Guwahati, Apr 15 (PTI) Assamese language shall be used compulsorily in all official work across the state barring three districts in the Barak Valley and five districts under the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), according to an official notification.

However, issuance of all government notifications, office memoranda, acts, rules, regulations, scheme guidelines, transfer and posting orders shall be both in English and Assamese, it said.

The notification will come into effect from April 15 (‘Bohag’-Assamese New Year).

”Beginning this ‘Bohag’, Assamese will be the compulsory official language for all government notifications, orders, acts etc across Assam. In the districts of Barak Valley and BTRR, Bengali and Bodo languages shall be used, respectively,” Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a post on X.

In the districts of Cachar, Hailakandi and Sribhumi in the Barak Valley, Bengali will be used in addition to English for official purposes, said the notification issued by Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Political Departments) Ajay Tewari.

Similarly, in Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa, Udalguri and Tamulpur under the BTR, Bodo language will be used in addition to English for official purposes, it said.

A decision to this effect was taken at the cabinet meeting of the council of ministers, presided by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on April 4.

All notifications, orders, acts, rules and guidelines issued by the central government shall be published by translating into Assamese language (Bodo and Bengali wherever applicable) within 30 days of its receipt by the department concerned, the official order said.

Legacy documents comprising acts, rules, regulations and notifications shall also be translated into Assamese (Bengali and Bodo wherever applicable) in a phased manner over two years, it said.

The translation work shall be done with the assistance of language departments of universities.

In the event of any ambiguity, discrepancy or requirement of legal interpretation, the English version of such laws, notifications, rules, regulations and ordinances, shall prevail, it said.

The English language shall continue to be used for communication with the central government, its offices and other state government establishments, the notification said.

All enquiry reports, para-wise comments, instructions, affidavits and correspondences as required to be submitted before the courts shall be in English language, it said.

In case of interpretation of the provisions contained in any rules, acts, regulations, office order, court orders or judgements, the English version will prevail.

According to the notification, the ‘Anuvad Bhasini App’ may be used for the purpose of translation from English language to Assamese, Bengali and Bodo, but the officers shall exercise discretion and carefully review the translated versions to ensure accuracy and correctness. PTI DG DG RBT