Tulu Language Granted Additional Official Status in Karnataka

Context:

Recently, on 18 September 2026, during the Karnataka Cabinet meeting held in Mangaluru, a decision was taken to grant Tulu the status of an additional official (administrative) language in the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. The decision is significant in the context of the long-standing demand of the Tulu-speaking community in coastal Karnataka.

Tulu Language:

Tulu is a major Dravidian language of South India. It is primarily spoken in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, as well as in the neighbouring Kasaragod region of Kerala. Tulu has a rich folk, literary, and cultural tradition. Therefore, its use at the administrative level is not merely a matter of linguistic convenience but is also closely linked to cultural preservation and local identity.

Constitutional Basis: Article 345

• • • Article 345 of the Indian Constitution provides states with the constitutional authority to determine their official language or languages. It states that, subject to the provisions of Articles 346 and 347, the Legislature of a State may, by law, adopt any one or more of the languages in use in the State or Hindi as the language or languages to be used for all or any of the official purposes of that State.
    • Thus, the Constitution provides states with considerable flexibility to develop an official language framework according to their linguistic and social circumstances. At the same time, Article 347 empowers the President, when a substantial proportion of the population of a state demands recognition of a language, to direct that the language be officially recognised throughout the state or in any part of it.

Legal Position in Karnataka:

• • • Section 2 of the Karnataka Official Language Act, 1963 declares Kannada as the official language of the state. Subsequently, the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act, 2022 further strengthened the use of Kannada in government and administrative functions.
    • According to some legal experts and law graduates, a Cabinet decision alone may not be sufficient to implement Tulu as an additional administrative language in the specified districts. An appropriate legislative amendment to the relevant language law may be required.
    • Thereafter, the amendment would need to be passed by the State Legislature, followed by the Governor’s assent and the issuance of the necessary notification. The final legal procedure will become clear through the relevant government notifications and legislative action.

Example of Other States:

In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, amendments were made to the respective official language laws to grant Urdu the status of an additional/second official language. In Telangana, an amendment in 2017 declared Urdu as the state’s second official language alongside Telugu. Similarly, in Andhra Pradesh, the law was amended in 2022 to provide for Urdu as the second official language in all districts.

Significance of the Decision:

Granting Tulu additional administrative status could improve linguistic accessibility between local citizens and the administration, enhance the effectiveness of public services, and promote cultural preservation. However, effective implementation would also require translation mechanisms, trained human resources, standardised administrative terminology, and digital content in Tulu.

Conclusion:

The decision to grant Tulu additional official administrative status is linked to the broader themes of India’s linguistic pluralism, federalism, and participatory governance. It demonstrates that the Constitution provides states with sufficient constitutional space to enhance the administrative role of local languages. At the same time, for any Cabinet decision to be effectively implemented, legal harmony between constitutional provisions and existing state laws is essential.