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THE CONSTITUTION, MADE UNDERSTANDABLE

Article 346
Official language for communication between one State and another or between a State and the Union

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26 Parts12 Schedules506 indexed article entries, including historical omissions
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Source edition: as on 1 May 2026. Omitted and struck-down reference entries remain labelled. Open the authoritative PDF ↗

Article 346 / Part XVII

Official language for communication between one State and another or between a State and the Union

included in edition
THE PLAIN-LANGUAGE GUIDE

What does this mean?

Inter-State and State-Union official communications use the language authorised for Union official purposes, with the stated Hindi agreement option between States. This regulates government communication rather than private speech.

Union and State official languages, communication, courts, linguistic minorities and language development.

PURPOSE & CONTEXT

Why is this provision here?

A multilingual constitutional system needs clear institutional language rules and minority safeguards rather than assuming one language rule applies everywhere.

Historical evidence

This Article number belongs to the original constitutional framework, but its present wording may include later amendments or substitutions. A provision-specific original Assembly debate has not been verified here. The explanation of function above is editorial inference from the text, not an attributed single motive of the framers. The original draft-making archive is a research resource, not proof of a particular historical reason.

The explanation of purpose is an editorial reading of the provision. A drafting motive is attributed only where a linked historical source supports it.

Limits, exceptions & reading carefully

Educational summary of the linked source text. Exceptions, provisos, implementing laws and applicable judgments must be read before applying it to a real case.

Read the official constitutional text
346. Official language for communication between one State and another or between a State and the Union.—The language for the time being authorised for use in the Union for official purposes shall be the official language for communication between one State and another State and between a State and the Union: Provided that if two or more States agree that the Hindi language should be the official language for communication between such States, that language may be used for such communication.
Source-page notes · may concern neighbouring Articles

1. The words "or Rajpramukh" omitted by the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956, s. 29 and Sch. (w.e.f. 1-11-1956).

Extracted from the Legislative Department’s May 2026 edition. Page footnotes may refer to neighbouring provisions; check their markers in the PDF. Inclusion in this edition does not by itself establish commencement or judicial effect.