Our Republic & Rule of Law-a thought
Adv Amrit Lal Saha
January 27, 2026
Today, on 26 January, we celebrate Republic Day—not merely the adoption of the Constitution, but the birth of India as a nation governed by the Rule of Law.
On this day in 1950, India made a historic choice.
We did not hand power to a king, a general, or a ruling class.
We handed power to the Constitution.
And through the Constitution, power has been placed in the hands of
We, the People of India.
That single act defines our Republic.
A republic is not sustained by flags or parades alone.
A republic survives only when law is above power, and not the other way around.
That is the meaning of the Rule of Law:
• No one is above the law
• Power is exercised only under law
• Rights are not favours, but guarantees
• Authority is bound by fairness and reason
During colonial rule, India lived under rule by law, not Rule of reasonable Law.
Law was an instrument of control, not justice.
Our freedom struggle was therefore not just about independence—it was about constitutional morality.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar understood this clearly. He warned us that democracy cannot survive unless power is restrained by law and guided by ethics.
That wisdom lives in our Constitution.
Why did the Constitution come into force on 26 January?
Because on this very date in 1930, India had declared Purna Swaraj—complete self-rule.
In 1950, we gave that idea a constitutional form:
• Freedom under law
• Power under limits
• Governance under accountability
That is the essence of a Republic.
The Constitution protects the Rule of Law through:
• Fundamental Rights
• An independent judiciary
• Separation of powers
• Judicial review of administrative and legislative actions.
In the Kesavananda Bharati case, the Supreme Court held that even Parliament cannot destroy the basic structure of the Constitution.
That was not defiance—it was constitutional self-preservation.
The Rule of Law does not live only in courts.
It lives:
• When a citizen is heard before being punished
• When decisions are reasoned, not arbitrary
• When equality is practiced, not selectively applied
A republic weakens not only when laws are broken, but when laws are applied unequally.
As India grows stronger, the real test before us is simple:
Can development coexist with legality?
Can authority remain strong yet restrained?
The Constitution answers clearly: Yes—but only through the Rule of Law.
On this Republic Day, let us renew our pledge:
• To respect the Constitution in letter and spirit
• To uphold the Rule of Law in public and private life
• To remember that India’s strength lies not in unchecked power, but in constitutional restraint
Let us never forget:
A Republic is not maintained by force.
It is sustained by faith in law.
Jai Hind.Jai Bharat
Jai Samvidhan.
• A practicing advocate in the High Court of Tripura, Agartala. He can be contacted at: [email protected] (Tripurainfo)
more articles...