Introduction
The Kerala Code is intended to embody the Statute laws of Kerala and the rules issued thereunder. This may be distinguished from 'Kerala Code', the original publication of Law Department since it contains only the statute Laws of the State.

The State of Kerala was formed from three different political units of the earlier period - the independent princely States of Travancore and cochin and the Malabar District and Kasaragod Taluk of South Canara District of the formerly British ruled Madras Presidency. The laws in force in those territories were adapted at the time of integrations and many of them are still in force in those areas. For the same reason, different laws apply to different parts of the State, for the same subject.

Besides the Central Acts, the laws in force in the State consists of -
(i)
enactments made before the integration of Travancore and Cochin and applicable only to the Travancore area or the Cochin area;
(ii)
 enactments made by the Travancore-Cochin Legislature and applicable only to the Trvancore-Cochin area;
(iii)
enactments made before the re-organisation of States and applicable only to the Malabar area;
(iv)
 enactments made by the Travancore-Cochin Legislature and subsequently made applicable to the whole of the State;
(v)
 Madras enactments which after the re-organisation of State have been made applicable to the whole of the State;
(vi)
 enactments made by the Kerala Legislature.

The Kerala Code embodies all the above enactments as they are now in force. However, separate lists have been drawn for the sake of convenience and easy location of Acts. Each of these lists are available in alphabetical and chronological order. In the list relating to State Enactments Applicable to the whole of Kerala, State Amendments to Central Acts have also been included.

The text of Appropriation Acts, Finance Acts (except those pertaining to the years 2002 and 2003) and Repealed enactments of the State are excluded from the Kerala Code. However, in the 'List of Enactments passed after the Formation of the State of Kerala', the details such as Short Title, Act No. and Year of all the Acts, including Appropriation Acts, Finance Acts, Amendment Acts and Repealed Acts enacted after the formation of the State of Kerala have been included .