Kerala Renaming Bill Passed By Lok Sabha During Monsoon Session
Lok Sabha passes bill proposing Kerala be renamed Keralam.
The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, which seeks to officially rename the state of Kerala as “Keralam”. The legislation was approved by a voice vote amid continued disruptions and sloganeering by Opposition members during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai introduced the Bill in the House as Opposition MPs pressed for a statement from Home Minister Amit Shah regarding police action against NEET protesters on July 20. The protests by Opposition members continued throughout the proceedings, affecting discussion on several legislative matters.
Krishna Prasad Tenneti, who was presiding over the House, repeatedly appealed to members to allow proceedings to continue smoothly and urged them to participate in the legislative business scheduled for the day. Despite these appeals, the disruptions persisted, leaving little room for a detailed debate on the proposed legislation.
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During the proceedings, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and Nityanand Rai criticised the Opposition for not participating in discussions on the Bill. Rijiju expressed disappointment that members from parties based in Kerala, including senior Congress leaders, did not take part in the debate on a measure concerning the state's official name.
The Bill proposes changing the constitutional and official name of the state from Kerala to Keralam, a term commonly used in the Malayalam language to refer to the state. The move follows efforts by the Kerala government to align the state's official name with its linguistic and cultural identity. With the Bill now passed by the Lok Sabha, it will proceed through the remaining parliamentary process before becoming law. The passage of the legislation marks a significant step in the state's long-standing effort to secure official recognition of the name “Keralam” in place of Kerala.
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