In a move that formalizes a long-standing linguistic and cultural sentiment, the Union Cabinet on Tuesday gave its approval to rename the state of Kerala as "Keralam." The decision greenlights a resolution unanimously passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly last year, paving the way for a constitutional amendment to change the state's official name.
The approval was announced by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw following a cabinet meeting held at the newly inaugurated Seva Teerth, the Prime Minister’s Office building.
“Union Cabinet approves renaming Kerala as Keralam,” Vaishnaw stated, marking the first major decision to emerge from the new administrative premises.
The cabinet's nod comes just months ahead of the Kerala Assembly elections, which are scheduled for April-May of this year.
A second attempt to correct the record
The journey to rename the state has been a persistent legislative effort. On June 24, 2024, the Kerala Assembly, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, had unanimously adopted a resolution urging the central government to officially change the state's name.
This was not the first time the Assembly had moved such a resolution. A similar, unanimous plea was passed in August 2023 and submitted to the Centre. However, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) returned the resolution, suggesting specific technical amendments to ensure compliance with constitutional procedures. The Assembly subsequently passed the revised resolution in 2024, clearing the way for Tuesday’s cabinet approval.
The case for 'Keralam'
Moving the resolution in the Assembly, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan articulated the historical and linguistic basis for the change. He highlighted that while the state is universally referred to as 'Keralam' in its native language, Malayalam, its constitutional designation remains 'Kerala.'
Vijayan traced the demand back to India's freedom struggle, noting that the movement for a unified Kerala was intrinsically tied to the identity of the Malayalam-speaking people. He pointed out that while the state is known as Keralam in the vernacular, the First Schedule of the Indian Constitution currently lists it as Kerala.
Through the resolution, the Assembly formally requested 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."
A 'spirit of service'
The decision was the first to be taken in the new PMO complex. Addressing the significance of the venue, Minister Vaishnaw framed the cabinet's work within a broader national vision.
“With this first meeting at Seva Teerth, the Union Cabinet reiterates its resolve that every decision taken here will be inspired by a spirit of service to 1.4 billion countrymen and linked to the broader goal of nation-building,” he said. “For us, constitutional values are an expression of the moral commitment that connects governance with the dignity, equality, and justice of citizens.”
With the Union Cabinet's approval, the process now moves toward a formal amendment of the First Schedule of the Constitution. The change will require a bill to be passed by Parliament, officially replacing "Kerala" with "Keralam" in all official records and languages specified in the Eighth Schedule, finally aligning the state’s constitutional identity with its linguistic and cultural heritage.
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