Lok Sabha Passes Bill to Rename Kerala as ‘Keralam’: Key Constitutional Process Explained
Yet another significant step in the long-drawn-out proposal of renaming the state of Kerala as Keralam has come to fruition. The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 was approved by the Lok Sabha on August 11, following its introduction in the House one day prior to that. The objective of the bill is to amend the name of the state from Kerala to Keralam in the First Schedule of the Constitution.
This development comes in the wake of a resolution adopted unanimously by the Kerala Legislative Assembly in June 2024 and then approval by the Union Cabinet in February 2026. However, passing this bill in the parliament does not mean that everything related to the state is automatically renamed.
Why Is Kerala Being Renamed as Keralam?
The essence of this proposal is basically to highlight the identity of the state in terms of its Malayalam language and the term used in that language. The Kerala Legislative Assembly has maintained that the official name of the state, as enshrined in the constitution, ought to be reflective of the linguistic and cultural identity of the state.
This demand is not really new. On 24th June 2024, the Kerala Assembly adopted a unanimous resolution requesting the Union government to make provisions under Article 3 of the Constitution for changing the name of the State from ‘Kerala’ to ‘Keralam’.
The basis of the demand is that “Keralam” is the Malayalam term for the state whereas “Kerala” is the term used in the English language version of the Constitution.
What Does the New Bill Actually Change?
The Bill of 2026 that alters the name of the state of Kerala has been quite specific in this regard. In this context, the bill aims at replacing “Keralam” with “Kerala” in the First Schedule of the Constitution.
In such a case, the mention of the state’s name within the constitutional framework will be altered by the passing of this law. Further, this will be reflected in all government records, laws, and other documents.
Therefore, the proposed Bill does not envisage any creation or alteration of the state’s boundaries or constitutional position but merely aims at altering the name of the state.
What Is Article 3 and Why Is It Important?
The legal provision in the constitution that allows for such an amendment of a state name is found in Article 3 of the Indian Constitution. Article 3 provides that Parliament has the powers to create new states and make any changes in the area, boundaries, or name of any part of India.
There is, however, a process that must be adhered to when considering such amendments. Any bill on this matter can only be moved in Parliament after seeking the recommendations of the President. This comes after, if necessary, seeking the opinion of the state legislature regarding the proposed bill by the President.
This happened after the Union Cabinet approved the proposal in February 2026. The Union Cabinet noted that the President will move the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill to the Kerala Legislative Assembly for its opinion.
Did the Kerala Assembly Already Approve the Name Change?
Sure, but there is an important difference between the Assembly resolution of 2024 and the actual constitutional amendment.
In June 24, 2024, the Kerala Legislative Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution that asked the Centre to change the name of the State to “Keralam”. This was the first step taken, but the resolution did not actually bring about any constitutional change in the name of the State.
Then, the Union Cabinet accepted the proposal on February 24, 2026. After that, the Bill was tabled in Parliament and introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 10, 2026.
What Happens After the Lok Sabha Passes the Bill?
The following important step in the process of this Bill being passed is the consideration of this Bill by the Rajya Sabha.
The passage of this Bill by the Parliament must also be followed by the process of presidential assent. It is only then that the name change will have been effected.
Therefore, headlines announcing that Kerala has officially become Keralam should be viewed with caution. The reason for this is because while the Lok Sabha may have already passed this Bill, the entire process has yet to be completed.
Will This Change Kerala’s Identity or Boundaries?
No. The proposal refers to the name of the state, not its territory or constitutional status.
There is no proposal made in the Bill to redraw Kerala’s territory, make any changes to the existing districts of Kerala, change the capital city of the state or alter its position within the Indian Union. The only constitutional change that needs to be made is the replacement of the current name of the state from the First Schedule.
As such, the proposed change will only be administrative and constitutional in nature without any change to the actual state, territory, institutions, or governance.
Why is the Name Change Politically and Culturally Significant?
The proposal has political and cultural importance due to the strong connection between the state and the Malayalam language. Proponents of the name change say that the usage of “Keralam” reflects the actual name of the state in Malayalam.
It should be noted that the name change issue had previously been raised in the parliament as well. In July 2024, a Rajya Sabha intervention in support of the name change emphasized that the current name of the state should reflect its history, culture, and heritage as the Malayalam-speaking entity.
Will Government Documents Change Immediately?
Not always.
Even after the constitutional amendment is done, the government departments, institutions, databases, maps, signs, forms, websites, certificates, and other officially recognized material might need to undergo administrative modification.
This is because of the possibility of gradual practical consequences that could result from the constitutional name change, wherein different institutions and departments adopt the new name at different stages after the formal implementation of the name change.
To citizens of the country, this implies that both names “Kerala” and “Keralam” might continue to co-exist on certain official documents depending on whether they had been updated since the new name was adopted.
What is the Meaning of “Keralam”
“Keralam” is the indigenous name of the state of Kerala in the local language called Malayalam.
It has been emphasized throughout the 2024 Assembly Resolution and other deliberations that it would be appropriate to adopt the native name for the state in the official constitutional vocabulary.
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Conclusion
The passage of the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha is an important moment in a journey that started with the resolution passed by the Assembly of Kerala in 2024 unanimously.
As far as the rationale of this renaming, this is mainly to recognize the linguistic and cultural identity of the State of Kerala in its name. This would lead to an amendment of the name of the state in the First Schedule of the Constitution.
However, it is pertinent to note that the name would become official only after the completion of the other processes which follow the passing of the bill in the Lok Sabha.
One step closer to making Kerala into “Keralam,” but the bill passed in the Lok Sabha is just another step in the journey.
