The BMC on Wednesday said that all shops and establishments in Mumbai — irrespective of size — should use Marathi signboards in Devanagari script predominantly.

The order stated that if the signboard displays the name of any shop or business in more than one script, the one in Devanagari should be bigger.

The order comes a day after the BMC asked schools in Mumbai to display their names in Marathi in visible spots.

In March, the state legislature had cleared two bills making Marathi signboards in Devanagari script compulsory for shops and establishments, and making the language mandatory for all official purposes in local bodies.

The push for Marathi by the Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government is being seen as an aim to consolidate the Marathi vote bank ahead of BMC polls.

Before Wednesday’s circular, while no rule stopped shops from putting up signboards in any language, all establishments having more than 10 employees had to display names in Marathi. But the font size was never specified.

The latest circulars also mandate that the font of the Marathi-Devanagari script cannot be smaller than that of other scripts. “If the signboard of any shop or business displays the name in more than one script, the Devanagari name should have a bigger font,” it said.

In case of violation, action can be initiated under Shops Act, 2017. The decision will cover all sorts of establishments, like grocery shops, offices, hotels, restaurants, bars and theatres.

The BMC further said that liquor shops or bars must not bear the names of legendary personalities and historical forts.

For 25 years, Sena has controlled BMC, which is now run by a state-appointed administrator as the term of the elected body had ended in March.

Marathi signboards have been a political issue for parties, especially Sena and MNS.

In 2018, MNS workers had targeted two shops that had put up signboards in Gujarati. They forcibly took down one of the signboards.

In 2008, the BMC had ordered all shops and establishments to display Marathi signboards. However, it had to withdraw its order following orders from the Bombay High Court.

In the 2017 BMC elections, which the BJP and Sena contested separately, Sena had revived the Marathi manoos agenda. It went on to retain control of the BMC by bagging 84 seats. The BJP, meanwhile, bagged 82.

In the last two years, Sena, with NCP and Congress, has been taking forward its Marathi language agenda. Schools displaying names in Marathi has also been a long-pending demand of Sena youth wing Yuva Sena.

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