Republican Character

The concept of 'republic' is that of a State, in which the people are supreme, there is no privileged class and all public offices are open to every citizen without any discrimination. There is no hereditary ruler and the head of the State is elected by the people for a fixed term. He is usually called the President of the Republic. For Cooley, a republican form of the government is "a government by representative chosen by the people." In the words of Justice Hidyatullah: "A Republic is a State in which the supreme power rests in the final analysis with the people and not with a single individual like a king or the like." Democratic republic may, therefore, broadly mean a State with an elected head and a government by the representatives of the people. According to Madison in the Federalist:

           "Republic is a government which derives its powers directly or indirectly from the great body of the people, and is administered by persons holding their offices during pleasure, for a limited period, or during good behaviour."

It is in the widest sense that the Preamble speaks of India being a Republic. With the commencement of the dominion and no more owned any allegiance to the Crown. The head of the Union is a President who is elected for a fixed term by an electoral college of the representatives of the people. All citizens are equal in the eyes of law, there is no privileged class and all public offices are open to every citizen without any discrimination of race, caste, sex, or creed.

Extract from Our Constitution by Subhash C. Kashyap.