Kerala’s Malayalam Language Bill, 2025: What It Says, Why Karnataka Is Objecting, and the Constitutional Questions Ahead

The Malayalam Language Bill, 2025, passed by the Kerala Legislative Assembly in early October, is being framed by the State government as a long-overdue assertion of linguistic self-governance. But even before it receives the Governor’s assent, the law has triggered an inter-State dispute, with Karnataka warning that the Bill could undermine the rights of the Kannada-speaking minority in Kerala’s border regions. The episode brings back familiar tensions around language, federalism, and minority protections in India.

What the Malayalam Language Bill, 2025 proposes

The Bill seeks to formally designate Malayalam as the official language of Kerala and to mandate its use across a wide range of domains—government administration, education, the judiciary, public communication, commerce, and the digital ecosystem—subject to constitutional safeguards.

At present, Kerala recognises both English and Malayalam as official languages. The new law marks a shift towards Malayalam as the primary language of governance. Among its key provisions:

• Malayalam will become the compulsory first language in all government and aided schools in Kerala up to Class 10.
• All Bills and Ordinances will be introduced in Malayalam.
• Court judgments and proceedings will be translated into Malayalam in a phased manner.
• The Personnel and Administrative Reforms (Official Language) Department will be renamed as the Malayalam Language Development Department.
• A Malayalam Language Development Directorate will be constituted.
• The IT Department will develop open-source software and digital tools to promote the use of Malayalam in technology.

The Bill was tabled on October 6, 2025, examined by the Subject Committee, and passed three days later. It now awaits the assent of Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar.

Why the Kerala government says the Bill was necessary

This is not Kerala’s first attempt at such legislation. A decade ago, the State passed the Malayalam Language (Dissemination and Enrichment) Bill, 2015. Although it cleared the Assembly, it was reserved for the President’s consideration and never received assent.

The Centre objected to provisions that conflicted with the Official Languages Act, 1963, the three-language formula under national education policy, and safeguards under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. Concerns were also raised about the protection of linguistic minorities.

The 2025 Bill, the Kerala government argues, removes these defects and aligns itself with Articles 346 and 347 of the Constitution, which govern the use of languages for official purposes in States and provide for special arrangements where linguistic minorities are substantial in number.

Karnataka’s core objection: the Kasaragod question

The Karnataka government has strongly opposed the Bill, calling it unconstitutional and detrimental to Kannada-speaking minorities in Kerala—especially in Kasaragod district, which borders Karnataka.

According to Karnataka, the provision making Malayalam the compulsory first language in all schools could disrupt existing arrangements in which linguistic minority students study Kannada as their first language. A delegation from the Karnataka Border Area Development Authority submitted a memorandum to the Kerala Governor seeking rejection of the Bill.

The concern is not merely theoretical. Karnataka has pointed out that the number of Kannada-medium schools in Kasaragod has already declined from 197 to 192 in recent years. It fears that the Bill, if implemented uniformly, could accelerate the erosion of Kannada education and, over time, weaken the language’s presence in the region.

Kerala’s response: minority protections built into the law

Kerala has rejected the charge that the Bill sidelines linguistic minorities. Law Minister P. Rajeeve has said the legislation explicitly protects the rights of citizens whose mother tongues include Kannada, Tamil, Tulu, and Konkani.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has emphasised a non-obstante clause—Clause 7 of the Bill—which provides special provisions for linguistic minorities. Under this clause, minority communities are permitted to use their mother tongues for correspondence with the State Secretariat, heads of departments, and local government offices in areas where they reside.

The State government maintains that its language policy is fully consistent with central law and constitutional provisions, and that fears of cultural or educational displacement are unfounded.

Karnataka’s next steps and the emerging federal dispute

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said the State will oppose the Bill using “every constitutional right available” if it is not withdrawn or amended. Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi has indicated that the matter could be taken to the President.

The Karnataka Border Area Development Authority has sought explicit amendments that would exempt Kannada-speaking areas of Kasaragod from the Bill’s ambit—an approach that would institutionalise territorial linguistic exceptions within Kerala.

The larger constitutional and political implications

At its heart, the controversy reflects a recurring tension in Indian federalism: a State’s right to promote its official language versus its constitutional obligation to protect linguistic minorities. While the Constitution allows States considerable autonomy over language policy, that autonomy is circumscribed by minority rights and central legislation.

How the Governor, and potentially the President, respond to the Bill could set an important precedent. If assented to without changes, the law may still face legal challenges over its education provisions. If withheld or returned, it would revive questions about the limits of State power in linguistic matters.

For now, the Malayalam Language Bill has moved beyond being a cultural assertion within Kerala. It has become a test case for how India balances linguistic identity, minority protection, and cooperative federalism in a multilingual republic.