Centre likely to approve renaming Kerala to Keralam following Assembly nod
India Today
In a significant move just a month ahead of the Assembly elections, the Union Cabinet is likely to decide on renaming Kerala to Keralam in today's meeting. The state legislative assembly had earlier passed a resolution urging the central government to officially recognise the name Keralam in all languages.
The Union Cabinet is likely to consider a bill today proposing to change the name of Kerala to "Keralam," following the state assembly’s approval of the move ahead of upcoming elections.
In a significant move just a month ahead of the Assembly elections, the Union Cabinet is likely to decide on renaming Kerala to Keralam in today’s meeting. The state legislative assembly had earlier passed a resolution urging the central government to officially recognise the name Keralam in all languages. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who tabled the resolution, highlighted the importance of aligning the state’s name with its local language and historical roots.
The assembly passed the resolution for the second time on June 25, 2024, after the Union Home Ministry reviewed the initial resolution and suggested technical modifications for clarity and compliance.
Chief Minister Vijayan explained that 'Keralam' is used in Malayalam and is rooted in the region's history, referencing the aspiration for a united Malayalam-speaking state dating back to the national freedom struggle.
The constitutional listing refers to the state as Kerala in the First Schedule. The assembly's request centres on updating this official usage to match the local nomenclature and ensure consistency across all languages cited in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
"But the name of our state is written as Kerala in the First Schedule of the Constitution. This Assembly requests the Centre to take immediate steps to amend it as 'Keralam' under Article 3 of the Constitution and have it renamed as 'Keralam' in all the languages mentioned in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution," Vijayan said.
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