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Home The Constitution Part XVII Article 346
Art. 346 Part XVII: Official Language

Official Language for Communication Between One State and Another or Between a State and the Union

Exact text — Constitution of India

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.

In Plain English

What this Article actually means

This Article sets the default rule for cross-state and state-Union official communication: use whatever the Union's official language is (currently Hindi and English) — but with a specific opt-out: if two or more states mutually agree, they can use Hindi between themselves even if that's not otherwise their individual official languages.
Why This Matters To You

How it shows up in everyday life

This is why official correspondence between, say, the central government and a state (or between two different states) generally happens in Hindi or English, even if those states' own internal official languages are different regional languages.

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Art. 345 — Official Language of a State
Frequently Asked

Quick answers about Article 346

Can two southern states with different official languages agree to communicate in a regional language instead?
This Article's specific opt-out only covers Hindi, not other regional languages — communication otherwise defaults to the Union's official language(s).
← PreviousArticle 345: Official Language or Languages of a StateNext →Article 347: Special Provision Relating to Language Spoken by a Section of the Population of a State

The text above reproduces Article 346 of the Constitution of India as amended to date, for general educational reference. It is public-domain legislative text, but we recommend cross-checking the authoritative version at legislative.gov.in or india.gov.in before relying on it for a legal matter. The explanation, examples and FAQs are general information, not legal advice — consult a qualified advocate for guidance on your specific situation.