India's vibrant democracy turns 60 - Feature « Thread Started on Aug 8, 2007, 5:44pm » --------------------------------------------------------------------------------India's vibrant democracy turns 60 - Feature Posted : Tue, 07 Aug 2007 06:10:19 GMT Author : DPA read at source> http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/90864.htmlNew Delhi - From a nation beset with widespread poverty and illiteracy and riven by secessionist strife, India's rise as an economic and political power 60 years after it won independence can be attributed chiefly to its robust democracy and civil-society institutions. India holds the distinction of being the world's largest democracy, with freely contested elections at regular intervals. This is a monumental task by itself, with 620 million people - a tenth of humanity - registered to exercise its franchise.