The Kerala (Alteration of Name) Act, 2026

1. (1) This Act may be called the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Act, 2026.
2. (2) It shall come into force on such date¹ as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—

1. (a) “appointed day” means the date appointed under sub-section (2) of section 1;
2. (b) “appropriate Government” means, as respects a law relating to a matter enumerated in List I in the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution, the Central Government, and as respects any other law, the State Government;
3. (c) “law” includes any enactment, Ordinance, regulation, order, bye-law, rule, scheme, notification or other instrument having the force of law in the whole or any part of the State of Kerala.

On and from the appointed day, the State of Kerala shall be known as the State of Keralam.

In article 31A of the Constitution, in clause (2), in sub-clause (a), in item (i), for the word “Kerala”, the word “Keralam” shall be substituted.

In article 290A of the Constitution, for the word “Kerala”, the word “Keralam” shall be substituted.

In the First Schedule to the Constitution, under the heading “I. THE STATES”, in entry 5, under the column “Name”, for the word “Kerala”, the word “Keralam” shall be substituted.

In the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution, under the heading “TABLE”, in entry 9, in the second column, for the word “Kerala”, the word “Keralam” shall be substituted.

1. (1) For the purpose of giving effect to the alteration of the name of the State of Kerala by section 3, the appropriate Government may, before the expiration of one year from the appointed day, by order, make such adaptations and modifications of any law made before the appointed day, whether by way of repeal or amendment, as may be necessary or expedient, and thereupon every such law shall have effect subject to the adaptations and modifications so made.
2. (2) Nothing in sub-section
3. (1) shall be deemed to prevent a competent Legislature or other competent authority from repealing or amending any law adapted or modified by the appropriate Government under the said sub-section.

Notwithstanding that no provision or insufficient provision has been made under section 8 for the adaptation of a law made before the appointed day, any court, tribunal or authority, required or empowered to enforce such law, may construe the law in such manner, without affecting the substance, as may be necessary or proper in regard to the matter before the court, tribunal or authority.

Where immediately before the appointed day any legal proceedings are pending to which the State of Kerala is a party, the State of Keralam shall be deemed to have been substituted for the State of Kerala in those proceedings.