Kerala to Be Renamed ‘Keralam’? Centre Clears Proposal, Bill to Be Sent to Assembly

New Delhi, 24th February 2026: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a proposal to change the official name of the State of Kerala to “Keralam.”

Following the Cabinet’s decision, the President of India will refer the proposed legislation — the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 — to the Kerala Legislative Assembly for its views, as required under Article 3 of the Constitution. After receiving the Assembly’s response, the Centre will take further steps, including obtaining the President’s recommendation for introducing the Bill in Parliament.

The move follows a resolution passed unanimously by the Kerala Legislative Assembly on June 24, 2024, urging the Union government to amend the First Schedule of the Constitution to reflect the name “Keralam,” which is how the state is referred to in Malayalam.

In its resolution, the Assembly noted that states were reorganised on linguistic lines on November 1, 1956 — a date celebrated as Kerala Piravi Day — and that there had long been a demand, dating back to the national independence movement, for a unified state for Malayalam-speaking people. However, the Constitution currently records the state’s name as “Kerala” in the First Schedule. The Assembly appealed to the Centre to take steps under Article 3 to officially adopt the name “Keralam.”

Subsequently, the Kerala government formally requested the Union government to initiate the constitutional process for renaming the state.
Article 3 of the Constitution empowers Parliament to alter the name, area or boundaries of a state through legislation. However, any such Bill can be introduced in Parliament only on the recommendation of the President. Additionally, if the proposal concerns the name, area or boundaries of a state, the President must first refer the Bill to the concerned state legislature for its views within a specified timeframe.

The proposal to rename Kerala was examined by the Ministry of Home Affairs. After approval by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the draft Cabinet note was circulated to the Ministry of Law and Justice for legal vetting. The Department of Legal Affairs and the Legislative Department have concurred with the proposal.

Once the procedural requirements under Article 3 are completed, the Bill will be introduced in Parliament for consideration.