Karnataka Governor sends ordinance on 60% use of Kannada in signboards back to govt

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has sent back an ordinance mandating 60% use of Kannada in all signboards, to the state government.

Published on: Jan 31, 2024, 14:02:50 IST

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Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has sent back an ordinance mandating 60 per cent use of Kannada in signboards of businesses and establishments, to the state government.

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot. (Source: Current Affairs)

This was revealed by Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday.

READ | BBMP issues Notices Over Compliance with ‘60% Kannada’ Rule

"We (the government) approved an ordinance on signboards. The Governor has sent it back saying it should be passed in the Assembly. He could have given his assent now. Giving protection and respect to Kannada is our government's commitment," Shivakumar said.

The Karnataka Cabinet had on January 5, given its approval to an ordinance to amend the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act that mandates 60 per cent use of the state's language in signages.

The government had decided to take the ordinance route in the wake of violent protests by pro-Kannada organisations targeting businesses and establishments in Bengaluru for not giving prominence to Kannada.

READ | Karnataka cabinet approves 60% Kannada language rule on sign boards

As of now, the law requires the use of Kannada language in the upper-half portion of boards, displaying the names of businesses.

The Budget session of the Karnataka Legislature is scheduled to be be held from February 12 to 23.

It is said that the Governor may have sent the ordinance back to the government, considering that the Legislature session is round the corner, official sources said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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