Indian state to allow quarantined virus patients to vote

NEW DELHI: Quarantined coronavirus patients in the Indian state of Bihar will be allowed to vote in polling stations in upcoming local elections but only during the last hour before they close, officials said on Friday.

The word’s biggest democracy is due to hit six million cases in the coming days, second only to the United States, as the virus rips through the impoverished and densely populated nation of 1.3 billion people. The announcement of Bihar’s election -- with 70 million voters, one of the biggest to take place worldwide since the pandemic began -- is the latest step by Indian authorities to return to normality even as case numbers soar.

The national election commission said on Friday that coronavirus patients in quarantine can vote in polling stations “under the supervision of health authorities, strictly following Covid-19 related preventive measures”.