Kerala’s Official Name Changed from ‘Kerala’ to ‘Keralam’

New Delhi: The process to change the official name of the state from ‘Kerala’ to ‘Keralam’ has been completed. With both Houses of Parliament passing the Constitution Amendment Bill, the official name of the state has become ‘Keralam’.

The Bill to change Keralam’s name was passed by the Lok Sabha within six minutes. The Bill was introduced by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai and was passed without a discussion.

Although the Bill had been listed in the name of Amit Shah, Nityanand Rai introduced it and spoke on behalf of the government when it was passed in the Lok Sabha in the absence of the Home Minister.

The demand to change the name of Kerala to ‘Keralam’ is not new. In a resolution unanimously passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 2023, the state had sought to change its name to ‘Keralam’ in both the First and Eighth Schedules of the Constitution. However, the Union Home Ministry informed the state that an amendment to the First Schedule alone would be sufficient and that no change was required in the Eighth Schedule.

Subsequently, on June 24, 2024, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan again introduced a resolution in the state Assembly. The revised resolution sought steps to change the state’s name from ‘Kerala’ to ‘Keralam’ in the First Schedule of the Constitution. The Assembly unanimously passed the resolution.

As a continuation of this process, the Central government introduced the ‘Keralam Bill, 2026’. After being introduced in the Lok Sabha, the Bill was also passed by the Rajya Sabha.

Following the change, the state will be referred to as ‘Keralam’ in official records, notifications and legal documents of both the Central and state governments.