Kerala will become Keralam, Central government may soon approve the name change proposal, know the historical logic behind it

News India Live, Digital Desk: Kerala, the state of India called ‘God’s Own Country’, will now be officially called ‘Keralaam’. According to sources, the Union Cabinet may soon give green signal to the proposal to change the name of the state. Kerala Assembly has already unanimously passed a resolution in this regard and sent it to the Centre. Why is the name being changed? (The Linguistic Logic) The demand for changing the name of the state is not new, but it is deeply linked to the Malayalam language and its culture. Pronunciation in Malayalam: In the Malayalam language, the state has always been called ‘Keralaam’. The use of the word ‘Kerala’ became popular due to the influence of English and other languages. Cultural pride: The state government argues that the official documents and the schedule of the Constitution should also have the same name which is prevalent in the native language there. Importance of Article 3: Under Article 3 of the Constitution of India, the Central Government has the power to make changes in the name, boundary or area of a state. Kerala Assembly Resolution: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s government had introduced this resolution in the Assembly, which was rejected by the opposition (UDF). also gave full support. The proposal states that the name of the state in the First Schedule of the Constitution be changed to ‘Keralaam’. What is the process of changing the name? Changing the name of any state is a long constitutional process: State Proposal: First the state assembly passes the proposal to change the name. Cabinet Approval: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) examines this proposal and then it is sent to the Union Cabinet. President’s Recommendation: After the approval of the Cabinet, it is sent to the President. Bill in Parliament: End In, a bill is introduced in both the houses of the Parliament. The name is officially changed only after it is passed by a simple majority. Names have been changed before also India has a long history of changing the names of states and cities: United Provinces to Uttar Pradesh (1950), Madras State to Tamil Nadu (1969), Mysore to Karnataka (1973), Orissa to Odisha (2011).