Uttarakhand Renames Raj Bhavans as Lok Bhavans

• 19 Dec 2025

Why in News? 

Uttarakhand has renamed the Raj Bhavans in Dehradun and Nainital as ‘Lok Bhavans’ following a Union Home Ministry directive encouraging states to drop the colonial‑era title and adopt a more people‑centric name. 

Key Points

• Change of Name: The Governor’s Residences in Dehradun (main capital) and Nainital (summer capital) are now officially called Lok Bhavans instead of Raj Bhavans. 
• Directive: Home Ministry urged all States and Union Territories to replace ‘Raj Bhavan’ with ‘Lok Bhavan’ and ‘Raj Niwas’ with ‘Lok Niwas’ to promote a democratic and people-centric identity. 
• Rationale: Government officials said that the revised nomenclature highlights the people-centric role of these institutions, moving away from colonial or royal symbolism. 
• Implementation: Signage, official stationery and digital platforms will be updated to reflect the new name in the coming weeks. 
• Wider Trend: Many other states and UTs, including West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana, have also adopted the Lok Bhavan nomenclature following the central guideline.