The judge observed that the Karnataka government's 60 percent Kannada signage rule under the recently passed law is prima facie untenable.
Published Mar 20, 2024 | 10:44 AM ⚊ Updated Mar 20, 2024 | 12:08 PM
Karnataka High Court. (Creative Commons)
The Karnataka High Court has restrained the state government from taking any precipitative action against commercial establishments that fail to adhere to the rule that required 60 percent of the signboard to be in Kannada, and said the matter required further consideration.
A single-judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna on Monday, 18 March, observed that the Karnataka government’s 60 percent Kannada signage rule under the recently passed law is prima facie “untenable”.
He even maintained that the matter would require further consideration and a statement of objection by the state.
The High Court was hearing a petition filed by the Retailers’ Association of India challenging the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development (Amendment) Act, 2024 which stipulates that 60 percent of the signage or nameplates in the state should be in Kannada.
The amendment bill, which is now an act, had made provision to ensure that the name boards of commercial, industrial and business undertakings, trusts, counselling centres, hospitals, laboratories, amusement centres and hotels, among others, functioning with the approval and sanction of the government or local authorities, display 60 percent in the Kannada language.
Kannada shall be displayed in the upper half of the name board, it stated.
At the time of issuing fresh licences or renewing the existing licences, authorities will first ensure that they have complied with the rules on using Kannada in boards, Kannada & Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi had earlier said, assuring that the government will also insert rules on imposition of fines for violation.
He had also said that the government would form task forces and an enforcement wing to ensure compliance.
Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government decided to amend the law in the wake of violent protests by pro-Kannada organisations targeting some businesses and establishments in Bengaluru for not giving prominence to Kannada.
It might be recalled that KRV activists in December 2023 launched an aggressive campaign in Bengaluru, urging traders and businessmen who owned shops and commercial establishments in Bengaluru to put up their name boards with 60 percent covered by Kannada.
This campaign gained momentum over the past few months, particularly after an incident involving the management of Mall of Asia in the Hebbal area of Bengaluru.
The mall had sent a legal notice to KRV activists after they demanded that the management install a Kannada nameboard of equal size to that of the English one for the mall.
The activists also questioned the lack of Kannadiga employees, highlighting the prevalence of guest workers from northern states working for lower wages, with free food and accommodation.
“When we questioned the mall management about not employing Kannadigas, they not only warned us not to interfere in their administrative affairs but also threatened us, stating that the city of Bengaluru had more than 70 percent people from the North. They said if they stood together, the locals would flee from Bengaluru,” a KRV activist told South First earlier.
(With PTI inputs)
