Kerala takes another step towards becoming ‘Keralam’, Assembly unanimously approves President’s legacy

On 24 June 2024, a unanimous resolution was passed by the Kerala Assembly to change the name. Introduced by former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the resolution emphasized that the name of the state in Malayalam is “Keralam” and that the official name should reflect its linguistic and cultural identity.

The Kerala Legislative Assembly on Wednesday (July 1, 2026) unanimously approved the President’s mention of a proposal to officially rename the state from Kerala to ‘Keralam’.

The House discussed the Kerala (Change of Name) Bill, 2026, which was referred by the President to seek his opinion. Lawmakers unanimously approved all of the president’s questions on the bill’s 10 clauses, including approving its title and provisions.

With no objection from any member, the assembly recorded its unanimous agreement on each of the points read out by Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan.

Describing it as a “historic moment”, the spokesperson said it was the first time that the Kerala legislature had been sent a reference to the President to make a statement.

The Bill, which was approved by the Union Cabinet in February 2026, will be introduced in Parliament next. After approval by Parliament and notification, the official name of the state will be changed from Kerala to Keralam.

Resolution in June 2024

The development follows a unanimous resolution passed by the Kerala Assembly on 24 June 2024 seeking a name change. Introduced by former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the resolution emphasized that the name of the state in Malayalam is “Keralam” and that the official name should reflect its linguistic and cultural identity.

The resolution pointed out that the states were reorganized on linguistic lines on 1 November 1956 and that Kerala Piravi is observed on the same date. She also recalled that the demand for a united Malayalam-speaking state was a long-standing effort dating back to the independence movement.

Noting that the first charter of the Constitution recorded the name of the state as “Kerala”, the Assembly urged the Union Government to take steps to officially rename the state as “Keralam” under Article 3 of the Constitution.

Published – 1 Jul 2026 16:11 IST