New Delhi: Kerala is set to officially be known as Keralam after President Droupadi Murmu gave her assent to the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026. The presidential approval completes the parliamentary process and turns the legislation into law.
The Bill was cleared by the Lok Sabha on August 11 and subsequently passed by the Rajya Sabha on August 12. It provides for replacing the name “Kerala” with “Keralam” in the First Schedule of the Constitution under Article 3.
The move follows a unanimous resolution passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 2024 seeking the change of the state’s official name. The state government forwarded the resolution to the Centre in June 2024. After the proposal was referred back to the state legislature for its views, the Assembly again unanimously supported the proposed name change.
With the President’s assent, the constitutional amendment process required for the change has received legal approval. The state will be formally recognised as Keralam in accordance with the provisions of the new law.
The legislation also contains consequential provisions required to give effect to the change of name, bringing to a close the long legislative process initiated by the state Assembly’s 2024 resolution.
