Assam Assembly adds Hindi as official language, Bodo Assamese will stay in use

Guwahati,UPDATED: Jul 5, 2026 16:51 IST

Hindi will be introduced as another official language of the Assam Assembly from the forthcoming Budget session, Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Dass said on Sunday. Assamese, English and Bodo will continue to remain in use in the House, he said.

The announcement came ahead of the Budget session beginning on Monday, amid speculation over the status of Bodo in the Assembly. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma later said there was no proposal to withdraw the use of Bodo from the proceedings or any other official business of the House.

Addressing a press conference, Dass said, "The general purpose committee meeting was held yesterday. And it was decided that along with Assamese, English and Bodo, Hindi will be introduced henceforth in the Assembly."

"Since Hindi is the 'Rashtra Bhasha', as a sign of respect for it, we have decided to introduce it in the House," he added.

The Speaker also said the meeting had decided to rename ALA TV, which streams the proceedings of the Assembly, as Assam Bidhan Sabha TV.

In a post on X, Sarma said, "I have been informed by the Hon'ble Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly that there is no proposal to withdraw the use of the Bodo language from the proceedings or any other official business of the Assembly." He said Bodo is an inseparable part of Assam's rich cultural heritage and identity, and added, "It carries the history, traditions, and aspirations of the Bodo community and enriches the vibrant diversity that defines our state."

"The Government of Assam is fully committed to preserving and promoting the Bodo language. We will continue to make every possible effort to support its growth and ensure that it continues to flourish for generations to come," the chief minister added.

Bodo is among the official languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. It was notified as an Associate Official Language of the Assembly through the Assam Official Language (Amendment) Act, 2020. In sum, the Assembly will add Hindi as an official language from the Budget session, while Assamese, English and Bodo will continue to be used.

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