New Delhi: Parliament has passed the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, paving the way for the southern state to be officially known as “Keralam” in the Constitution and all Central government records. The Rajya Sabha approved the legislation by voice vote after it had already been passed by the Lok Sabha a day earlier.
The Bill, introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs, seeks to amend the First Schedule of the Constitution, replacing the English name “Kerala” with “Keralam,” the state’s name in Malayalam. The move follows a unanimous resolution passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly in June 2024, urging the Centre to formally adopt the traditional name.
During the debate, the Centre said the name change reflects the state’s linguistic, cultural and historical identity. The government noted that while the state has long been officially referred to as “Keralam” in Malayalam, the English version in the Constitution continued to use “Kerala.” The legislation aims to remove this discrepancy and align the constitutional name with the state’s native identity.
The proposal had received Union Cabinet approval in February 2026 before being introduced in Parliament. With both Houses now clearing the Bill, the constitutional amendment process for the state’s official name has been completed through Parliament.
The change is expected to be reflected in official Central government documents, constitutional references and other statutory records after the legislation completes the remaining formalities. The move mirrors similar name changes undertaken by several Indian cities and states in recent decades to better reflect local languages and cultural heritage.
