President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, paving the way for the state to officially be known as Keralam.
The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday and by the Rajya Sabha the following day. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said the move followed a resolution passed unanimously by the Kerala Assembly in 2024 seeking the change.
The Kerala government had forwarded the Assembly’s resolution to the Centre in June 2024. The President later referred the legislation to the state legislature for its views. Another unanimous resolution endorsing the suggested modification was later adopted by the Assembly.
The legislation provides for necessary amendments to the Constitution and other consequential provisions. Under Article 3 of the Constitution, the First Schedule will be amended to replace the name “Kerala” with “Keralam”.
With the President’s assent, the legislation has now become law. The name change formally reflects the state’s longstanding preference for “Keralam”, while completing the constitutional process required for the alteration.