NEW DELHI, India (Diya TV) — The Union Cabinet has approved a proposal to change the name of Kerala to Keralam, marking a significant step in a long-standing demand from the southern state. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the move reflects the will of the people and strengthens the state’s cultural identity. The decision sets in motion a constitutional process that must pass through Parliament before the name change becomes official.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the decision after a Cabinet meeting held at Sevateerth, the prime minister’s new office. He said the Cabinet cleared the proposal to introduce the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026.
Modi welcomed the move and said it aligns with efforts to connect with India’s rich cultural heritage. The proposal follows resolutions passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly urging the Centre to officially rename the state as Keralam. The demand has existed for decades. Supporters say the name “Keralam” reflects the Malayalam language and local usage more accurately than “Kerala.”
The Constitution lays out a clear process for altering the name of a state. Under Article 3, Parliament has the power to change the area, boundaries, or name of any state. However, the President must first refer the Bill to the concerned state legislature for its views.
Once the President refers the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, to the Kerala Legislative Assembly, lawmakers in the state will share their opinion. After receiving those views, the Union government will seek the President’s recommendation to introduce the Bill in Parliament. The name change will take effect only after Parliament passes the law and the President gives assent. Until then, the state will continue to be officially known as Kerala.
Kerala came into existence on Nov. 1, 1956, after the reorganization of states along linguistic lines. The day is celebrated each year as Kerala Piravi, or Kerala Formation Day. Since the state’s formation, many leaders and groups have pushed for the official name to reflect Malayalam usage. In Malayalam, the state’s name is “Keralam.”
In June 2024, the Kerala Legislative Assembly passed a resolution urging the Centre to amend the Constitution and change the state’s name. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan moved the resolution. He argued that the demand for a unified Kerala for Malayalam-speaking people dates back to the freedom struggle.
The Assembly had passed a similar resolution in 2023. The Union Home Ministry returned that proposal at the time. Supporters of the change say the new Cabinet approval signals progress after years of effort. The Cabinet note reportedly stated that people in the state have consistently demanded that the official name reflect local language and tradition.
The Cabinet has cleared the proposal to amend the Constitution to reflect the state’s name as Keralam. However, the move will not automatically change the English name of the High Court of Kerala. In Malayalam, people already refer to the court as “Kerala High Court.” If authorities decide to rename it in English to “High Court of Keralam,” Parliament would need to pass a separate law.
Any such step would have to begin with the state government. The High Court would also need to support the move. After that, the Union government would review the proposal, and Parliament would consider it. A similar attempt in 2016 to rename the Madras and Bombay High Courts as the Chennai and Mumbai High Courts did not pass before the Lok Sabha’s term ended.
The decision comes ahead of the Assembly elections in Kerala. Some political observers have linked the timing to the polls. However, Vaishnaw rejected that claim. He said the Cabinet does not make decisions based on upcoming elections. The proposed Kerala name change now enters the formal constitutional process. Lawmakers in Parliament will debate and vote on the Bill in the coming months.
