Union Cabinet Approves Kerala’s Name Change
- Context: The Union Cabinet has approved the name change of the state of Kerala to Keralam. After this, the President will send the Kerala Bill 2026 to the state legislature.
Legal Procedure
- The bill will indicate the name change in all languages, including the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.
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- After the approval of the state legislature, the Union government will introduce the bill in Parliament and pass it.
- Once all the procedures are completed, the name “Keralam” will be officially announced.
- The First Schedule of the Constitution lists the states and union territories.
- Article 3 of the Constitution of India empowers the Union to change the name of the existing states.
- Kerala was formed on November 1, 1956, under the States Reorganisation Act.
- Before introducing such a bill in Parliament, the President has to hear the views of the concerned state legislature.
States that have changed their names
- United Provinces became Uttar Pradesh (1950): The first state to be renamed.
- Travancore-Cochin became Kerala (1956): Renamed during the state reorganization.
- Madras State became Tamil Nadu (1969): Officially changed on 14 January 1969.
- Mysore became Karnataka and was renamed in 1973.
- Uttarangal was renamed Uttarakhand in 2007.
