The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal to rename Kerala as “Keralam”, responding to a long-standing public demand in the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the decision reflects the will of the people. The state government had earlier submitted two requests to the Centre seeking the name change.
Next Steps in the Process
Announcing the decision, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that after Cabinet approval, the President will refer the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to the state legislative assembly under Article 3 of the Constitution for its opinion.
After receiving the assembly’s response, the Centre will take further action and seek the President’s recommendation to introduce the Bill in Parliament.
Long-Standing Public Demand
According to officials, the demand to rename the state as “Keralam” has existed since its formation. Although the state was officially created on November 1, 1956, it was named Kerala, even though many people preferred the Malayalam name “Keralam”. The demand has continued ever since.
Resolutions by the State Assembly
The Kerala legislative assembly passed resolutions in 2023 and 2024 urging the Centre to amend the Constitution and change the state’s name. The resolutions were moved by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
State BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar also expressed his party’s support for the move in a letter to the Chief Minister last month.
Linguistic and Historical Significance
The Cabinet proposal referred to a June 2024 assembly resolution highlighting that the state’s name in Malayalam is “Keralam”. It also noted that states were reorganised on linguistic lines on November 1, 1956, a day celebrated as Kerala Piravi (Kerala Formation Day).
The resolution stressed that the demand for a united state for Malayalam-speaking people dates back to the national independence movement and urged the Centre to take steps under Article 3 to officially adopt the name “Keralam”.
Government Rejects Election Link
Responding to speculation that the decision was influenced by upcoming state elections, Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw clarified that Cabinet decisions are taken independently and not based on electoral considerations.
Similar Change in the Past
A similar change occurred in 2011, when the spelling of Odisha was officially adopted, replacing the earlier name “Orissa”.
