New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): In a historic move, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday approved the Kerala government’s proposal to officially rename the state as ‘Keralam’. This decision aligns the constitutional name of the state with its Malayalam nomenclature and follows a persistent demand from the state’s legislative body.
The cabinet’s nod initiates the formal constitutional procedure required for a name change under Article 3. The process will involve the introduction of the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that the bill will now be referred by the President to the Kerala Legislative Assembly to seek its formal views, as mandated by constitutional protocols.
Path to the Resolution
The approval comes nearly two years after the Kerala Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on June 24, 2024, urging the Centre to amend the First Schedule of the Constitution. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who moved the resolution, had emphasized that the state’s identity is intrinsically linked to its native language, Malayalam, where it has always been known as ‘Keralam’.
While the state had passed a similar resolution in 2023, it was re-introduced in 2024 to address technical modifications suggested by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The latest resolution explicitly requested the name change not only in the First Schedule but also across all languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
Political and Cultural Significance
The timing of the Union Cabinet’s approval is notable, as Kerala is expected to head to the polls for its Legislative Assembly elections in April–May 2026. For the ruling LDF government, the renaming is a significant fulfillment of a long-standing cultural aspiration. Meanwhile, the BJP has positioned its support for the move as a commitment to strengthening the country’s regional and cultural heritage.
Historically, the name ‘Kerala’ is considered an anglicized version of ‘Keralam’. By formally adopting the latter, the state aims to reinforce its linguistic identity, which served as the original basis for the reorganization of Indian states on November 1, 1956.
What’s Next?
- Presidential Reference: President Droupadi Murmu will refer the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, to the Kerala Assembly.
- State Assembly Feedback: The state legislature will express its views on the proposed legislation within a specified timeframe.
- Parliamentary Approval: Once the views are received, the Union Government will seek the President’s recommendation to introduce and pass the Bill in both Houses of Parliament.
