Union Cabinet Approves Renaming of Kerala to Keralam

26 Feb 2026 CW Team

The President will refer the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to the State Legislative Assembly of Kerala for its views under the proviso to Article three of the Constitution, which empowers Parliament to alter State names by law. The proviso ensures the affected State legislature is given an opportunity to express views before any Bill that affects the name, area or boundaries is introduced. Once the Assembly conveys its views and the specified period expires the Government will seek the President's recommendation to introduce the Bill in Parliament.

The Assembly had adopted a resolution on 24 June 2024 stating the State name in Malayalam is Keralam and recalling that States were formed on the basis of language on one November 1956 when Kerala Piravi is observed. The Assembly appealed to the Central Government to take urgent steps under Article three for modification of the recorded name. The Government of Kerala later formalised its request to the Government of India to initiate amendment of the First Schedule.

The matter was considered in the Ministry of Home Affairs and with approval of the Union Minister of Home Affairs the draft note was circulated to the Department of Legal Affairs and the Legislative Department in the Ministry of Law and Justice for comments. The draft note was prepared after consideration in the Ministry of Home Affairs with approval of Shri Amit Shah and the Union Minister of Cooperation and was forwarded for legal and legislative scrutiny. Both departments concurred and the Government will proceed as per constitutional provisions on receipt of the State Assembly views and necessary presidential recommendation for parliamentary introduction.

On 24 February 2026 the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister approved a proposal to alter the name of the State of Kerala to Keralam. The decision followed a request from the Government of Kerala and a resolution passed by the State Legislative Assembly seeking modification of the name recorded in the First Schedule to the Constitution. The move sets in motion constitutional steps that will culminate in a parliamentary decision if the prescribed procedure is completed. The President will refer the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to the State Legislative Assembly of Kerala for its views under the proviso to Article three of the Constitution, which empowers Parliament to alter State names by law. The proviso ensures the affected State legislature is given an opportunity to express views before any Bill that affects the name, area or boundaries is introduced. Once the Assembly conveys its views and the specified period expires the Government will seek the President's recommendation to introduce the Bill in Parliament. The Assembly had adopted a resolution on 24 June 2024 stating the State name in Malayalam is Keralam and recalling that States were formed on the basis of language on one November 1956 when Kerala Piravi is observed. The Assembly appealed to the Central Government to take urgent steps under Article three for modification of the recorded name. The Government of Kerala later formalised its request to the Government of India to initiate amendment of the First Schedule. The matter was considered in the Ministry of Home Affairs and with approval of the Union Minister of Home Affairs the draft note was circulated to the Department of Legal Affairs and the Legislative Department in the Ministry of Law and Justice for comments. The draft note was prepared after consideration in the Ministry of Home Affairs with approval of Shri Amit Shah and the Union Minister of Cooperation and was forwarded for legal and legislative scrutiny. Both departments concurred and the Government will proceed as per constitutional provisions on receipt of the State Assembly views and necessary presidential recommendation for parliamentary introduction.

Infrastructure Transport

25 Apr 2026

Sector 51-52 Metro skywalk in Noida remains shut despite being ready for over a year

Thousands of commuters travelling between Delhi Metro Rail Corporation’s (DMRC) Sector 52 station and Noida Metro Rail Corporation’s (NMRC) Sector 51 station continue to face daily inconvenience as the 300-metre air-conditioned skywalk connecting the two stations remains closed, despite being completed over a year ago, according to a report.The Noida Metro Rail Corporation built the foot overbridge to enable a seamless interchange between the Delhi Metro and Noida Metro networks. However, pending finishing work and a structural obstruction have delayed its opening.Krishna Karunesh, Chief E..

Infrastructure Transport

25 Apr 2026

Maharashtra clears Metro Line 5A, expansion of Mumbai Metro Line 5

The Maharashtra government has approved the expansion of Mumbai Metro Line 5 along with a new integrated corridor, Metro Line 5A, forming a combined 34.2-km metro network across the Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan-Ulhasnagar belt. The integrated project has been cleared at an estimated cost of ₹18,130.55 crore, according to a government resolution (GR).Metro Line 5 was originally approved in October 2017 as a 24.9-km fully elevated corridor with 17 stations connecting Thane, Bhiwandi and Kalyan, with an initial project cost of ₹8,416.51 crore. The corridor is being developed in two phases.The first ..

Infrastructure Transport

25 Apr 2026

Bengaluru Metro expansion seen driving office demand

Bengaluru’s expanding metro network is expected to emerge as a major catalyst for real estate growth, with the Yellow and Pink Lines likely to boost both office demand and residential prices across key micro-markets, according to a report by Colliers India.The report estimates that over the next two years, Bengaluru could witness an additional 5–7 million sq ft of Grade A office space demand across the Central Business District (CBD), Secondary Business District (SBD) and Electronic City. Improved metro connectivity and reduced commute times are expected to drive higher occupier interest a..