Behind the spelling Keralam now used in government notices: the Bill that would change the State's name under Article 3

Background

Government notices in the State increasingly carry the spelling Keralam, and the legal step behind it is not finished: the Bill has not yet been introduced in Parliament. The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, cleared a proposal to change the name of the State of Kerala to Keralam. The instrument is the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026. The power used is Article 3 of the Constitution, which lets Parliament alter the name of an existing State by law. The proviso to that Article says no such Bill may be introduced in either House except on the recommendation of the President, who must first refer it to the legislature of the State concerned for its views. The President will therefore send the Bill to the Kerala Legislative Assembly, and the Union Government will act after the Assembly gives its views, with the President's recommendation sought before introduction. The Assembly had itself passed a resolution on 24 June 2024 asking the Centre to make the change. The proposal was considered in the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of Law and Justice agreed with it.