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Kerala becomes Keralam
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LeadKerala becomes Keralam: how a State's name is changedAugust 2026
Why in news
From 25 August 2026 the State of Kerala is officially Keralam. Parliament passed the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Act, 2026 under Article 3, and the President gave assent on 14 August.
Background
- The State is called Keralam in Malayalam. The Kerala Assembly passed resolutions asking for the change in 2023 and again in June 2024.
- The First Schedule of the Constitution lists the States by name, so the name can be changed only by Parliament.
- Article 3 lets Parliament form new States and alter the area, boundaries or name of any State.
The procedure under Articles 3 and 4
- The Bill can be introduced only on the recommendation of the President.
- The President must first refer the Bill to the legislature of the State concerned, for its views within a set time.
- The views of the State do not bind Parliament.
- The Bill is passed by a simple majority, like an ordinary law.
- Article 4 says such a law is not an amendment of the Constitution under Article 368, even though it changes the First and Fourth Schedules.
What the Act does
- It substitutes "Keralam" for "Kerala" in the First Schedule (the States) and the Fourth Schedule (seats in the Rajya Sabha), and in Articles 31A and 290A.
- It gives the government one year to adapt existing laws.
What this tells us about Indian federalism
- India is an "indestructible Union of destructible States": Parliament can redraw or rename a State without its consent.
- This is unlike the United States, where a State's territory cannot be altered without its agreement.
- In practice the Union has acted on names only when the State asked. Here the request came from the Assembly, twice.
- The reverse case shows the Union's hold: West Bengal's request to be named Bangla has been pending for years.
- The same Article 3 was used in 2019 to reorganise Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories.
Cases to cite
- Babulal Parate v. State of Bombay (1960): Parliament is not bound by the views of the State legislature; the Bill need not be referred again if amended.
- In re Berubari Union (1960): Article 3 does not cover ceding Indian territory to a foreign State; that needs a constitutional amendment.
- In re Article 370 of the Constitution (2023): upheld the creation of the Union Territory of Ladakh; left open whether a State can be turned wholly into a Union Territory.
The way forward
- Keep the convention that a name changes only on the State's request.
- Decide such requests within a set time, so that a pending request does not become a point of friction.
Prelims facts
- A State's name is changed by Parliament under Article 3, by simple majority.
- The President's prior recommendation and reference to the State legislature are required; the State's views are not binding.
- Under Article 4 such a law is not a constitutional amendment.
- Earlier changes: Madras to Tamil Nadu (1969), Mysore to Karnataka (1973), Uttaranchal to Uttarakhand (2007), Orissa to Odisha (2011).
- Changing the name of a city needs no law of Parliament.
The State is called Keralam in Malayalam. The Kerala Assembly passed resolutions asking for the change in 2023 and again in June 2024.
What changed
25 Aug 2026LeadKerala becomes Keralam: how a State's name is changed