New Delhi (IANS): The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a proposal on Tuesday to rename ‘Kerala’ as ‘Keralam,’ according to government officials.
Following this approval, President Droupadi Murmu will refer the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to the Kerala Assembly. Under Article 3 of the Constitution, the Assembly must express its views on the proposal.
Once the Union government receives these views, it will seek President Murmu’s recommendation to introduce the Bill in Parliament.
Background and Legislative Process
The move follows a resolution the Kerala Assembly passed on June 24, 2024. The Assembly noted that while the people speak Malayalam and refer to their state as ‘Keralam,’ the First Schedule of the Constitution records it as ‘Kerala.’ The Assembly’s resolution highlighted several key points:
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Language-based Roots: States were formed based on language on November 1, 1956.
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Historical Demand: A strong demand for a “United Kerala” existed since the independence struggle.
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Official Request: The Kerala government formally asked the Union government to amend the First Schedule via Article 3.
Constitutional Procedure
Article 3 empowers Parliament to alter the name of any state. However, the process requires specific steps:
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Presidential Referral: The President must refer the Bill to the affected state’s legislature for its opinion.
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Presidential Recommendation: No House of Parliament can introduce such a Bill without the President’s prior recommendation.
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Departmental Concurrence: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs, with Home Minister Amit Shah’s approval, initiated the draft note. Both the Department of Legal Affairs and the Legislative Department within the Ministry of Law and Justice have already concurred with the proposal.
