Writ Petition in Punjab and Haryana High Court triggers move to release Electricity Bills in Punjabi. A writ petition filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the State of Punjab has stirred significant action within the state’s electricity department. The petitioner Adv Nikhil Thamman, who demands that electricity bills be issued in Punjabi for the residents of Punjab, has pushed the authorities into a swift response, signaling a shift in administrative practices.
HC Double Bench comprising Hon’ble CHIEF JUSTICE SHEEL NAGU, ANIL KSHETARPAL JUDGE heard a PIL on 16/12/24 regarding electricity bills are being issued by PCPCL in English language only which is violation of the Punjab Official Language Act, 1967, which was amended in 2008 and 2021.
The petitioner-Advocate Nikhil Thamman claimed that the provisions of the Act are being violated daily by the PSPCL, as electricity bills are being issued only in English language, instead of Punjabi language, despite repeated reminders from petitioner. The Punjab Official Language Act, 1967, which was amended in 2008 and 2021, mandates that official communication in the state of Punjab be conducted in Punjabi. Specifically, Section 3-B of the amended Act (2008) requires that all official correspondence in state government offices, public sector undertakings, boards, local bodies, and educational institutions be in Punjabi.
Through this PIL The petitioner-Advocate Nikhil Thamman filed PIL seeking the issuance of Direction or Order, for directing the PSPCL for ensuring the issuance of electricity bills in both Punjabi and English Languages (bi-lingual) as the current practice of issuing electricity bills solely in English is in violation of the Punjab Official Language Act, 1967, which mandates use of Punjabi Language in all official work in the State of Punjab. And also seeking necessary legal action against the responsible officers, in accordance with the provisions of section 8-D(1) and 8-D(3) of the Punjab Official Language Act, 1967. That a bare perusal of section 3-B of the Punjab Official Language Act as amended in 2008 is reproduced below for your kind perusal:-“Section 3-B – In all offices of the State Government, public sector undertakings, boards and local bodies and offices of the schools, colleges and universities of the State Government, all official correspondence shall be in Punjabi”.
Before filing the PIL petitioner has also served a legal notice to State of Punjab through its Chief Secretary, Chairman-cum-Managing Director PSPCL, Punjab, Director, Language Department, State of Punjab on dated 28.09.2024 for issuance of the electricity bills in Punjabi Language and official work of PSPCL to be done in Punjabi Language as per the provisions of Punjabi Official Language Act, 1967 and to stop its repeated violation.
The petitioner-Advocate Nikhil Thamman, RTI and social activist categorically mentioned that bills in English are difficult to understand by common man.
Arguments are incomplete and Case is adjourned for 23/01/25.
Petition has been filed by Nikhil Thamman mentions that the state official language Punjabi must be used in all communications, including utility bills. The petitioner said that a major part of the population will find it hard to understand their bills issued in English and hence it is violating the rights of a citizen.
There is palpable activity following the enlistment of the case by the electricity department. What is a bit premature, in light of this new move to address the problem is the issue of instructions being passed by departmental authorities to all printing houses connected to begin printing electricity bills solely in Punjabi. It differs from the hitherto practice whereby most was printed in English.
Senior officials of the electricity department confirmed the development, said the decision is to uphold the potential legal and cultural repercussions of the petition. “Punjabi is the identity of our state and we want to respect people’s sentiments,” said one official, adding that changes would also make bills more accessible for a larger segment of consumers.
Printing companies contracted by the department have already started editing their templates to accommodate the Punjabi language as the dominant language. However, with such a change comes obstacles. Many printers are supposedly not adapting well to the linguistic and technical requirements needed for printing bills in the language of Punjabi. This is because they are not familiar with Gurmukhi script. As much as there are growing pains, officials are assured that the process will gain stream soon.
People had debates about the development. This was hailed as a big linguistic empowerment step by many residents of Punjab, but others thought it would delay and, likely to err in the switching transition.