Kerala assembly passes resolution to change state's name

NEW DELHI: After the union home ministry reviewed the first resolution and suggested some minor changes, the Kerala state assembly on Monday unanimously passed a resolution urging the center to bring in a Constitutional amendment to change the State's name to 'Keralam' from 'Kerala.' The state assembly passed the resolution for the second time again on Monday with minor corrections.
Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan moved the resolution calling for measures under Article 3 of the Constitution to rename the state to 'Keralam' in the First Schedule. He stated that the name 'Keralam' is used in Malayalam and emphasized that the demand for a unified Kerala for Malayalam-speaking communities has been prominent since the national freedom struggle
"The name of our state is written as Kerala in the First Schedule of the Constitution. This assembly requests the Centre to take immediate steps to amend it as 'Keralam' under Article 3 of the Constitution and have it renamed as 'Keralam' in all the languages mentioned in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution," Vijayan said.
A resolution seeking to officially change the state's name was unanimously passed on August 9 last year. The resolution asked the Centre to change the name of the state to 'Keralam' in the First Schedule of the Constitution. Similarly the resolution wanted the Centre to change the name as ‘Keralam’ in all languages under the Eighth Schedule.
However, upon detailed verification, it was found that such an amendment required only in the First Schedule of the Constitution. That's why a new resolution is being brought in, explained the chief minister.
In his resolution, CM Pinarayi also pointed out that the name ‘Keralam’ is commonly used in Malayalam. However, the State is being called as ‘Kerala’ in official records. It is in this backdrop that the resolution was moved.
( with input from agencies)