Union Cabinet approved altering the name of the State of “Kerala” to “Keralam”, setting the Article 3 process in motion

Background

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister approved the proposal for alteration of the name of the State of ‘Kerala’ as ‘Keralam’ on 24 February 2026. The approval alone does not alter the name: Parliament must pass the Bill.
After the Cabinet's approval, the President of India will refer the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to the State Legislative Assembly of Kerala for expressing its views under the proviso to article 3 of the Constitution of India.
The Legislative Assembly of Kerala had passed a resolution on 24.06.2024 to alter the name of the State of “Kerala” to “Keralam”, noting that states were formed on the basis of language on the 1st day of November, 1956, and that Kerala Piravi Day is also on the 1st day of November.
Article 3 provides that Parliament may by law alter the name of any State; no such Bill may be introduced except on the recommendation of the President, and the Bill must first be referred by the President to the legislature of that state for its views.
The Government of Kerala had requested the Government of India to amend the First Schedule to the Constitution, in which the name of the state is recorded as ‘Kerala’.
The Department of Legal Affairs and the Legislative Department of the Ministry of Law and Justice concurred with the proposal.