Raj Bhavan to Be Renamed Lok Bhavan, Union Home Ministry Orders

Thiruvananthapuram: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has issued an order to rename Raj Bhavan, the official residence of Governors, as Lok Bhavan. As part of the directive, the names of the Raj Bhavans in Assam and Bengal have already been changed. Kerala’s Raj Bhavan will adopt the new name on Monday.

The change is based on the assessment that the term Raj Bhavan carries a colonial legacy. The Home Ministry clarified that the renaming will soon be implemented in other states as well. The new name Lok Bhavan was chosen because it means the House of the People.

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan recommended that Raj Bhavans be renamed Lok Bhavan. It has also been decided that Raj Niwas, the official residence of Lieutenant Governors, will be renamed Lok Niwas.