From Kerala To Keralam: How A State’s Name Is Changed Under The Constitution

The Union Cabinet on February 24 approved the official renaming of the State of ‘Kerala’ to ‘Keralam’. On June 24, 2024, the Kerala Assembly had passed a resolution urging the Union government to rename the State as Keralam. The move came ahead of the Kerala Assembly elections expected to be held in April–May.

After the approval of the Union Cabinet, the President of India will refer a Bill, namely the ‘Kerala Alteration of Name Bill, 2026’, to the State Legislative Assembly of Kerala for expressing its views under the proviso to Article 3 of the Constitution of India. After receiving the views of the Kerala Legislative Assembly, the Government of India will introduce the Bill to alter the name of Kerala to ‘Keralam’ in Parliament after obtaining the recommendation of the President.

This is the second time the Kerala Assembly has passed the resolution, after the Ministry of Home Affairs, which reviewed the earlier resolution, suggested some technical changes. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had moved the resolution, seeking the Union government’s approval to change the State’s name in all languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

According to Article 3, Parliament may by law alter the name of any State. The proviso to Article 3 further states that no Bill for this purpose shall be introduced in either House of Parliament without the recommendation of the President. This is mandatory if the proposal contained in the Bill affects the area, boundaries or name of any State. The State Assembly first passes a resolution for the change of name and sends it to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). It is then forwarded to Parliament with the President’s recommendation.

The next step is to send the Bill to the affected State’s legislature to seek its views, within a stipulated time. Here, the State’s opinion is not binding, and Parliament can proceed even if the State disagrees. The Bill is then introduced in either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha and must be passed by a simple majority — that is, more than 50% of the members present and voting in either House.

Once passed by Parliament, the Bill goes back to the President for final assent. Once signed, it becomes an Act, and the name is officially changed in the First and Fourth Schedules of the Constitution.

India’s history of States changing their names is not short. In 2011, the name of Orissa was changed to Odisha, and the name of the State’s language was changed from Oriya to Odia. In 2007, the State of Uttaranchal was renamed Uttarakhand.