We are speaking about ‘Brand Bengaluru’ and if the government doesn’t act against such attacks, how can we even promote it?”

At the time, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had announced that his government would introduce an ordinance to ensure that 60 per cent of the space on signboards and name plates is dedicated to Kannada, with the rest left to any other language. “Kannada is supreme in Karnataka and the government will take all steps to promote the language,” he said.

Citing a circular issued on March 24, 2018, he said 60 per cent of signages needed to be in Kannada and 40 percent in other languages. However, when the by-law was amended, it became 50 per cent.

According to the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act of 2022, the upper half portion of boards displaying the names of commercial, industrial and business undertakings, trusts, counselling centres, hospitals, laboratories, amusement centres and hotels, functioning with the approval and sanction of government or local authorities, shall be in Kannada and lower half can be in any other language.

“We decided that the signboards and name plates should be 60:40 as per the previous circular. We will bring an amendment to section 17(6) of the said Act, which was introduced by the Kannada and Culture Department,” Siddaramaiah had said.

Recently, Bengaluru’s civic body issued a circular directing all commercial establishments in the city to put up signages in Kannada prominently before February 28.

According to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) regulations, 60 per cent of the writing on name boards must be in Kannada and remaining 40 percent can be either in English and other languages.

There are 1,400 kms of arterial and sub-arterial roads in Bengaluru and all commercial establishments will be surveyed zone-wise. The BBMP said it would serve notices to those who don’t follow the regulation.