BENGALURU: Karnataka too joined the growing list of states that have renamed their Raj Bhavans as Lok Bhavans. Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh on Wednesday issued orders to modify and rename Raj Bhavan as Lok Bhavan, following directions from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), issued on November 25, 2025, and after the approval of Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot.
The orders were issued from the office of the special secretary to the governor which stated that instructions had also been sent to the heads of all departments of the state government to change the reference for future correspondence.
Lok Bhavan Officials said the boards with the new name will be displayed by Friday. However, orders for official communication and correspondence have been issued and all other paper work has started.
The MHA has reasoned that the earlier name smacks of colonialism, while renaming reflects on the evolution of Raj Bhavan into Lok Bhavan. This carries forward its commitment to people-centric governance and public participation in programmes and initiatives.
Already, Tamil Nadu, Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Uttarakhand, Odisha, Gujarat and Tripura have changed the names of their Raj Bhavans to Lok Bhavans.