Three days left to change signboards to Marathi, MNS Issues Reminder

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has long been advocating for the use of Marathi language on signboards for all shops and establishments in the state of Maharashtra.

This demand, which has been the focal point of several MNS protests, recently gained legal traction as the matter reached the Supreme Court. In response, the Supreme Court has now issued a directive stipulating that all shops and establishments in Maharashtra must display signboards in the Marathi language.

The MNS, led by its spokesperson Anil Shidore, has actively voiced its stance on this issue. Shidore emphasized that a deadline, set until November 25, 2023, has been established for businesses to comply with the Supreme Court’s directive.

Taking to the ‘X’ account on Monday, Shidore posted, “First, the judgment given by the Bombay High Court and then by the Supreme Court—shop signs in Maharashtra should be in Marathi by November 25, 2023. There are 5 days left now. If the shop owners want to make a board in two languages, the Marathi language in Devanagari script should come first, and the name in Marathi should not be shorter than the name in the other language.” Shidore also referred to the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017.

Reiterating this message, the official ‘X’ account of MNS reposted Anil Shidore’s post, emphasizing the Supreme Court’s order and the imminent deadline, stating, “As per the Supreme Court order, shops in Maharashtra should have Marathi signboards in bold capital letters till November 25, 2023…last 4 days.”

This underscores the urgency for businesses to adhere to the prescribed language requirements on their signboards within the given timeframe.