Goa, June 26 -- MARIAN PINHEIRO

Democracy is not merely a system of periodic elec tions. It is a moral and constitutional arrangement by which citizens transfer authori ty to elected representatives on the expectation that power will be used for the public good. In its simplest form, democracy is a social contract. The people agree to be governed, and the government agrees to protect their dignity, liberty, welfare and future. In India, this contract is written into the Constitution and expressed through the Preamble, Fundamental Rights and Direc tive Principles of State Policy. The Indian constitutional promise is clear. The State must secure justice, liberty, equality and fraternity. It must strive to create a social order where wel fa...