The Kerala Assembly has recently passed a resolution urging the central government to change the name of the State to “Keralam”. The State Assembly has passed such a resolution for the second time. Last year, a similar resolution was passed, but the Home Ministry suggested changes due to technical concerns.
Why does the assembly want Keralam?
- Kerala is the English term for Keralam which is a Malyali word. The earliest mention of the work is found in Ashoka’s Rock Edict II, dated 257 BCE, which refers to the local ruler as Keralaputra, meaning “Son of Kerala”.
- Still today, there’s a strong demand to unite Malayalam-speaking communities, which rose during the freedom struggle in the 1920s.
- Kerala was created on a linguistic basis after the recommendation of the State Reorganisation Commission, headed by Syed Fazl Ali.
What is the Constitutional procedure to change the name of a State?
- The Constitution of India, under Article 3, gives authority to the Indian parliament to change the name of a state.
- Article 3 of the Constitution talks about the formation of new States, altering their boundaries, and renaming a State. A State can be formed by separation or union of two or more States.
What is the Constitutional provision to change the name of a State?
- A bill regarding the change of name is presented in the parliament or the State assembly requesting the Union Government for the change.
- The President’s recommendation is necessary to present a bill in the parliament.
- The bill is also presented to the concerned State Legislative Assembly to allow them to express their views. However, their views or suggestions are not binding to the parliament.
- Further discussions happen on the bill in the parliament.
- The bill is passed with a simple majority and sent for the approval of the President. After approval, the Act comes into effect and the name of the State is changed.
- Since independence, many States have been created and the names of some States have been changed. Telangana is the latest example of the creation of a State through bifurcation.
