The long battle to make Kannada mandatory in signboards in Karnataka Premium

Bengalureans, especially its retailers, were shocked to see mobs descend to the streets vandalising non-Kannada signboards last week. This was preceded by an announcement by the city’s civic body that all sign boards should have at least 60% Kannada and the rest in any language and set a February 28, 2024 deadline to implement the same. However, a Kannada organisation Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) took to streets to “enforce” this rule on December 27. The situation grew tense as some resorted to vandalism.

Bengaluru, a pivotal centre for IT-related services that draws professionals from various parts of the country, has long wrestled with the nuanced issue of language preference. The city’s varied linguistic environment has, at times, resulted in tensions.

Bengalureans, especially its retailers, were shocked to see mobs descend to the streets vandalising non-Kannada signboards last week. This was preceded by an announcement by the city’s civic body that all sign boards should have at least 60% Kannada and the rest in any language and set a February 28, 2024 deadline to implement the same. However, a Kannada organisation Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) took to streets to “enforce” this rule on December 27. The situation grew tense as some resorted to vandalism.

Many retailers and commercial establishments were taken aback by the civic body’s announcement of implementation of the sign board rule by February end next year, and said they were not even aware of such a rule being in existence, as earlier attempts by the State government to implement such a norm had faced legal hurdles. 

For instance, Retailers Association of India wrote to Chief Secretary of Karnataka, Rajneesh Goel, seeking his “urgent intervention” to stop any further acts of vandalism and violence against retail outlets in the city. They further claimed that hearing a writ petition RAI filed in the High Court of Karnataka in 2019, the Court had granted a stay order on the 60% Kannada in signboards rule. 

The tussle between the government keen on mandating Kannada usage in signboards and commercial establishments trying to resist it has a long history in Bengaluru. 

Back in 2008, rules were framed under the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Act. Rule 24-A said that Kannada should have prominence on the name board of a business establishment. Rule 26 provided for a fine to be imposed if Rule 23-A was not followed. Followed by this, in 2009, the Supreme Court had dismissed a plea by the Karnataka government to mandate use of Kannada on sign boards. However, notices continued to be issued to shops and retailers to display sign boards in Kannada.  

The State’s implementation has not been taken well by all retailers and companies. In the same year, Vodafone Essar South filed a writ appeal in the Karnataka High Court. In the case of Vodafone Essar South vs State of Karnataka, the Karnataka High Court had prevented the State government from mandating language use for shops and establishments. The State had claimed that the Labour Department could enforce Kannada usage on signboards under Rule 24-A of the Karnataka Shops and Establishments Act, 1961.