Articles 343 to 351
12 sentencesSeventeen pupils sit in the language class.
Official Language (Art 343–351)=Part XVII — four chapters: language of the Union (343–344) · regional languages (345–347) · courts and laws (348–349) · special directives (350–351)
The office keeps forty-three files in Hindi.
Language of the Union’s office — Hindi=Art 343 — Hindi in Devanagari, numerals in the international form of Indian numerals · 343(2) English for 15 years from 1950 · 343(3) Parliament may keep it longer by law
The Commission met for forty-four minutes.
Official Language Commission and Committee=Art 344 — the President sets up a Commission at the end of 5 and again 10 years from 1950 · 344(4) Committee of Parliament
The state chose its language by forty-five votes.
Official language of a state=Art 345 — the state legislature adopts one or more languages in use, or Hindi, by law · until then English
A letter with a forty-six paise stamp
Link language (letters) between states and with the Union=Art 346 — the language authorised for the Union · two or more states may agree on Hindi
The people asked forty-seven times for their own tongue.
Language of a section of the people=Art 347 — if a substantial part asks, the President, if satisfied, may direct its official recognition
The court keeps forty-eight files in English.
Language of the courts and of laws — English=Art 348 — proceedings and the authoritative text of Bills and Acts in English · 348(2) the Governor, with the President’s prior consent, may allow Hindi or the state language in High Court proceedings — not in judgments
First sanction then a forty-nine-page Bill
Special procedure for language laws (first the President’s sanction)=Art 349 — for the first 15 years a Bill on the language for Art 348(1) purposes needed the President’s prior sanction
A grievance on a fifty-rupee stamp
Grievance petition in any language=Art 350 — to any Union or state officer, in any language used in the Union or the state
Mother tongue lessons for three hundred and fifty kids
Mother tongue at the primary stage=Art 350A — for children of linguistic minorities · the President may give directions to states
The special officer’s report ran to three hundred and fifty pages.
Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities (Art 350B)=Art 350B — appointed by the President, reports laid before each House · “Commissioner for Linguistic Minorities” · 350A and 350B came with the 7th Amendment (1956)
The Hindi teacher taught three fifty-one new words.
Hindi — its spread=Art 351 — Hindi to express India’s composite culture · forms from Hindustani and the Eighth Schedule languages, vocabulary mainly from Sanskrit
The office (343) works in Hindi and the court (348) in English — keep that contrast · the Constitution says “official language”, never “national language”.