Union Cabinet Approves Proposal to Rename Kerala as Keralam Ahead of Elections

The Union Cabinet has approved a proposal to rename the state of Kerala as 'Keralam,' following unanimous resolutions passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 2023 and 2024. The change aims to align the state's official name with its Malayalam pronunciation and cultural identity. The proposal, moved by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, requires a constitutional amendment under Article 3, involving the President referring the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to the state assembly for its views before parliamentary approval. The move has received cross-party support and comes ahead of the state assembly elections expected by May 2026. Some public figures, including MP Shashi Tharoor, have raised linguistic questions about new demonyms for residents following the name change.