Maharashtra has issued a new 29-page SOP making Marathi mandatory in all revenue department quasi-judicial hearings and in the orders issued there. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said officials must hold hearings at least twice a week, preferably Tuesdays and Fridays, while adjournments will be permitted only once for valid reasons. Interim and final decisions must be uploaded to the e-QJ Court system with digital signatures, with speaking orders due within eight weeks and decisions requiring hearing both parties.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the state takes pride in the Marathi language and urged everyone to learn it, with the government offering support. At the same time, he made it clear that violence or controversy tied to language will not be acceptable. He also pointed to Maharashtra’s economic strength and wished people on International Labour Day.
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Maharashtra plans to extend its Marathi language learning requirement beyond traditional taxi and auto drivers to app-based cab services. The transport minister said a policy is being prepared for aggregators like Uber, Ola, and Rapido, with a timeline linked to the August 15 extension already announced for conventional drivers. The move could affect drivers and riders on these platforms.
Maharashtra Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik has called a meeting with auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers’ associations to implement compulsory practical Marathi language knowledge for drivers. Starting May 1, authorities will check documents and also test spoken Marathi during verification drives. Drivers who fail to comply could face action under the new rule, with enforcement beginning immediately after the rollout.
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