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Union Cabinet Approves Renaming State of Kerala to ‘Keralam’

Published: February 2026

Category: Governance & National Policy

Read Time: 2 mins

The Union Cabinet has approved the proposal to officially alter the name of the State of Kerala to ‘Keralam’. The decision marks a significant step toward aligning the official English and constitutional name of the state with its native Malayalam pronunciation and cultural identity.

Key Highlights of the Proposal

• Constitutional Process Initiated: Following the Cabinet’s approval, the President of India will refer the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to the Kerala State Legislative Assembly for its views, as mandated by Article 3 of the Indian Constitution.
• Next Steps in Parliament: Once the feedback from the Kerala Legislative Assembly is received, the Government of India will seek the recommendation of the President to introduce the Bill in Parliament for final enactment.
• Unanimous Resolution: The legislative push follows a resolution passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly on June 24, 2024, requesting the Central Government to officially rename the state in all languages listed under the First Schedule of the Constitution.

Understanding the Context & Process

In Malayalam, the state has always been referred to as Keralam. Renaming states in India requires an amendment to the First Schedule of the Constitution through a parliamentary law (Article 3), following consultation with the state’s legislature.

[State Assembly Resolution (2024)] 
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[Union Cabinet Approval (2026)] 
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[Presidential Reference to State Assembly] 
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[Introduction of Bill in Parliament]

MAHA Foundation Perspective

Preserving Cultural Identity through Civic Governance

At MAHA Foundation, we believe that constitutional processes reflecting regional heritage and linguistic identity foster stronger community engagement and civic pride. The transition from Kerala to Keralam highlights the dynamic nature of federal governance in honoring local heritage within the constitutional framework.

Tags:#Governance#CivicAwareness#Keralam#IndianConstitution#MAHAFoundation