New Delhi: The Union Cabinet approved the proposal to rename the Indian state of Kerala as “Keralam,” marking the start of a constitutional process to officially change the state’s name in the First Schedule of the Constitution of India under Article 3. The decision reflects a decades-old demand to align the official state name with its original Malayalam form, “Keralam.”
Background of Kerala New Name
At a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Union Cabinet cleared the proposal to rename Kerala — one of India’s southern states — as “Keralam.” This official approval is the first formal step in altering the state’s constitutional name.
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As per constitutional requirements under Article 3, the President of India will now send the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, to the Kerala Legislative Assembly for its views. After the Assembly’s response, the Government of India will seek the President’s recommendation to introduce the Bill in Parliament.
A Historical & Linguistic Backdrop Behind Kerala New Name
The demand to rename Kerala traces back to longstanding linguistic identity aspirations.
- In June 2024, the Kerala Legislative Assembly passed a unanimous resolution requesting that the state’s constitutional name be changed to “Keralam” — the term used in the Malayalam language and rooted in the region’s cultural identity.
- A similar resolution was passed in August 2023, but after technical suggestions from the Ministry of Home Affairs, a revised request was passed again in 2024.
The state’s formation on linguistic lines — on November 1, 1956 (Kerala Piravi) — further strengthens the case that the name used by Malayalis should be reflected in the Constitution.
What Happens Next? The Constitutional Roadmap
Under the Indian Constitution:
- Article 3 empowers Parliament to alter a state’s name.
- Before introduction in Parliament, the President must refer the Bill to the state legislature for its views.
- After receiving the Assembly’s feedback, the Government will seek the President’s recommendation and then introduce the Bill in Parliament for passage.
Once approved and notified, Kerala will officially be renamed “Keralam” in all government records, legal documents, and the Constitution.
