Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 30 (LatestNewsX) – Kerala’s Governor’s official residence will officially become Lok Bhavan on December 1, signalling a symbolic shift away from colonial‑era names. Governor Rajendra Arlekar, who is currently in Goa, is expected to issue the formal notification this Monday; thereafter the address will read Lok Bhavan, Kerala.
The change follows a nationwide push by the Union government to phase out colonial terminology in public offices. On November 25 the Ministry of Home Affairs directed all Raj Bhavans across India to adopt the title “Lok Bhavan”, and all Raj Niwas (the homes of Lieutenant Governors) to become “Lok Niwas”.
Governor Arlekar originally suggested the new name at the Governors’ Conference in 2024, arguing it would bring the Governor’s establishment closer to ordinary people and symbolize accessibility, transparency and democratic participation—values he feels should define constitutional offices.
Kerala is set to roll out the transition on December 1, adding to the states that have already issued orders. Assam’s Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya formalised the change last Friday, and West Bengal’s Governor C.V. Ananda Bose completed the renaming process the following day.
The Union government frames the move as part of a national effort toward a “Viksit Bharat”, where administrative institutions are more people‑centric. According to the MHA notice, renaming Raj Bhavans and Raj Niwas is meant to “underscore the participatory nature of democracy” and to make constitutional spaces more publicly accessible, both symbolically and practically.
In Kerala, the switch will entail updates to signage, official stationery, government communications and digital platforms linked to the Governor’s office. Officials say the public unveiling and formal use of the new name will begin immediately after the Governor’s notification is issued.
With this, Kerala ends nearly seven decades of the term Raj Bhavan, replacing it with Lok Bhavan, the People’s House, a name the Centre hopes will resonate with contemporary democratic values.
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