MEANING OF REPUBLIC AND GOVERNMENT

Our country used to be a colony of Britain and the name of our country was British India. It was divided into two parts on a religious basis as per the Mountbatten Plan:

(1) Union of India (on 15th August, 1947)

(2) Dominion of Pakistan (on 14th August, 1947)

The Union of India was formed from Hindu-dominated areas, and Pakistan was formed, consisting of Muslims-dominated areas. We celebrate our Independence Day on 15th August, and Pakistan on 14th August. India became a Republic country on 26th January, 1950 and Pakistan on 23rd March 1956. (Pakistan celebrates its Republic Day as Pakistan Day).

BRITISH INDIA

Meaning of Republic- A Country is a republic where the head of the state is not hereditary. The Head of the State may be elected, a military ruler, a dictator, a fascist, a communist ruler, but must not be Hereditary.

India – Head of the State – President – Nominal or symbolic head
Head of the Govt. – Prime Minister – Real Head of the govt.

Britain – Head of the State – British Monarch – Nominal or Symbolic Head
Head of the Govt. – Prime Minister – Real Head of the govt

Head of the State – President

USA — Same Person is Head of State as well as Head of Govt
Head of the govt. – President

Presently, The British Monarch is the head of the state of 15 countries e.g, Jamaica, Bahamas, Grenada, Australia, Canada, New Zealand etc. as well as of Britain.

India got independent on 15th Aug 1947 but at that time we were not a Republic country.

Our Head of the Government was our first Prime Minister - Sh. Jawaharlal Nehru and the British King George VI was our head of the State . He appointed Lord Mountbatten as his representative in India who was given the designation of the Governor General and he served for the period from 15-8-47 to 21-G-1948. Thereafter, the British King George VI appointed an Indian (Sh. Chakravorthy Rajgopalachari) as his representative in India and he served India as the Governor General for the period from 21-G-1948 to 2G-1-1950).

So, during the period from 15-8-1947 to 26-1-1950, our head of the State used to be the British Monarch & British Monarch is hereditary. Thus, although we were an independent country but still, we were not a republic.

However, from 2Gth Jan 1950, we switched from a hereditary Head of the state (British Monarch) to an elected head of the state (President of India). Thus, our status was converted from a Non-Republic country to a Republic country. (The post of the Indian President is not hereditary and now any Indian citizen is eligible to be elected as the President). Dr. Rajendra Prasad became the 1st President of the Republic of India. That is why we became a republic country on 2Gth Jan 1950 and we celebrate 2Gth January as our Republic Day every year.

Now, The President is our Head of the State & the Prime Minister is the Head of the Government.

Similarly, Pakistan became an independent country on 14th Aug 1947 and M.A. Jinnah, a representative of the King George VI, became the Governor General, whereas Liyakat Ali Khan became the 1st Prime Minister (Head of the govt.) The British Monarch was the head of the State. On 23rd March 195G, Pakistan switched from a hereditary head of the state to an elected head of the state. Thus, Pakistan became a Republic Country on 23rd March 195G and Iskandar Mirza became the 1st President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Now, The President of Pakistan is Head of the State & the Prime Minister is the Head of Government.

Most of us relate a Republic country with Democratic country but there is absolutely no connection between them. For Example, China is a Republic Country but not a democratic country. India is a Republic as well as a democratic country. Britain is not a republic but a democratic country, Saudi Arabia is neither a republic nor a democratic country. These two are totally different terms.

Examples of Republic Countries - India, Pakistan, Libya, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, France, Germany, USA, etc.

Examples of Non Republic Countries - Britain, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Spain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Bahamas, , Grenada,Thailand etc.

Newest Republic of the World - The Caribbean country Barbados has become the World’s newest Republic with the name The Republic of Barbados w.e.f. 30th November 2021. Barbados has broken its bond with Britain Now British Monarch (Presently, King Charles III ) is no longer the Head of the State of Barbados. Ms. Dane Sandra Prunella Mason - the Governor General of Barbados has become the first President of the Republic of Barbados. Barbados has declared its continuance of membership with the commonwealth. (Commonwealth has 54 member states and British monarch is the head of the commonwealth nations)

NOTE: The Modi Government has started observing 14th August as Vibhajan Vibhishika Diwas (Partition Horrors Remembrance Day) to commemorate the victims of the 1947 partition of India. The day honours the immense suffering, violence, and mass migration that occurred during the partition and serves to remind future generations of the tragedies endured.

Meaning of Government

Government is a composite body, consisting of three organs - Legislature, Executive & Judiciary

Government

In India, we have two types of governments

(1) Union Government/ Central Government

(2) State Governments

In India, there are one union government & 28 state governments.

We had 28 states. On 2/G/2014, Telangana, a new state was created by dividing Andhra Pradesh into two states – Andhra Pradesh & Telangana. Then, the total number of states became 29.

On 31/10/2019, The state of Jammu & Kashmir was divided into two union territories – The Union territory of Jammu & Kashmir and the Union territory of Ladakh. So, now we have 28 states.

Similarly, we had 7 union territories. On 31/10/2019, the State of Jammu & Kashmir was divided into two union territories making the total no of UT’s as 9.

On 25/1/2020, the two union territories, the Union Territory of Dadar & Nagar Haveli and the Union Territory of Daman & Diu were merged into one and the name of new UT is The Union Territory of Dadar & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu. Now the total number of Union Territories are 8.

Composition of Union Government

The Union Government

Composition of the State Government

Important Points

● The Indian Constitution was adopted/enacted on 2Gth Nov 1949

● The Indian Constitution was implemented/enforced on 2Gth Jan 1950

● The Republic Day - 2Gth Jan

● The Constitution Day - 2Gth Nov

● The Last Viceroy of India Lord Mountbatten

● The 1st Governor General of Independent India Lord Mountbatten

● The 1st Indian Governor General of Independent India Rajgopalachari Chakaraborthy

● The 1st President of India – Dr Rajendra Prasad

● The 15th President of India – Mrs Draupdi Murmu

● The 1st PM of India – Pt. J.L. Nehru

● The 15th P.M. of India – Narendra Modi

● The 1st V.P. of India – Dr. S. Radhakrishnan

● The 15th V.P. of India - Shri C.P Radhakrishnan

● The Indian Constitution was prepared by – The Constituent Assembly.

● The 1st Meeting of Constituent Assembly was held on 9th Dec 194G.

● The Last Meeting of Constituent Assembly was held on 24th Jan 1950.

● Temporary Chairperson of Constituent Assembly. - Dr. Sachidanand Sinha

● The Chairperson of Constituent Assembly. - Dr Rajendra Prasad.

● The Vice Chairperson of Constituent Assembly. - H.C. Mookherjee

● The Advisor to Constituent Assembly. - B.N. Rau

● The Chairperson of Drafting Committee of Constitution. - Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar.

● Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected as the first president of India by the Constituent Assembly in its last meeting held on 24/1/1950. Thereafter, the Constituent Assembly was converted into the Indian Parliament (more precisely Rajya Sabha).

● Dr. Rajendra Prasad became the first President of The Republic of India India on 2Gth Jan 1950.

Presently,

The Prime Minister of India is Shri Narendra Modi

The President of India is Smt. Draupdi Murmu

The Vice-President of India is Shri C.P Radhakrishnan

The Prime Minister of Britain is Mr. Keir Starmer

The Head of State of Britain is King Charles III.

The President of the USA is Mr. Donald Trump

The Prime Minister of Pakistan is Mr. Shebaz Sharif

The President of Pakistan is Mr. Asif Ali Zaradari