The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the proposal to change the name of the state of ‘Kerala’ to ‘Keralam’.
Following the Cabinet’s approval, the President of India will refer the proposed legislation, named the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, to the State Legislative Assembly for expressing its views under the provision of Article 3 of the Constitution of India.
After receiving the assembly’s response, the Centre will take further steps, including obtaining the President’s recommendation for introducing the bill.
The move comes after the Kerala Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on June 24, 2024, urging the Centre to amend the First Schedule of the Constitution to reflect the name “Keralam.”
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“The name of our State is ‘Keralam’ in Malayalam Language. States were formed on the basis of language on the 1st day of November, 1956. The Kerala Piravi Day is also on the 1st day of November. Since the time of National Independence Struggle, there has been a strong demand for the formation of United Kerala for the people speaking Malayalam language. But in the First Schedule to the Constitution the name of our State is recorded as ‘Kerala’. This Assembly unanimously appeal to the Central Government to take urgent steps as per Article 3 of the Constitution for modifying the name as ‘Keralam’,” the resolution read.
Subsequently, the Kerala government formally requested the Centre to take steps to amend the First Schedule to the Constitution by altering the name of State of ‘Kerala’ as ‘Keralam’ as per article 3 of the Constitution.
The proposal was examined by the Ministry of Home Affairs. With the approval of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the draft cabinet note was circulated to the Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice for their comments. Both departments have concurred with the proposal to rename the state.
