Lok Sabha passes 2 bills, including one to rename Kerala
What's the story
The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, which seeks to change the name of the state from "Kerala" to "Keralam." The bill was passed by a voice vote amid opposition protests and without any discussion in the House. Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai had moved the bill in place of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was absent.
Protest impact
Only 2 out of 11 bills debated so far
The National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was also passed without debate amid these disruptions.
The bill seeks to expand the role of the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) in financing India's cooperative sector.
So far, only two out of 11 bills have been debated in the Lok Sabha; most were cleared without discussion due to opposition protests.
Speaker's appeal
Lok Sabha Speaker expresses concern over repeated disruptions
Earlier in the day, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla expressed concern over the repeated disruptions and adjourned the House within minutes of reconvening at 11:00am.
He appealed to both government and opposition members to work together so that important bills could be debated.
The opposition has been demanding Shah's presence in Parliament to address police action on student protesters and alleged theft of funds at Ayodhya's Ram temple.
Name change
Kerala Assembly passed resolution for name change in June 2024
The Kerala Legislative Assembly had passed a resolution on June 24, 2024, calling for the official name change to "Keralam."
The resolution emphasized that "the name of our State is 'Keralam' in the Malayalam language" and appealed to the central government to take steps to amend the First Schedule of the Constitution under Article 3, replacing "Kerala" with "Keralam."
The National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, seeks to amend the National Co-operative Development Corporation Act, 1962.