Parliament passes Bill to officially rename Kerala as 'Keralam'
2-minute summary
Parliament passed the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, officially renaming the state of Kerala as 'Keralam'. The legislation was approved by a voice vote in the Rajya Sabha after being cleared by the Lok Sabha. The Bill amends the First Schedule of the Indian Constitution to reflect the state's name in its native language, Malayalam. This step follows a unanimous resolution passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly urging the Union Government to effect the name change across all official languages listed in the Eighth Schedule. Introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the legislative procedure was executed under Article 3 of the Constitution. Parliamentarians across political lines supported the bill, while raising broader discussions regarding federalism, pending requests for state renaming (such as West Bengal to Bangla), and respect for regional linguistic identities.
Why it's in the news
Parliament has passed the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, to officially alter the name of the state from 'Kerala' to 'Keralam'. The legislation amends the First Schedule of the Constitution following a unanimous resolution by the Kerala Legislative Assembly.
Background and context
The state of Kerala was created on November 1, 1956, following the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, which integrated Malayalam-speaking regions of Travancore, Cochin, and Malabar. While the region has historically been referred to as 'Keralam' in native Malayalam literature and vernacular usage, the Anglicized form 'Kerala' was recorded in the First Schedule of the Indian Constitution. In August 2023, and again in June 2024, the Kerala Legislative Assembly unanimously passed resolutions requesting the Central Government to rename the state to 'Keralam' under Article 3 of the Constitution to honor local linguistic heritage and cultural identity. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs drafted the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill to enact this change legally across constitutional schedules and official domain names.
Constitutional provisions
- Article 3 — Empowers Parliament by law to form new States, alter the areas, boundaries, or names of existing States.
- Article 4 — States that laws made under Articles 2 and 3 for amendment of First and Fourth Schedules are passed by simple majority and are not deemed constitutional amendments under Article 368.
- First Schedule — Contains the list of States and Union Territories along with their official names and territorial extents.
Committees and reports
- States Reorganisation Commission (Fazl Ali Commission) — Recommended the reorganization of state boundaries on linguistic lines, laying the foundation for the creation of the Malayalam-speaking state of Kerala in 1956.
Mains practice: Analyze the constitutional mechanism for altering state names under Article 3 of the Indian Constitution. How does this procedure reflect the federal balance between the Union and the States?
Article 3 of the Constitution of India grants Parliament the authority to alter the area, boundaries, or name of any existing state. The recent enactment of the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, changing Kerala to 'Keralam', serves as a prime example of this mechanism in practice.
• Constitutional Procedure under Article 3:
- Presidential Recommendation: A bill proposing the alteration of a state's name can only be introduced in Parliament with the prior recommendation of the President.
- Reference to State Legislature: Before recommending the bill, the President refers it to the affected State Legislature for expressing its views within a specified period.
- Discretion of Parliament: The views of the State Legislature are consultative; Parliament is not bound to accept or reject them.
- Voting Requirement: Under Article 4, such legislation is passed by a simple majority in both Houses of Parliament and is explicitly excluded from the purview of Article 368.
• Impact on Federal Balance:
- Indestructible Union of Destructible States: The constitutional framework allows the Union to modify internal administrative boundaries flexibly to accommodate regional aspirations without compromising territorial integrity.
- Role of Cooperative Federalism: Though Parliament holds ultimate legislative power, initiating name changes based on unanimous state assembly resolutions demonstrates cooperative federalism and respect for regional linguistic identities.
In conclusion, Article 3 strikes a pragmatic balance between federal flexibility and state identity, enabling India to continuously realign its administrative structure with regional cultural heritage while maintaining sovereign unity.
Prelims practice questions
Q1. With reference to the alteration of state names under the Indian Constitution, consider the following statements: 1. A bill to change the name of a State can be introduced in either House of Parliament without prior recommendation of the President. 2. Parliament is constitutionally bound to accept the recommendations of the State Legislature concerned. 3. Alteration of a State's name under Article 3 requires a constitutional amendment passed under Article 368. Which of the statements given above is/are incorrect?
- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Answer: D. All three statements are incorrect. Under Article 3, a bill requires prior recommendation of the President (Statement 1 is false). Parliament is not bound by the views of the State Legislature (Statement 2 is false). Under Article 4, laws passed under Article 3 require a simple majority and are not considered amendments under Article 368 (Statement 3 is false).
Q2. Which Schedule of the Constitution of India must be amended when the name of an existing State is legally changed?
- First Schedule
- Third Schedule
- Seventh Schedule
- Eighth Schedule
Answer: A. The First Schedule lists the States and Union Territories along with their official names and boundaries. Any alteration in state names requires an amendment to the First Schedule.
Q3. Which commission recommended the establishment of the unified state of Kerala on linguistic grounds in 1955?
- Sarkaria Commission
- Dhar Commission
- JVP Committee
- States Reorganisation Commission (Fazl Ali Commission)
Answer: D. The States Reorganisation Commission (headed by Fazl Ali) submitted its report in 1955, recommending the reorganization of states on linguistic lines, which led to the creation of Kerala on November 1, 1956.
Revision flashcards
- Which Article of the Constitution empowers Parliament to rename an existing state? Article 3
- Does a state name change bill require a constitutional amendment under Article 368? No. Under Article 4, it is passed by a simple majority and is not deemed an amendment under Article 368.
- Are the views expressed by a State Legislature on name change legally binding on Parliament? No, Parliament is not bound to accept or follow the views of the State Legislature.
- Which Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the official names of States and UTs? The First Schedule.
- What prerequisite is required before introducing a bill under Article 3 in Parliament? The prior recommendation of the President of India.