Now Reading: Centre to introduce Bill renaming Kerala as Keralam
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Centre to introduce Bill renaming Kerala as Keralam
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, which seeks to rename the state from Kerala to Keralam. Union Home Minister Amit…
The Story in Brief
The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, which seeks to rename the state from Kerala to Keralam. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to introduce the Bill in the Lok Sabha on Monday, along with three other Bills. The President will now refer the Bill to the Kerala Legislative Assembly for its views under Article 3 of the Constitution, which allows Parliament to alter a state's name.
The move follows a unanimous resolution passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly on June 24, 2024, urging the Centre to change the state's name from the anglicised 'Kerala' to the original Malayalam name 'Keralam'. The resolution, backed by all parties including the ruling LDF and opposition UDF, argued that states were reorganised on linguistic lines and the official name should reflect the local pronunciation. The Home Ministry has examined and cleared the proposal.
The Indian Opinion
The buzz around renaming Kerala as Keralam feels like a distraction from pressing issues like unemployment and infrastructure decay. Supporters call it a correction of colonial spelling, but critics see it as political theatre with a Rs 1,500-crore price tag for name changes across the state. With the Assembly already voting unanimously for the change in 2024, the debate now shifts to Parliament. Will MPs focus on the cost-benefit ratio or just wave through yet another symbolic bill? That vote will show if the government prioritises substance over symbolism.
Source: news.abplive.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
