THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Paving the way for Kerala to be rechristened Keralam, the state assembly on Wednesday unanimously approved a Presidential reference in that regard.
Notably, this is the first unanimous decision taken by the recently elected state assembly.
In a rare gesture of unity, the ruling UDF and the opposition LDF and NDA joined hands to endorse all 10 clauses of the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill 2026, which was referred by President Droupadi Murmu to the state assembly on June 17, seeking the legislature’s opinion. This is the first such Presidential reference the state assembly has received.
Once the bill clears the final step, the name of the state will become Keralam in all the official and legal proceedings and communications.
Speaker Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, who read out the Presidential reference seeking the assembly’s approval, termed it a historic moment.
“The assembly had already taken a decision to rename the state, and the Union government immediately took action on the same. The House unanimously approved the legislation for the entire people of Keralam,” Thiruvanchoor said.
Keralam Bill to come up before Parliament
“The opinion of the House will be conveyed to the Centre and the President,” Thiruvanchoor said amid claps from the treasury and opposition benches.
The bill will now come up before the Parliament for the final approval.
Once the legislation is notified in the gazette, the state would be renamed Keralam.
The House had unanimously passed a resolution on June 24, 2024, to rename the state as Keralam. The resolution was then sent to the Union government for consideration.
Based on the same, Parliament brought in a legislation which was later sent for the President’s nod.