The Malayalam Language Bill, 2025, which seeks to promote the language and passed by the Kerala Assembly, is being opposed by leaders in Karnataka. The Bill’s objective is to provide for the “adoption of the Malayalam language as the official language of the State of Kerala and for Malayalam to be used for all official purposes, to provide for the use of the Malayalam language in all sectors in Kerala, subject to the provisions of the Constitution of India”, and to advance the overall progress and enrichment of the language. The Bill proposes the adoption of Malayalam as the first language for schoolchildren and measures to promote the language in various sectors, from the judiciary to IT. An earlier version of the Bill, passed in 2015, was languishing for the Centre’s clearance for 10 years. After the Centre returned the Bill following a Supreme Court of India decision that Bills cannot be indefinitely delayed, the State passed the current version.

Source: The Hindu January 14, 2026 11:15 UTC