Now Reading: Parliament Passes Bill to Rename Kerala as Keralam
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Parliament Passes Bill to Rename Kerala as Keralam
Parliament has passed the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, renaming the state as Keralam. The Rajya Sabha cleared the bill on Wednesday after the Lok Sabha passed it a day earlier.…
The Story in Brief
Parliament has passed the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, renaming the state as Keralam. The Rajya Sabha cleared the bill on Wednesday after the Lok Sabha passed it a day earlier. The bill amends the First Schedule to the Constitution under Article 3. The Kerala Assembly had passed a resolution in 2024, and the Centre approved the proposal in February 2026. The President then referred the bill to the state legislature, which unanimously agreed in July 2026.
During the debate, BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya demanded that West Bengal be renamed Paschim Banga, invoking the state's 1947 origins. Rashtriya Lok Morcha member Upendra Kushwaha also sought to rename Patna as Patliputra. Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said the change reflects pride in India's heritage.
The Indian Opinion
Name changes are sold as pride and heritage on one side, and dismissed as political theatre on the other. Both sides exaggerate: renaming a state does not erase poverty or improve schools, but it also costs little and reflects the will of the state assembly. The real test is whether the Centre will apply the same logic to other demands, like West Bengal becoming Paschim Banga, or whether this remains a selective exercise.
Sources (4): timesnownews.com, ndtv.com, livelaw.in, english.mathrubhumi.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 4 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 4 sources.
