Deadline for 60% Kannada signage in Bengaluru extended by 2 weeks

The Karnataka government has decided to extend the deadline given to commercial establishments in Bengaluru for changing signboards to ensure that Kannada-English is in a 60:40 ratio by two weeks.

The deadline for signboard change in Bengaluru ended on February 28.

“Considering that it takes time to change the signage, the Karnataka government has decided to extend the deadline given to commercial establishments by 2 more weeks so that the 60% signage in Kannada rule can be followed,” Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

The order, mandated by BBMP Chief Tushar Giri Nath in December, required all commercial establishments in the city to allocate 60 per cent of the space on their signboards to the Kannada language. This move followed sustained protests by pro-Kannada activists who took to the streets until the civic body passed the order. A bill on the same was also passed unopposed in the Karnataka Assembly.

“It is important that we uphold our mother tongue in utmost respect; therefore, we expect this law will be duly followed, and we shall see compliance with it by the end of the 2-week extended period,” DK Shivakumar’s statement on X read.

The city of Bengaluru, home to over 55,000 shops, has seen approximately 94% of these establishments adhering to the directive, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) chief Tushar Giri Nath said. “However, 3,044 shops, constituting the remaining 6 per cent, are yet to comply with the directive,” he said.

Watch Live TV in English

Watch Live TV in Hindi