Karnataka governor ‘rejects’ Kannada signboard ordinance, state govt to table Bill in Assembly

Hon’ble Governor did not reject the ordinance mandating 60% Kannada on nameplates for businesses; it was returned to the state government with advice to present it before both houses of the state legislature. pic.twitter.com/gCUAUXXkpo

— Thaawarchand Gehlot (@TCGEHLOT) January 31, 2024

Soon after the issue created controversy, the governor’s office issued a statement on Wednesday saying that it has not rejected the said ordinance.

“In this regard, it is clarified that, governor has not rejected the said ordinance, rather the ordinance has been returned to the state government with the advice to present the said Bill before both the houses of state legislature for approval, since the notification for summoning both the houses has already been issued which is scheduled to commence on 12 February, 2024,” the statement read.

On Tuesday, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar confirmed that the governor had rejected the ordinance but asserted that they would take it up during the Assembly session.

“It is unfortunate that the governor has rejected it. It is a state subject and Kannada language is our identity and honour. I request the governor to reconsider the issue. It is a progressive thought and there is a law which exists. There was no objection from any political party or citizens. We will pass it in the Assembly. It was not right for him to send it back within 15 days, said Shivakumar.

Minister for Kannada and Culture Shivaraj Tangadagi said that he had received the file from the governor on Tuesday. “He [the governor] has put ‘Session’ as the reason [for sending back the file]. I do not want to politicise it and it is about the language’s pride. I will table it during the Assembly session and send it to the governor. I wanted to meet him on Wednesday as I was travelling to other districts. But he has returned the file,” Tangadagi added.

On January 5, the Cabinet approved an ordinance to amend the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act to mandate 60 per cent of use of Kannada in signage.

The budget session is scheduled to start in February where Gehlot will be addressing both the Houses on February 12. The ordinance was initiated following violent protests by pro-Kannada outfits where many business establishments in Bengaluru were vandalised.

In December last year, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) issued a circular where it stated that all commercial establishments in Bengaluru must erect signages in Kannada prominently before February 28.

“There are 1,400 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads in Bengaluru and all the commercial establishments will be surveyed zone-wise. We will serve notices to those who do not follow the signages in Kannada, the BBMP had said.

According to BBMP regulations, 60 per cent of the writings on the name boards must be in Kannada and the remaining 40 per cent can be either in English and/or other languages.