Raj Bhavan in Karnataka renamed as Lok Bhavan

Raj Bhavan: As per the decision of the Union Home Ministry, the names of Raj Bhavans across the country have been renamed as Lok Bhavan, and the Karnataka Raj Bhavan has also been renamed. The Governor’s residence Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru has been renamed as ‘Lok Bhavan, Karnataka’.

This significant change has been implemented as per the instructions of the Home Ministry, Government of India and the approval of the Governor. This new name will be applicable with immediate effect, and henceforth it will be officially known as ‘Lok Bhavan Karnataka’.

In a letter to the state government’s Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh on Wednesday, Special Secretary to the Governor R Prabhushankar said that Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot has approved the name change and it will come into effect immediately.

In the coming days, all government departments, government orders, official correspondence, websites and billboards should use Lok Bhavan Karnataka instead of Raj Bhavan Karnataka.

The Union Home Ministry had written to the Governors of all states and Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories on November 25, 2025, recommending that the Raj Bhavan be renamed as “Lok Bhavan”. Following this, the first phase was implemented in West Bengal, where the Raj Bhavans of Kolkata and Darjeeling were renamed as “Lok Bhavan”. Now the Raj Bhavan of Karnataka has also been renamed.

A directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, following a suggestion made at the Conference of Governors.

Raj Bhavan (Governor’s Residence) has been renamed Lok Bhavan.

Raj Niwas (Lt. Governor’s Residence in Union Territories) has been renamed Lok Niwas.

The change is being implemented with immediate effect in several states and Union Territories.

States and UTs That Have Implemented the Change:

Following the MHA’s directive, many states have already notified the change, including:

Karnataka (as you mentioned)

West Bengal

Tamil Nadu

Kerala

Assam

Uttarakhand

Odisha

Gujarat

Tripura

Mizoram

Nagaland

Chhattisgarh

Haryana

Jammu and Kashmir (as Lok Bhavan)

Ladakh (Raj Niwas renamed as Lok Niwas)

This change is one of several recent efforts by the government to remove symbols and names associated with India’s colonial past, such as the renaming of Rajpath to Kartavya Path.

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