But the strongest reason a separate head of state is essential is to safeguard against blatant partisanship. Since a parliamentary government is formed by a party, discrimination and sectarianism are real threats. So the monarch represents the entire people directly, and without bias. “He himself must neither be nor seem to be a partisan," wrote Sir Ivor Jennings, British constitutional expert.

India has broken every one of these essential principles when it comes to its head of state. Our President cannot overrule the Prime Minister. The 42nd constitutional amendment did quite the opposite by making the President subservient to the PM. India’s President does not represent the people directly, for he is chosen by the legislators. And he is definitely a partisan. PM Modi recently boasted how the current President, Vice President and Speaker were from “the same ideology and traditions” as his own party, and that this was good for the country.