By Admin 
There has been discussion from time to time in the country regarding changing the names of states. Recently there is a discussion going on about changing the name of Kerala. In this matter, the process of changing the official name of Kerala to Keralam has progressed. On June 24, 2024, the state assembly passed the proposal to change the name. After this the legal and administrative process started at the central level. But changing the name of any state is not just an announcement. Behind this, there is a long and formal process prescribed in the Constitution, which starts from the Legislative Assembly and goes till the approval of the Parliament and the President. Sometimes it can take months to years. Whereas Article 3 of the Indian Constitution gives the Parliament the right to change the border, area or name of any state. However, this right is not implemented directly, but is taken forward step by step under a fixed procedure. In such a situation, let us now tell you how is the process of changing the name of any state and how much time it can take.
What is the complete process of changing the name of the state?
proposal in assembly
If a state wants to change its name, then first a proposal is brought in its assembly. After the proposal is passed, it is sent to the Central Government.
Home Ministry investigation
After the proposal is passed by the Assembly, the Central Home Ministry carries out legal and administrative scrutiny of that proposal. If necessary, opinion is taken from agencies like Intelligence Bureau, Survey of India, Postal Department and Registrar General.
President’s initiative
After investigation by the Home Ministry, the Home Ministry sends this proposal to the President. The President sends it to the Legislative Assembly of the concerned state for their opinion.
opinion of the assembly
After the President sends a proposal to the State Assembly to seek their opinion, the State Assembly discusses that proposal and gives its opinion. This opinion is mandatory, although the final decision on it lies in the hands of the Parliament.
Bill introduced in Parliament
After receiving the opinion from the concerned state, the central government presents a bill related to name change in the Parliament.
Approval of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha
Along with the Parliament, the bill is discussed in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. After which if amendment is possible then after passing by majority the bill goes to the next stage.
final approval of the President
After the bill is passed by the Parliament, it is sent to the President. After their approval it takes the form of law.
publication in the gazette
After final approval, the new name is published in the government gazette. The new name officially comes into force with its publication in the Gazette and the change is recorded in the First Schedule of the Constitution.
How many days does the name change process take?
There is no fixed time limit for this entire process. Scrutiny of the proposal, NOC from agencies, discussion in Parliament and approval by the President, all these things take time. Sometimes this process is completed in a few months, while in some cases it may remain pending for several years. For example, West Bengal had sent a proposal to change its name in 2016 and again in 2018, but that matter is still pending.
Also read-Kerala Name Change: How much does it cost to change the name of a state?