Overview
- The Cabinet’s Feb. 24 decision initiates the constitutional process to alter the state’s name, with the proposal advancing as the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026.
- The President is set to refer the bill to the Kerala Legislative Assembly for its opinion, after which the government will seek presidential recommendation to introduce it in Parliament.
- Under Articles 3 and 4, the legislation would require a simple majority in both Houses and, after presidential assent and notification, the First Schedule and official records would reflect 'Keralam' across Eighth Schedule languages.
- Kerala’s Assembly had unanimously passed resolutions in August 2023 and again on June 24, 2024, after the Centre suggested technical corrections to ensure consistency.
- The proposal was examined by the Home Ministry and vetted by the Law Ministry’s legal and legislative departments, drew support from BJP leaders even as opposition voices questioned differing treatment of other renaming requests such as West Bengal’s.