Govt. notifies ‘Keralam’ as new name for State effective Tuesday

The Union Home Ministry has officially designated 'Keralam' as the new name for the state, effective on August 25, 2026. This decision was announced through a gazette notification, stating that the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Act, 2026 will come into force from the specified date. President Droupadi Murmu had previously granted assent to the Bill that seeks to rename Kerala to Keralam.

The Lok Sabha had approved the Bill on August 11, followed by the Rajya Sabha the following day. The Kerala government had submitted a resolution in June 2024 urging the central government to pass a law to change the state's name. In response, the President referred the Bill to the State legislature, which subsequently adopted a unanimous resolution in favor of the amendment.

The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Act necessitates amendments to the Constitution and consequential provisions to effect the name change.