The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 by voice vote, officially initiating the legal process to change the state’s name from ‘Kerala’ to ‘Keralam’.
Introduced by Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, the bill was passed without any formal floor debate amid continuous sloganeering and protests from Opposition benches demanding the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah over student protest issues in Delhi.
Background & Constitutional Process
The legislative move honors a unanimous demand originating from the state legislature:
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June 2024: The Kerala Assembly passed and forwarded a resolution requesting the Central Government to officially rename the state to ‘Keralam’, reflecting its native Malayalam pronunciation and cultural identity.
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Presidential Reference: As mandated by Article 3 of the Constitution, the President of India referred the draft bill to the Kerala Assembly for its formal opinion, which returned a unanimous resolution in support.
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Constitutional Amendment: Once enacted by Parliament, the law will amend the First Schedule to the Constitution, updating the state’s entry from ‘Kerala’ to ‘Keralam’.
Political Exchanges in the House
The absence of discussion prompted sharp political barbs from treasury benches toward Congress MPs representing constituencies in the state:
“It seems the Congress MPs are not in favour of the renaming.” — Nityanand Rai, Union Minister of State for Home
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also criticized the Opposition, remarking that it was disappointing to see key leaders from Kerala, such as MP K C Venugopal, refrain from participating in the discussion due to ongoing protests.
