The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the proposal to rename the state of Kerala as “Keralam,” acting on resolutions passed by the Kerala Assembly in 2023 and 2024. The move seeks to amend the First Schedule of the Constitution under Article 3, as the state is referred to as “Keralam” in Malayalam. A Bill titled the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 will now be referred by the President of India to the State Legislative Assembly for its views before further action is taken to introduce it in Parliament. The decision comes ahead of assembly elections in the state.
Key Takeaways: Kerala Renaming To Keralam
- Union Cabinet approves proposal to rename Kerala as “Keralam”
- Change requires amendment under Article 3 of the Constitution
- Bill to be referred to Kerala Assembly for its views
- Resolutions were passed by the state assembly in August 2023 and June 24, 2024
- State is known as “Keralam” in Malayalam
- Assembly elections are expected in April–May
- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor raises linguistic questions on demonyms
Union Cabinet Approves Proposal To Rename Kerala
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday approved the proposal to rename the state of Kerala as “Keralam.” The decision follows resolutions passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly urging the Centre to amend the First Schedule of the Constitution to reflect the name “Keralam.”
The approval marks the first decision taken at Seva Teerth, the newly inaugurated Prime Minister’s Office and Cabinet Secretariat complex. The move comes ahead of assembly elections in the state, the dates of which are yet to be announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI), though polls are expected in April–May.
Constitutional Process Under Article 3
The resolutions moved by the Kerala government sought to alter the name of the state from “Kerala” to “Keralam” under Article 3 of the Constitution of India. Following the Union Cabinet’s approval, the President of India will refer a Bill — the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 — to the State Legislative Assembly of Kerala for expressing its views, as required under the proviso to Article 3.
After receiving the views of the State Legislative Assembly, the Government of India will take further action. The recommendation of the President will then be obtained for introducing the Bill in Parliament to formally alter the name of the state in the Constitution’s First Schedule.
Resolutions Passed In 2023 And 2024
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had moved resolutions in August 2023 and again on June 24, 2024, seeking to rename the state as “Keralam” in all languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. The assembly passed the resolution twice.
The Union Home Ministry, after reviewing the first resolution, suggested certain technical changes, prompting the state government to adopt it again. The subsequent resolution was unanimously passed by the assembly.
Vijayan had stated that the state is referred to as “Keralam” in Malayalam and that the demand for a unified Kerala for Malayalam-speaking people dates back to the national freedom struggle.
Historical And Linguistic Basis For The Name
According to the resolutions, the name of the state in Malayalam is “Keralam.” States in India were formed on linguistic lines on November 1, 1956, which is also observed as Kerala Piravi Day.
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The resolution noted that since the time of the National Independence Struggle, there had been a strong demand for the formation of a united state for Malayalam-speaking people. However, in the First Schedule to the Constitution, the name of the state is recorded as “Kerala.”
The assembly appealed to the Central Government to take urgent steps under Article 3 to modify the name to “Keralam.”
Amendment To First Schedule Required
The resolution explicitly sought changes in the First Schedule of the Constitution, which lists the names of states. Upon review, it was indicated that an amendment to the First Schedule would be necessary to implement the name change.
“The name of our state is written as Kerala in the First Schedule of the Constitution. This assembly requests the Centre to take immediate steps to amend it as ‘Keralam’ under Article 3 of the Constitution and have it renamed as ‘Keralam’ in all the languages mentioned in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution,” Vijayan had said.
Political Context And Election Timing
The approval comes at a politically significant time, with assembly elections in the state expected in April–May. The dates have not yet been announced by the Election Commission of India.
The decision also comes in the broader context of renaming places in India. In 2016, Gurgaon was renamed Gurugram as homage to Guru Dronacharya from the epic Mahabharata, who was given the land by his disciples.
At that time, the RSS had suggested that the Union government should rename Kerala as “Keralam,” Ahmedabad as “Amaravati,” Hyderabad as “Bhagyanagar,” and Aurangabad as “Sambhajinagar.”
Shashi Tharoor Raises Linguistic Questions
Senior Congress leader and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor reacted to the development with wordplay, questioning what residents of the state would be called in English if the name change takes effect.
“All to the good, no doubt, but a small linguistic question for the Anglophones among us: what happens now to the terms ‘Keralite’ and ‘Keralan’ for the denizens of the new ‘Keralam’? ‘Keralamite’ sounds like a microbe and ‘Keralamian’ like a rare earth mineral…! @CMOKerala might want to launch a competition for new terms resulting from this electoral zeal,” Tharoor said in a post on X.
Next Steps In The Renaming Process
With the Union Cabinet’s approval secured, the process now moves to the constitutional stage involving the President and the Kerala Legislative Assembly. Only after the assembly’s views are received and Parliament passes the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 will the change become official.
Until then, “Kerala” remains the name recorded in the Constitution’s First Schedule.
A Move Rooted In Language And Identity
The proposed renaming reflects a long-standing linguistic and historical identity associated with Malayalam-speaking people. By seeking to align the official name with its usage in the Malayalam language, the state government has framed the move as a correction of constitutional nomenclature rather than a creation of a new identity.
The process underscores the constitutional mechanisms required for altering the name of a state in India and highlights how language, history, and governance intersect in such decisions.
FAQs on Kerala To Keralam Renaming
Because the state is referred to as “Keralam” in Malayalam, and the assembly seeks constitutional recognition of that name.
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the proposal.
An amendment to the First Schedule under Article 3 of the Constitution is required.
No. A Bill must be considered by the state assembly and passed by Parliament.
The Kerala Assembly passed resolutions in August 2023 and June 24, 2024.
