Union Cabinet approves change of name from Kerala to Keralam

The Union Cabinet on Tuesday gave its consent to a request from the Kerala government to transition the state's name to Keralam, according to Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

This resolution was reached during a Cabinet session led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking the inaugural gathering conducted at Seva Teerth, the recently established PMO facility.

The Union Cabinet, under the Prime Minister's leadership, authorized the motion to modify the designation of the state of Kerala to 'Keralam', Vaishnaw said.

Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill to be sent to state assembly

Following the Cabinet endorsement, the President of India shall forward a legislative draft, specifically the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, to the Kerala State Legislative Assembly to gather its perspectives as per the proviso of Article 3 of the Indian Constitution.

Once the Kerala Legislative Assembly's feedback is collected, the Indian government will seek the President's formal suggestion to present the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, aimed at renaming Kerala as 'Keralam' within Parliament, a government statement said.

The Kerala Legislative Assembly had previously adopted a formal resolution on 24 June 2024 to officially change the name of the state to 'Keralam'.

Subsequently, the Kerala leadership petitioned the central authorities to initiate the required procedures to revise the First Schedule of the Constitution by rebranding 'Kerala' as 'Keralam' in accordance with Article 3.

"The name of our State is 'Keralam' in Malayalam Language. States were formed on the basis of language on the 1st day of November, 1956. The Kerala Piravi Day is also on the 1st day of November," the Kerala Assembly resolution read.

"Since the time of National Independence Struggle, there has been a strong demand for the formation of United Kerala for the people speaking Malayalam language. But in the First Schedule to the Constitution, the name of our State is recorded as 'Kerala'. This Assembly unanimously appeals to the Central Government to take urgent steps as per Article 3 of the Constitution for modifying the name as 'Keralam'", it said.

Article 3 of the Constitution outlines the legal framework for modifying the nomenclature of existing states within the union.

Under Article 3, Parliament holds the power to change a state's name through legislation. The proviso further mandates that such a Bill cannot be tabled in either House without a Presidential recommendation, and if it impacts a state's name or borders, the President must first invite that state's legislature to share its input within a designated timeframe.

The proposal concerning the shift from Kerala to Keralam was reviewed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, and with Union Home Minister Amit Shah's authorization, the preliminary Cabinet note was shared with the Department of Legal Affairs and Legislative Department for professional feedback.

Both the Department of Legal Affairs and the Legislative Department within the Ministry of Law and Justice have expressed their agreement with the plan to rename Kerala as 'Keralam'.