Union Cabinet Approves Official Name Change from Kerala to Keralam
The Union Cabinet has officially approved a proposal to change the name of the state of Kerala to Keralam. This decision follows several resolutions from the Kerala Legislative Assembly asking the Central Government to formalize the state’s traditional Malayalam name.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the approval during a briefing on Tuesday.
Honoring Linguistic Heritage
The Kerala Assembly first passed a resolution for the name change in 2023 and renewed it in June 2024. The state government argued that “Keralam” better reflects the region’s linguistic heritage and historic identity.
In a recent letter to Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan explained the move. He noted that the state’s original name was Keralam, but the British changed it to “Kerala” for their own convenience.
“The changes made by them are being corrected, and the real name is being restored,” the Chief Minister stated. “This is in tune with the culture of the state.”
The Constitutional Process
The Cabinet’s decision marks the beginning of the formal constitutional process required to rename a state. This involves:
- Presidential Reference: The President of India will refer the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to the Kerala State Legislative Assembly for its views.
- Parliamentary Action: After receiving feedback from the state, the bill will be introduced in Parliament to amend the First Schedule of the Constitution under Article 3.
What This Means for the State
The proposed change is primarily symbolic. It is intended to align the state’s official name with its cultural roots. Importantly, this change will not alter:
- Administrative structures
- Governance systems
- Territorial boundaries
Once the process is complete, “Keralam” will be used in all official government records and documents.
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