Chandigarh (Haryana) [India], December 4 : Haryana's Governor House has officially been renamed as 'Lok Bhavan', joining the ranks of other states that have complied with the centre's order.
The move by the centre to rename Raj Bhavans across the country as Lok Bhavans is seen as a step in line with changes under the Narendra Modi government, which mark a deeper ideological transition in India's democracy, "choosing responsibility over power and service over status".
Earlier, Rajasthan's Raj Bhavan was officially renamed Lok Bhavan, with a notification issued by the Governor's Secretariat under the instructions of Governor Haribhau Bagde.
Governor Bagde said the decision reflects the core spirit of the Indian Constitution, which begins with the words "We the People of India." He emphasised that in a democracy, the people remain supreme, and it was appropriate that the Governor's workplace should reflect this principle. "'Lok Bhavan' is not just a change in nomenclature, it symbolises the sentiments and aspirations of the people," he said.
According to the Governor, the term "Raj" is intrinsically linked with the country's colonial past, and replacing it aligns with the Centre's broader efforts to discard remnants of British rule. The move follows a communication from the Union Home Ministry urging states to adopt the change.
The Raj Bhavan in Odisha has been renamed Lok Bhavan, a decision that has also been implemented in several other states across the country. West Bengal's Raj Bhavan in Kolkata was renamed as Lok Bhavan on November 29.
The Home Ministry has sent a communication to states for the change. India's public institutions are undergoing a quiet but profound shift, and the idea of governance is moving from "satta to seva and from authority to responsibility", sources said. They said this change is not just administrative, it is cultural and moral, and the shift in names marks a "shift in mindset".
In a post on X, Amit Shah said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reiterated the resolve of service by naming the Prime Minister's Office as 'Seva Tirth'. Further, the names of Raj Bhavan and Raj Niwas are being changed to Lok Bhavan and Lok Niwas. He said that this is an important milestone in the golden journey of building a developed and superior India in every field, keeping service and good governance paramount."
The complex housing the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has been renamed as 'Seva Teerth'.
The Prime Minister's official residence was renamed Lok Kalyan Marg in 2016, a name that conveys welfare rather than exclusivity and is a reminder of the work that lies ahead for every elected government.
The renaming of Raj Bhavans to Lok Bhavans is seen as part of this broader national drive to align institutions of governance more closely with India's democratic values and cultural identity.