Kerala Assembly passes resolution to rename State as Keralam

Kerala Assembly unanimously requested the Union Government to take immediate steps under Article 3 of the Constitution to change the name of the state to Keralam.

• Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, called for invoking Article 3 of the Indian Constitution to effectuate this change in the First Schedule.

Why Keralam?

• Kerala is the English word for the Malyali Keralam. 

• Historical Context:  The earliest mention of the word can be found in Emperor Ashoka’s Rock Edict II, dated to 257 BCE. 
• The edict reads: “Everywhere in the dominions of King Priyadarsin, Beloved of the gods, as well as those of his frontier sovereigns, such as the Chodas [Cholas], Pandyas, Satiyaputra, Ketalaputra [Keralaputra]…” 
• Keralaputra, literally “son of Kerala” in Sanskrit, refers to the dynasty of the Cheras, one of the three main kingdoms of southern India. 

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Historical Context

• Demand for a Unified State: Aikya Kerala Movement in the 1920s, the Aikya Kerala movement gained momentum, advocating for a unified state for Malayalam-speaking people. 
  • It aimed to integrate Malabar, Kochi, and Travancore into a single territory.
• Formation of Modern Kerala:  In 1949, Travancore and Kochi merged, forming the Travancore-Cochin State.
• State Reorganisation Commission: It recommended the creation of Kerala as a state for Malayalam-speaking people. 
• Birth of Kerala: On November 1, 1956, the state of Kerala was officially formed, referred to as “Keralam” in Malayalam and “Kerala” in English.

Procedure for Renaming a State

• Process of renaming a state: It can be initiated by either the Parliament or the state assembly.
• State Government’s Proposal: The proposal to rename a state originates from the state government. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs reviews the proposal and seeks No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from various agencies.
• Centre’s Approval: Unlike renaming cities, renaming a state requires approval from the Centre’s Ministry of Home Affairs. 
  • A Constitutional amendment is necessary for this change (under Article 3 and 4 of the Constitution).

• Views or suggestions of the State Legislature: These are not binding to the President or The Parliament. 
  • After receiving the suggestions of the State Legislative Assembly or after the expiration of the limited time period the bill goes back to Parliament. 
  • Then the bill gets further deliberated upon in Parliament.
• Majority: The bill, like any ordinary bill, must be passed with a simple majority.
• Parliamentary Approval: If accepted, the proposal is introduced as a Bill in the Parliament. 
  • In Parliament, the bill cannot be presented without a recommendation from the President.
  • Upon becoming law, the state’s name was officially changed.

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