Kerala was officially renamed Keralam through The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Act, 2026, which altered the State’s entry in the First Schedule of the Indian Constitution. The change followed the constitutional procedure under Article 3, which governs the formation of new States and the alteration of names and areas of existing States.
Constitutional procedure for changing a State name
Article 3 of the Indian Constitution empowers Parliament to alter the name of a State after referring the proposal to the concerned State Legislature for its views. The President of India must refer such a Bill to the State Legislature before Parliament considers it for enactment.
Legislative steps in the Kerala name change
The Union Cabinet approved the proposal on 24 February 2026. The Kerala Legislative Assembly accepted the draft proposal in July 2026. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai introduced the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha on 10 August 2026. The Lok Sabha passed the Bill on 11 August 2026, and the Rajya Sabha passed it on 12 August 2026. President Droupadi Murmu gave assent on 14 August 2026, and the law was notified as The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Act, 2026, No. 18 of 2026.
Official commencement and gazette notification
The Union Home Ministry issued a gazette notification on 25 August 2026 appointing 25 August 2026 as the date of commencement. The official transition to Keralam took effect on the same day.
Important Facts for Exams
- Article 3 of the Indian Constitution deals with the formation of new States and the alteration of names, areas, and boundaries of existing States.
- The First Schedule of the Constitution contains the names of States and Union Territories of India.
- A State Legislature’s views are sought when Parliament considers a Bill to alter a State’s name under Article 3.
- Onam is a major harvest festival of Kerala and is observed in the Malayalam month of Chingam.
Related Constitutional Provisions
State renaming in India is a parliamentary function and does not require a constitutional amendment under Article 368 when the change is made under Article 3. The President’s reference to the State Legislature is mandatory, but Parliament is not bound by the State’s opinion.
