The Union Cabinet on Tuesday (24) approved the renaming of the State of “Kerala” to “Keralam”, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced. On June 24, 2024, the Kerala Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution urging the Union government to rename the State as “Keralam”.

The move came ahead of the Kerala Assembly elections expected to be held in April-May.

After approval of Union Cabinet, the president of India will refer a Bill, namely the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to the State Legislative Assembly of Kerala for expressing its views under proviso to Article 3 of the Constitution of India.

After receipt of the views of the Kerala Legislative Assembly, the government of India will obtain the recommendation of the president for introduction of the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to alter the name of Kerala as ‘Keralam’ in Parliament, an official release said.

The Kerala Assembly had passed the resolution for the second time because the Ministry of Home Affairs, which reviewed the first resolution, suggested some technical changes.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who had moved the resolution, wanted the Union Government to change the southern State’s name from Kerala to Keralam in all languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

Moving the resolution, the Chief Minister had said the State was called ‘Keralam’ in Malayalam and that the demand to form a united Kerala for the Malayalam-speaking communities had strongly emerged since the time of the national freedom struggle.

Constitutional process to change name of a State

The Article 3 of the Constitution provides for alteration of names of existing States.

According to Article 3, Parliament may by law alter the name of any State. Further proviso to Article 3 states that no Bill for the purpose shall be introduced in either House of Parliament except on the recommendation of the president and unless where the proposal contained in the Bill affects the area, boundaries or name of any of the States, the Bill has been referred by the president to the legislature of that State for expressing its views thereon within such period as may be specified in the reference or within such further period as the president may allow and the period so specified or allowed has expired.

The matter regarding alteration of the name Kerala as Keralam was considered in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India and with the approval of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the draft note for the Cabinet for the alteration of name of Kerala as Keralam was circulated to the Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice for their comments.

The Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice have concurred with the proposal for the alteration of name of Kerala’ as ‘Keralam’.

(With inputs from PTI)