Introduction
The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs introduced the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 in the Lok Sabha on 14 August 2026. The constitutional legislation seeks to officially alter the name of the State of Kerala to 'Keralam' in the First Schedule and Fourth Schedule of the Constitution of India in accordance with Article 3.
Constitutional Procedure under Article 3
The renaming process follows strict constitutional procedures governing state name changes and boundary adjustments:
- State Assembly Resolution: The Kerala Legislative Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution in June 2024 urging the Centre to rename the state as 'Keralam' to reflect authentic Malayalam linguistic heritage.
- Presidential Reference: The President of India referred the draft Bill to the Kerala State Legislature for its views; the state assembly unanimously endorsed all 10 clauses of the reference.
- Parliamentary Passage: Under Article 3, a state-renaming Bill requires prior Presidential recommendation and must be passed by a simple majority (more than 50% of members present and voting) in both Houses of Parliament.
- Contrast with Renaming the Nation: While altering a state's name requires ordinary legislation under Article 3, altering the name of the country (India/Bharat) would require a special Constitutional Amendment under Article 368 with a two-thirds majority amending Article 1.
Key Facts
- Legislation: Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026
- Introduced In: Lok Sabha (Ministry of Home Affairs)
- Proposed Name Change: 'Kerala' to 'Keralam' in First & Fourth Schedules
- Enabling Constitutional Article: Article 3 (Formation of new States and alteration of areas, boundaries or names)
- Voting Requirement: Simple Majority in Parliament following Presidential Recommendation
Exam Perspective
For TNPSC and UPSC examinations, this topic directly covers Indian Polity, Article 3 vs Article 368, Constitutional Procedures for Renaming States, First Schedule of the Constitution, and Federalism in GS Paper II.
Conclusion
The introduction of the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill 2026 aligns official constitutional nomenclature with indigenous linguistic identity while adhering to the established tenets of Indian constitutional federalism.