New Delhi: Parliament on Wednesday passed legislation to rename the state of Kerala as Keralam, with the Rajya Sabha clearing the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, by voice vote. The Lok Sabha had passed the Bill on Tuesday.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said the move followed a unanimous resolution passed by the Kerala Assembly seeking the change.

The Kerala government had forwarded the Assembly's resolution to the Centre in June 2024. The President subsequently referred a Bill to the state legislature for its views, following which the Assembly unanimously endorsed the proposal.

The legislation provides for changing the state's name from Kerala to Keralam and makes the necessary amendments to the Constitution and other related provisions. The First Schedule of the Constitution will be amended accordingly under Article 3.

Rai said the renaming was a matter of pride not only for the people of Kerala but for all Indians, citing the country's linguistic, cultural and traditional diversity.

During the Rajya Sabha debate, Congress MP Jebi Mather Hisham welcomed the proposed name change but raised other political issues, prompting Leader of the House JP Nadda to object. The Chair directed that remarks unrelated to the Bill would not be included in the proceedings.

The debate also saw BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya call for West Bengal to be renamed Paschim Banga, describing the existing name as a colonial legacy. Rai said the Centre could consider the proposal if it reflected the heritage and wishes of the people of the state.

Several MPs, including representatives of the CPM, KC(M), CPI and IUML, participated in the discussion. Ministers Suresh Gopi and Ramdas Athawale also spoke during the debate.