RENAMING OF THE STATE (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 - Polity)

Context:  The Kerala assembly unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Centre to officially change the state's name to 'Keralam'.

• The state government urged the central government to change the state's name to 'Keralam' in all languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
• The state was called 'Keralam' in Malayalam, but in other languages it was still Kerala.
• In the past, the name of Orissa state was changed to Odisha and the name of its language from Oriya to Odia.

Procedure of renaming of the state

• While a state government can only make a request for change in the name of the state, the actual process requires parliamentary approval under Article 3 and 4 of the Constitution with the President referring the issue to the relevant state legislature. 
• A bill for renaming a state may be introduced in the Parliament on the recommendation of the President.
• Before the introduction of the bill, the President shall send the bill to the respective state assembly for expressing their views within a stipulated time. 
• The views of the state assembly are not binding, neither on the President nor on the Parliament.
• On the expiry of the period, the bill will be sent to the Parliament for deliberation. The bill in order to take the force of a law must be passed by a simple majority.
• The bill is sent for approval to the President. After the approval of the said bill, the bill becomes a law and the name of the state stands modified.