Lok Sabha Approves Bill to Rename Kerala as Keralam

The Lok Sabha approved the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, and the National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, on Tuesday without debate. This decision came amid significant protests and sloganeering by Opposition members, who called for an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding police actions against student protesters at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 20.

Following the Lok Sabha's decision, the Rajya Sabha also passed the bill to rename the state of Kerala to Keralam. The Kerala Assembly had previously passed a resolution in 2024, urging the central government to enact a law for the name change.

The protests during the Lok Sabha session highlighted ongoing tensions regarding the government's handling of the student protests, particularly in reference to alleged police excesses.