Mumbai: The issue of Marathi name boards has resurfaced in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) as corporators accused the civic administration of lax implementation of the Supreme Court order regarding Marathi signboards. During a recent meeting of the BMC law, revenue, and general purposes committee, members highlighted that numerous establishments, including star hotels, rooftop restaurants owned by celebrities, and multinational corporations (MNCs), display only English name boards, violating the regulations.
Corporator Raises Point of Order
On Monday, corporator Tajinder Singh Tiwana raised the matter through a point of order during the committee meeting. He demanded strict action against those violating the Marathi name board rules. “Despite clear directives issued by the Supreme Court regarding Marathi signboards, thousands of shops, hotels, and commercial establishments across Mumbai still lack Marathi name boards,” Tiwana stated. He further claimed that over 5,000 establishments either do not have Marathi name boards or display Marathi text in fonts smaller than English.
Questioning Administrative Inaction
Tiwana questioned the administration’s efforts, asking, “What exactly is the administration doing? Why are the rules not being implemented by the administration?” Committee chairperson Diksha Karkar echoed these concerns, stating, “What was the administration doing for the last few years? They were only taking token measures. Did they take action against those who had boards with Marathi in smaller font size?”
Warning and Next Steps
Karkar warned that if a corporator finds any establishment violating the name board rules and no notice has been issued, a memo should be given to the local official concerned. She announced a meeting on March 13, where shops and establishment inspectors from all 26 wards have been summoned. “This is to ensure that the message is passed down the ranks. On MG Road in Goregaon, even now there are several small shops that do not have name boards in Marathi,” Karkar added.
Data on Inspections and Legal Action
According to BMC data, between November 28, 2023, and March 31, 2026, civic officials visited over 1.58 lakh establishments. As of March 31, 2026, 3,774 court cases had been filed across the 24 ward offices for non-compliance with the Marathi name board regulations.
