GUWAHATI: The Assam government has made the Assamese language compulsory for all official works in the state barring five districts under the Bodoland Territorial Region and three districts in the Barak Valley.
An official notification said the issuance of all government notifications, office memoranda, acts, rules, regulations, scheme guidelines, transfer and posting orders would be both in English and Assamese languages.
“In the districts of the Barak Valley, Bengali shall be used in addition to English for the aforementioned official purposes. In the Bodoland Territorial Region, Bodo shall be used in addition to English for the aforementioned official purposes,” the notification said.
All notifications, orders, acts, rules, regulations and guidelines issued by the central government shall be published by translating into the Assamese language (Bodo and Bengali, wherever applicable) within thirty days of receipt by the department concerned.
Similarly, legacy documents comprising arts, rules, regulations, and notifications shall be translated into Assamese (Bodo and Bengali, wherever applicable) over a period of two years, in a phased manner. The translation work shall be undertaken with the assistance of the language departments of the universities.
“In the event of any ambiguity, discrepancy, or requirement of legal interpretation, the English version of such laws, notifications, rules. regulations, ordinance shall prevail. The English language shall continue to be used for communication with the Government of India, Central government offices and other state government establishments,” the notification read.
All enquiry reports, para-wise comments, instructions, affidavits, and correspondence as required to be submitted before courts shall be in the English language. For interpretation of the provisions contained in any rules, acts, regulations, office orders, court orders or judgements, the English version shall prevail.
“For the purpose of translation from English to Assamese, Bengali and Bodo languages, the Anuvaad Bhashini App may be used. However, officers shall exercise due discretion and carefully review the translated versions to ensure accuracy and correctness,” the notification further stated.