Government of Kerala

{{short description|Indian State Government}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Use Indian English|date=January 2020}} {{Infobox government | government_name = Government of Kerala | nativename = കേരള സർക്കാർ {{Small|Kēraḷa Sarkkār|}} | image = Government of Kerala Logo.svg{{!}}class=skin-invert | image_size = 300px | division_type = Seat of Government | division = Kerala Government Secretariat, Thiruvananthapuram | leader_type = Governor<br>{{Small|(Head of the state)}} | leader_type2 = Chief Minister <br>{{Small|(Head of the government)}} | leader_title2 = V. D. Satheesan | leader_type3 = Deputy Chief Minister | leader_title3 = | leader_type4 = Chief Secretary | leader_title4 = Dr. A. Jayathilak, IAS | legislature_label = Assembly | legislature = {{ubl|Kerala Legislative Assembly}} | speaker_label = Speaker | speaker = Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan | deputy_speaker_label = Deputy Speaker | deputy_speaker = Shanimol Osman | members_in_assembly_label = Members in Assembly | members_in_assembly =140 |deputy_chairman_label=Deputy Chairman |website={{URL|kerala.gov.in}} |branch4=Judicial Branch |court_name=High Court |court=High Court of Kerala |chief_justice_label=Chief Justice |chief_justice=Soumen Sen<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/soumen-sen-sworn-in-as-new-chief-justice-of-kerala-high-court/article70493925.ece |title=Soumen Sen sworn in as new Chief Justice of Kerala High Court |work=The Hindu |date=10 January 2026 |access-date=28 March 2026}}</ref> |leader_title=Rajendra Arlekar|seat=Kochi|meeting_place=Niyamasabha Mandiram, Thiruvananthapuram|headquarters=Kerala Government Secretariat, Thiruvananthapuram|departments=47|government_form=|members_in_council=|main_organ=Kerala Council of Ministers|extra_courts=}}

The '''Government of Kerala''' (abbreviated as '''GoK'''), also known as the '''Kerala Government''', is the administrative body responsible for governing the Indian state of Kerala.

The government is led by a chief minister, who selects all the other ministers. The Kerala Council of Ministers, also known as the '''''State Cabinet''''', is the highest executive decision-making body of the Government of Kerala. The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Kerala Legislative Assembly.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Profile - The States - Know India: National Portal of India |url=https://knowindia.india.gov.in/profile/the-states.php |access-date=2025-12-13 |website=knowindia.india.gov.in}}</ref>

Ministers of the Kerala government are responsible to the Kerala Legislative Assembly; they make statements in the assembly and take questions from members of the assembly. The government is dependent on Kerala Legislative Assembly to make primary legislation. Legislative assembly elections are held every five years to elect a new assembly, unless there is a successful vote of no confidence in the government or a two-thirds vote for a snap election in the assembly, in which case an election may be held sooner. After an election, the governor selects as chief minister the leader of the party most likely to command the confidence of the assembly, usually by possessing a majority of MLAs.

Under the Indian constitution, executive authority lies with the governor, although this authority is exercised only by, or on the advice of, the chief minister and the cabinet. In most cases, the cabinet members exercise power directly as leaders of the government departments, though some cabinet positions are sinecures to a greater or lesser degree.

== Executive branch == {{wide image|Kerala Government Secretariat.jpg|400|align-cap=center|The city of Thiruvananthapuram serves as the administrative headquarters of Kerala.}}

=== Governor === {{See also | Governors of Kerala}} The governor is appointed by the President for a term of five years. The executive and legislative powers lie with the Chief Minister and his council of ministers, who are appointed by the governor. The governors of the states and territories of India have similar powers and functions at the state level as that of the president of India at the national level. Only Indian citizens above 35 years of age are eligible for appointment. Governors discharge all constitutional functions, such as the appointment of the chief minister, sending reports to the president about failure of constitutional machinery in a state, or with respect to issues relating to the assent to a bill passed by legislature, exercise or their own opinion.<ref>{{cite web|title=The States|url=https://india.gov.in/knowindia/the_states.php|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080323155549/https://india.gov.in/knowindia/the_states.php|archive-date=2008-03-23|publisher=Government of India}}</ref> [[File:IN-KL.svg|thumb|150px|Thumbnail map of India with Kerala highlighted.]]

Rajendra Arlekar is the present governor.

The governor enjoys many different types of powers: * Executive powers related to administration, appointments, and removals * Legislative powers related to lawmaking and the state legislature * Discretionary powers to be carried out according to the discretion of the governor

=== Kerala Council of Ministers === {{See also|List of Chief Ministers of Kerala}} {{Main|Kerala Council of Ministers}}

[[File:Government Secretariat, Kerala.jpg|thumb|250px|The Government Secretariat Complex in Thiruvananthapuram, which houses offices of ministers and government secretaries]]

Like in other Indian states, the executive arm of the state is responsible for the day-to-day management of the state. It consists of the governor, the chief minister and the council of ministers (also known as cabinet). The governor appoints the chief minister, and on the chief minister’s advice appoints the other ministers, while the chief minister allocates portfolios among them. The governor summons prorogues and dissolves the legislature. He can close the legislative assembly on the recommendation of the chief minister. Judiciary has been separated from the executive in Kerala like other Indian states. <ref>{{Cite journal |last=Jain |first=Tarun |date=2012 |title=Is CESTAT a Court and a 'Part of Judiciary' within the Meaning of Article 50 of the Constitution of India? |url=https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1254056 |journal=SSRN Electronic Journal |doi=10.2139/ssrn.1254056 |issn=1556-5068}}</ref>

The executive authority is headed by the Chief Minister of Kerala, who is the de facto head of state and is vested with most of the executive powers; the Legislative Assembly's majority party leader is appointed to this position by the Governor. The present Chief Minister is V.D. Satheesan, who took office on 18 May 2026. Generally, the winning party decides the chief minister. In many cases, the party focuses a chief ministerial candidate during the election.

The Council of Ministers, which answers to the Legislative Assembly, has its members appointed by the Governor; the appointments receive input from the Chief Minister. They are collectively responsible to the legislative assembly of the State. Generally, the winning party and its chief minister chooses the ministers list and submit the list for the Governor's approval.{{cn|date=July 2025}}

====The Present Council of Ministers of the Government of Kerala==== {{transcluded section|Kerala Council of Ministers#Present Council of Ministers}} {{trim|{{#section-h:Kerala Council of Ministers|Present Council of Ministers}}}}

== Legislative branch == [[File:Kerala Legislative Assembly, Thiruvananthapuram.jpg|thumb|250px|The state assembly building in Thiruvananthapuram.]] {{Main|Kerala Legislature}}

The legislature comprises the governor and the legislative assembly, which is the highest political organ in the state. The governor has the power to summon the assembly or to close the same. All members of the legislative assembly are directly elected, normally once in every five years by the eligible voters who are above 18 years of age. The current assembly consists of 140 elected members and one member nominated by the governor from the Anglo-Indian community. The elected members select one of its own members as its chairman who is called the speaker. The speaker is assisted by the deputy speaker who is also elected by the members. The conduct of a meeting in the house is the responsibility of the speaker.{{cn|date=July 2025}}

The main function of the assembly is to pass laws and rules. Every bill passed by the house has to be finally approved by the governor before it becomes applicable.{{cn|date=July 2025}}

The normal term of the legislative assembly is five years from the date appointed for its first meeting. But while a proclamation of state of emergency is in operation, the said period will be extended by Parliament by Laws for a period not exceeding one year at a time.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kerala Government - Legislature|url=https://niyamasabha.org/codes/govt_2.htm|publisher=Kerala Niyamasabha|access-date=7 February 2022|archive-date=8 December 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121208011357/http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/govt_2.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Judicial branch == {{Main|High Court of Kerala}}

alt=|border|center|thumb|The Kerala High Court located in Eranakulam. The judiciary of Kerala functions as an independent branch of the state government, in accordance with the Constitution of India. The apex court in the state is the High Court of Kerala, which has jurisdiction over the state of Kerala and the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. It is located at Kochi.

The High Court is headed by the Chief Justice of Kerala, and comprises 35 permanent judges and 12 additional judges appointed by the President of India in consultation with the Chief Justice of India and the Governor of Kerala. Below the High Court, the judicial system includes district and subordinate courts, various special courts and tribunals for specific cases.<ref>{{Cite web |title=HIGH COURT OF KERALA |url=https://highcourt.kerala.gov.in/ |access-date=2025-08-05 |website=highcourt.kerala.gov.in |archive-date=16 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250816000817/https://highcourt.kerala.gov.in/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Kerala has 14 district and sessions courts, each headed by a Principal District and Sessions Judge. All these judicial districts are located in district headquarters, except at Manjeri, Thodupuzha, and Thalassery. These District Courts are vested with original, appellate, and revisional jurisdiction in both civil and criminal matters. <ref>{{cite web |title=Report of the Administration on Civil Justice in Kerala for the Year 2021–22 |website=High Court of Kerala |url=https://highcourt.kerala.gov.in/administrative_reports.php |access-date=1 January 2026 }}</ref> <br/> Special courts and tribunals exist, including special courts for the trial of cases registered by the NIA, CBI, and Kerala Vigilance, as well as tribunals for specific matters, all functioning under the appellate jurisdiction of the High Court of Kerala.

Besides these, Kerala has 78 Additional District Courts (including 50 Additional Motor Accident Claims Tribunals). The state also has 40 Sub Courts and 16 Additional Sub Courts. At the lower level, there are 57 Munsiff’s Courts, 24 Additional Munsiff’s Courts, and 20 Judicial Magistrate’s Courts, making a total of 77 Munsiff and Magistrate Courts. In addition, Kerala has 28 Family Courts, 27 Motor Accident Claims Tribunals, one Waqf Tribunal, 22 Fast Track Courts, and 30 Gram Nyayalayas.<ref>{{cite web |title=Report of the Administration on Civil Justice in Kerala for the Year 2021–22 |website=High Court of Kerala |url=https://highcourt.kerala.gov.in/administrative_reports.php |access-date=1 January 2026 }}</ref>

==Head Leaders== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:100%" |+ '''Constitutional office holders''' |- ! Post !! Incumbent !! Portrait !! Assumed office |- | Governor of Kerala|| Rajendra Arlekar|| 116x116px|| 2 January 2025 ({{Age in years, months and days|2025|01|02}}) |- | Chief Minister of Kerala|| V. D. Satheesan ||116px || 18 May 2026 ({{Age in years, months and days|2026|05|18}}) |- | Speaker of the Legislative Assembly|| Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan || 116x116px|| 19 May 2026 |- | Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly|| Shanimol Usman || 116x116px|| 19 May 2026 |- |Leader of the Opposition |Pinarayi Vijayan | 99x99px |TBD |- |Chief Justice of Kerala |Soumen Sen | |10 January 2026 |- | Advocate General of Kerala || [https://misago.kerala.gov.in/MISAGO7/admin/login Jaju Babu]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Advocate General's Office |url=https://www.lawsect.kerala.gov.in/english/index.php/ad |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231120143244/https://www.lawsect.kerala.gov.in/english/index.php/ad |archive-date=2023-11-20 |access-date=2025-05-26 |website=lawsect.kerala.gov.in |language=en-gb}}</ref> <ref>{{Cite news |last=Bureau |first=The Hindu |date=2026-05-18 |title=Jaju Babu is the new Advocate General of Kerala, Asaf Ali appointed Director General of Prosecution |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/jaju-babu-is-the-new-advocate-general-of-kerala-asaf-ali-appointed-director-general-of-prosecution/article70994544.ece |access-date=2026-05-18 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>|| 100px||18 May 2026 |} {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ District in-charge ministers of Kerala<ref>{{cite news |title=Kerala government assigns district-level responsibilities to ministers |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2026/05/31/kerala-government-assigns-ministers-to-oversee-districts.html |work=Onmanorama |date=31 May 2026 |access-date=31 May 2026 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Kerala government assigns district-level responsibilities to ministers |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2026/05/31/kerala-government-assigns-ministers-to-oversee-districts.html |work=Onmanorama |publisher=Malayala Manorama |date=31 May 2026 |access-date=31 May 2026 }}</ref> ! No. ! District ! Minister |- | 1 | Thiruvananthapuram | C. P. John |- | 2 | Kollam | Shibu Baby John |- | 3 | Pathanamthitta | P. C. Vishnunadh |- | 4 | Alappuzha | M. Liju |- | 5 | Kottayam | Mons Joseph |- | 6 | Idukki | Anoop Jacob |- | 7 | Ernakulam | Roji M. John |- | 8 | Thrissur | O. J. Janeesh |- | 9 | Palakkad | N. Shamsudheen |- | 10 | Malappuram | P. K. Basheer |- | 11 | Kozhikode | A. P. Anil Kumar |- | 12 | Wayanad | T. Siddique |- | 13 | Kannur | Sunny Joseph |- | 14 | Kasaragod | K. M. Shaji |} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:100%" |+ '''Statutory and Quasi-Judicial Authorities''' |- ! Office !! Incumbent !! Photo !! Assumed office |- | Chairperson, Kerala State Human Rights Commission [https://www.kshrc.kerala.gov.in/ ^]|| Justice Alexander Thomas (Retd.) || 100px || 2021 |- | Lok Ayukta, Kerala Lok Ayukta [https://www.lokayuktakerala.gov.in/ ^]|| Justice N. Anil Kumar|| 100px || 2023 |- | State Election Commissioner, Kerala State Election Commission|| A. Shajahan || 100px || January 2022 |- | Chairman, Kerala Public Service Commission|| M. R. Baiju || 100px || 2023 |- | Chairperson, Kerala State Commission for Women|| P. Sathidevi || 100px || October 2021 |- | Chairperson, Kerala State Commission for SC/ST || Justice G. Sasidharan || 100px || 2023 |} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:100%" |+ '''Key Administrative Officials''' |- ! Office !! Incumbent !! Photo !! Assumed office |- | Chief Secretary, Government of Kerala || A. Jayathilak, IAS<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-04-23 |title=A. Jayathilak to succeed Sarada Muraleedharan as Chief Secretary |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/a-jayathilak-to-succeed-sarada-muraleedharan-as-chief-secretary/article69482711.ece |access-date=2025-05-26 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref>|| 100px|| May 2025 |- | Director General of Police & State Police Chief, Kerala|| Ravada A. Chandrasekhar, IPS|| 100px || June 2025 |- |Director General of Prosecution {{Small|(Directorate of Prosecution)}} |T. Asaf Ali<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bureau |first=The Hindu |date=2026-05-18 |title=Jaju Babu is the new Advocate General of Kerala, Asaf Ali appointed Director General of Prosecution |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/jaju-babu-is-the-new-advocate-general-of-kerala-asaf-ali-appointed-director-general-of-prosecution/article70994544.ece |access-date=2026-05-18 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> (State Public Prosecutor) | |May 2028 |}

== Departments == {{Main|List of departments and agencies of the Government of Kerala|Public sector undertakings in Kerala|List of departments and agencies of the Government of Kerala#Autonomous bodies, cultural and other institutions|l3 = Government Institutions (Boards, Commissions, Autonomous bodies, Developmental Authorities, etc)}}

The business of the state government is transacted through the various secretariat departments based on the rules of business. Each department is headed by a minister, who functions as the political head, while the secretary serves as the administrative head of the department. Each department consists of secretary to the government, who is the official head of the department and such other special/additional secretaries, deputy secretaries, under secretaries, junior secretaries, officers, and staffs subordinate to him/her. The ''Chief secretary'' superintending control over the whole secretariat and staff attached to the ministers. The Chief Secretary of Kerala is also the administrative head of the government.{{cn|date=July 2025}} Secretaries in charge of departments are generally officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), holding the rank of Secretary, Principal Secretary, or Additional Chief Secretary (ACS).

The department is further divided into sections, each of which is under the charge of a section officer. Apart from these sections, dealing with the subjects allotted to them, there are other offices sections, assigned with specific duties. When there is more than one secretary in a department, there shall be a clear separation of work.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kerala.gov.in/dept_sec/index.htm |title=Organizational and functional details of the Government Secretariat |publisher=The official website, Government of Kerala |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101005001534/https://www.kerala.gov.in/dept_sec/index.htm |archive-date=2010-10-05 }}</ref>

In addition to the Secretariat, the Government operates various '''line departments'''—commonly known as '''''Directorates''''' or '''''Commissionerates'''''—which function under the administrative control of their respective Secretariat Departments. These departments are responsible for policy implementation and service delivery and are headed by designated officers such as Directors, Commissioners, or Directors General, who may belong to IAS, IPS, IFS, or technical/specialist cadres.<ref>{{cite web |title=Secretariat Reforms – Thirteenth Report |publisher=Administrative Reforms Commission, Government of Kerala |url=https://arc.kerala.gov.in/sites/default/files/inline-files/13th_report_final.pdf |access-date=9 November 2025 |archive-date=10 August 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240810125544/https://arc.kerala.gov.in/sites/default/files/inline-files/13th_report_final.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

Besides government departments, the state performs its functions through several allied institutions, including autonomous bodies, welfare fund boards, development authorities, commissions, public sector undertakings, universities, and cultural institutions. At present there are 47 Secretariat Departments as below: <ref>Rules of Business of Government of Kerala;https://gad.kerala.gov.in/sites/default/files/general_attachment/Rules of Business - Part II.pdf</ref>

{{Excerpt|List of departments and agencies of the Government of Kerala|Secretariat Departments}} == Administrative divisions == {{See also|Administrative divisions of Kerala|List of districts of Kerala|List of revenue divisions of Kerala|List of taluks of Kerala|Municipalities of Kerala|List of municipal corporations in Kerala}} {| class="wikitable" ! colspan=2 |State administrative structure !Ref. |- ! Administrative divisions ! Total ! |- | Districts | 14 |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Admin |date=2025-01-22 |title=Districts |url=https://clr.kerala.gov.in/eng/index.php/department/district |access-date=2026-01-01 |website=Department of Land Revenue |language=en-gb}}</ref> |- | Revenue Divisions | 27 |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Admin |date=2025-01-22 |title=Organisation Structure |url=https://clr.kerala.gov.in/eng/index.php/department/organisation-structure |access-date=2026-01-01 |website=Department of Land Revenue |language=en-gb}}</ref> |- | Taluks | 78 |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Admin |date=2023-09-21 |title=Home |url=https://clr.kerala.gov.in/eng/ |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=Department of Land Revenue |language=en-gb |archive-date=19 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250819213326/https://clr.kerala.gov.in/eng/ |url-status=live }}</ref> |-90 | Revenue Villages | 1666 |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Admin |date=2023-09-21 |title=Home |url=https://clr.kerala.gov.in/eng/ |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=Department of Land Revenue |language=en-gb}}</ref> |- |} {| class="wikitable" !Local-Self Governments<ref>{{Cite web |title=Local Self Government Institutions {{!}} Deparyment of Panchayats |url=https://dop.lsgkerala.gov.in/en/article/158 |access-date=2023-05-27 |website=dop.lsgkerala.gov.in |archive-date=27 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527140442/https://dop.lsgkerala.gov.in/en/article/158 |url-status=dead }}</ref> !Total !Ref. |- |District Panchayats |14 |<ref>{{Cite web |title=Local Bodies {{!}} Local Self Government Department |url=https://lsgkerala.gov.in/en/lsgd/localbody-list |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=lsgkerala.gov.in |archive-date=2 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602134126/https://lsgkerala.gov.in/en/lsgd/localbody-list |url-status=dead }}</ref> |- |Block Panchayats |152 |<ref>{{Cite web |title=Local Bodies {{!}} Local Self Government Department |url=https://lsgkerala.gov.in/en/lsgd/localbody-list |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=lsgkerala.gov.in |archive-date=2 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602134126/https://lsgkerala.gov.in/en/lsgd/localbody-list |url-status=dead }}</ref> |- |Grama Panchayats |941 |<ref>{{Cite web |title=Local Bodies {{!}} Local Self Government Department |url=https://lsgkerala.gov.in/en/lsgd/localbody-list |access-date=2025-08-12 |website=lsgkerala.gov.in |archive-date=2 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602134126/https://lsgkerala.gov.in/en/lsgd/localbody-list |url-status=dead }}</ref> |- |Municipal Corporations |6 |<ref>{{Cite web |title=Municipal Corporations/നഗരസഭകള്‍ – KSAD |url=https://ksad.kerala.gov.in/en/corporations-lsgis/ |access-date=2026-01-01 |language=en-GB}}</ref> |- |Municipalities |87 |<ref>{{Cite web |title=Municipalities – KSAD |url=https://ksad.kerala.gov.in/en/municipalities/ |access-date=2026-01-01 |language=en-GB}}</ref> |- |} {| class="wikitable" ! Electoral constituencies ! Total |- | Lok Sabha constituencies |20 |- | Legislative assembly constituencies |140<ref>{{Cite web |title=Members - Kerala Legislature |url=http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/members.htm |access-date=2026-01-01 |website=www.niyamasabha.org |archive-date=29 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029145332/http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/members.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> |}

For administrative convenience, Kerala State has been divided into 14 districts, 27 revenue divisions, 77 taluks, 152 CD blocks, and 1666 revenue villages. For local governance, the state has 941 gram panchayats, 152 block panchayats, 14 district panchayats, 6 corporations, and 87 municipalities.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://kerala.gov.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=93&Itemid=2273 |title=Local Self Government |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110411094016/https://www.kerala.gov.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=93&Itemid=2273 |archive-date=2011-04-11 }}</ref> == State insignias == {{Infobox place symbols | region = Kerala | country = India | mammal = Elephant | bird = Great Indian hornbill | flower = ''Cassia fistula'' (Indian laburnum) | tree = Coconut | fruit = Jackfruit | fish =Pearlspot (karimeen) | costume = {{nowrap|Mundum neriyathum (women)}}<br />{{nowrap|Mundu (men)}} | language = Malayalam |image_emblem=Government of Kerala Logo.svg|emblem=}} {{Main|Seal of Kerala}}

The Kerala State Emblem is a derivative version of the royal coat of arms of the Kingdom of Travancore. The state emblem symbolises two elephants guarding the ''Imperial Shanku'', or conch, in its imperial crest. This crest was the insignia of Lord Sree Padmanabha (a form of Lord Vishnu) - the national deity of Travancore. ''Shanku'' was considered one of the common emblems of a majority of the Kerala feudal kingdoms. The Kingdom of Cochin and Zamorin's Malabar also had conch as state emblems. When the kingdoms of Cochin and Travancore merged in 1949, for a brief period, the crest carried a wheel or chakra in the centre with ''Shanku'' on top of it. With the accession of Malabar into Travancore-Cochin, the state of Kerala was formed in 1957. During this time, the royal coat of arms of the Travancore kingdom was modified by placing the "Lion Capital of Ashoka" on top of the imperial conch. The Travancore Royal Family uses the erstwhile Royal Coat of Arms of Travancore today, whereas Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple of Trivandrum uses only the imperial conch crest as its coat of arms.{{cn|date=July 2025}}

The state animal of Kerala is the elephant, and the government emblem has two elephants in it. The state bird is the great Indian hornbill (ML:മലമ്പുഴക്കി വേഴാമ്പല്‍). The state flower is the golden shower (ML:കണിക്കൊന്ന), and the state tree is the coconut.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kerenvis.nic.in/isbeid/kerala-symbols.htm |title=Kerala Symbols |publisher=kerenvis.nic.in |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080307101819/https://www.kerenvis.nic.in/isbeid/kerala-symbols.htm |archive-date=2008-03-07 }}</ref> The state fish is the pearlspot or karimeen (കരിമീന്‍‌).

== Elections == {{Main|Elections in Kerala|Kerala State Election Commission}}

Elections to the state assembly and local bodies are held every five years. Elections are generally held for Parliament, State assembly and regional municipalities and rural panchayats. Due to the large numbers of eligible voters, over 21 million, elections are usually held on several dates. Like all other Indian states, the minimum age of registration of a voter is 18 years.<ref>https://www.eci.gov.in/faq/en/how-to-register</ref>

== Politics == {{Main|Politics of Kerala}}

Kerala has a unique position in India as one of the most politicised states. It has the nation's largest politically aware population, which actively participates in state politics.{{cn|date=July 2025}}

Politics in Kerala has been dominated by two political fronts, the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the Indian National Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), since the late 1970s. These two coalitions have alternated in power since 1982, although this pattern was broken in 2021. According to the 2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly election, the LDF has a majority in the state assembly (99/140).{{cn|date=July 2025}}

The political alliance has strongly stabilised and, with rare exceptions, most of the coalition partners maintain loyalty to the alliance. As a result of this, power has alternated between these two fronts since 1979.{{cn|date=July 2025}}

In terms of individual parties, the state has strong leanings towards socialism and thus Communist parties have made strong inroads in Kerala. The Malabar region, particularly Kannur and Palakkad, are considered the heartland of the Communist parties. The Kollam and Alapuzha districts, where trade unions have a strong presence, are generally inclined to Left parties, though several times the UDF has won. The CPI(M) led LDF did a clean sweep of 11–0 over UDF and NDA in Kollam district during 2016 Local body election.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thehindu.com/elections/kerala2016/Red-wave-trounces-UDF-in-Kerala/article14328719.ece | title=Red wave trounces UDF in Kerala | newspaper=The Hindu |date=20 May 2016 |access-date=22 January 2020}}</ref> The largest Communist party is the CPIM and the second largest is the CPI.{{cn|date=July 2025}}

The Indian National Congress, which leads the UDF coalition, has had a very strong presence in Kerala since pre-Independence days. The Congress party has great popularity in the Thrissur, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Thiruvananthapuram regions, whereas it has a strong influence in some parts of Idukki regions.{{cn|date=July 2025}}

The Bharatiya Janata Party (the Party that currently leads the Government of India) is also active in Kerala, but is not part of either coalition. It has only one elected Parliament member from Thrissur, and has lost its one Legislative Assembly member in the 2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly election and selected members in all the Corporations, several Municipal Councils and a large number of Local Panchayats. The party enjoys popularity in the districts of Thiruvananthapuram and Kasaragod.{{cn|date=July 2025}}

Other popular regional parties are: * The Kerala Congress, which has more than four denominations after breaking away from the original party. It has strong influence among settlement populations in hilly regions. The various Kerala Congress denominations are primarily patronized by the Syrian Christian community and Nair populations, mostly in Central Travancore areas like Kottayam, Idukki and Pathanamthitta. Today, most of Kerala Congress parties are with the UDF.{{cn|date=July 2025}} * The Indian Union Muslim League is a powerful pro-Muslim community-oriented party, which was started as the Muslim League prior to Independence, yet decided to transfer their allegiance to the Indian Union after Independence, when the original Muslim League went to Pakistan. The IUML-Kerala unit is the only Muslim League group to declare its allegiance and loyalty to India and hence become a state party in post-Independence India. The party has strongholds mostly in Muslim-dominated districts like Kozhikode, Malappuram and Kasargod. They form the second largest party within the UDF.{{cn|date=July 2025}} * Socialist groups, consisting of several small fragmented parties like the NCP (SP), SJD-S, JDS, and Congress-S, are mainly centre-left socialist parties having very limited influence in a few pocket areas. Most of the socialist groups are with the LDF, though in a few instances, some of them changed their loyalties to the UDF.{{cn|date=July 2025}} * Communist parties consist of various groups which have broken away from the CPIM. They are mostly centre-left parties, though a few are extreme-left. While a few centre-left parties like the RSP have joined with the UDF, those that broke away from the CPIM, like the CMP and JSS, led by erstwhile CPIM veterans who were expelled from CPIM, have joined with the UDF.{{cn|date=July 2025}} * The Bharath Dharma Jana Sena or BDJS is a new political party formed in 2015 led by Thushar Vellapally. The party's primary vote base is among Ezhava and Thiyya community. It is politically and ideologically aligned towards the BJP and is a part of National Democratic Alliance.{{cn|date=July 2025}}

==Awards and honours== Kerala was declared as the first complete digitally administered state of India on 27 February 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Kerala the first digital State|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kozhikode/kerala-the-first-digital-state/article8291466.ece|last=Special currespondent|date=28 February 2016|access-date=17 November 2020|work=The Hindu|archive-date=15 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415102347/https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/kozhikode/kerala-the-first-digital-state/article8291466.ece|url-status=live}}</ref> The ''India Corruption Survey 2019'' by Transparency International declared Kerala the least-corrupt state in India.<ref>{{Cite book|title=India Corruption Survey 2019 - Report|last=|publisher=Transparency International India|year=2019|location=|pages=22|url=https://transparencyindia.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/India-Corruption-Survey-2019.pdf|archive-date=10 July 2021|access-date=20 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210710100154/https://transparencyindia.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/India-Corruption-Survey-2019.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> The state topped in the country to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals according to the annual report of NITI Aayog published in 2019.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Kerala tops sustainable development goals index|url=https://www.livemint.com/news/india/kerala-tops-sustainable-development-goals-index-11577729046641.html|last=Gireesh Chandra Prasad|date=30 December 2019|access-date=4 December 2020|work=Livemint|archive-date=7 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211107210208/https://www.livemint.com/news/india/kerala-tops-sustainable-development-goals-index-11577729046641.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The Public Affairs Index-2020 released by the Public Affairs Centre, India, designated Kerala as the best governed Indian state.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Goa best governed States: report|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala-goa-and-chandigarh-best-governed-states-ut-report/article32985716.ece|last=PTI|date=30 October 2020|access-date=20 June 2021|work=The Hindu|archive-date=7 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007210542/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala-goa-and-chandigarh-best-governed-states-ut-report/article32985716.ece|url-status=live}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== * {{Citation|title=Chief Ministers, Ministers, and Leaders of Opposition of Kerala|last=|publisher=Secratriat of Kerala Legislature|year=2018|location=Thiruvananthapuram|url=https://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/14kla/chief%20ministers,%20ministers,%20leaders%20of%20opposition.pdf|access-date=7 February 2022|archive-date=16 September 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240916212603/http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/14kla/chief%20ministers,%20ministers,%20leaders%20of%20opposition.pdf|url-status=dead}} * {{Cite book|title=Mathrubhumi Yearbook Plus - 2019|publisher=P. V. Chandran, Managing Editor, Mathrubhumi Printing & Publishing Company Limited, Kozhikode|year=2018|location=Kozhikode|last=Chandran |first=VP |edition=Malayalam }} * {{cite book|author=Menon, A. Sreedhara |title=A Survey of Kerala History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FVsw35oEBv4C|year=2007|publisher=DC Books|isbn=9788126415786}}

== External links == * {{Official website|https://www.kerala.gov.in}}

{{Topics related to Kerala}} {{Kerala}} {{Government of Kerala}} {{United Democratic Front (Kerala)}} {{Left Democratic Front (Kerala)}} {{Government of India by state or territory}} {{Authority control}}

Category:Government of Kerala