In Pictures: Millions queue to vote as Bihar state elections gets underway

Voters undergo thermal screening as they stand in a queue outside a polling station to cast their votes for the first phase of Bihar Assembly Elections, at Naubatpur in Patna. Millions of Indians turned out to cast ballots for the Bihar state election on wednesday in the world's biggest vote since the coronavirus emerged, with booths packed out and many ignoring government advice on wearing masks and social distancing.

Some 70 million people are eligible to vote in Bihar, an eastern state governed by an alliance that includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has promised a free vaccine for every person in the state if it wins.

The election comes as India, the world's second most-infected nation, has recorded almost eight million virus cases.

"I am a little afraid because corona(virus) is not a small disease," said Nidhi Kumari, a 21-year-old student queueing up to vote in the outskirts of the state capital Patna. "But there are precautions at polling booths. They are giving sanitisers and gloves."

Voters show their identity cards as they stand in a queue outside a polling station to cast their votes for the first phase of Bihar Assembly Elections, at Naubatpur in Patna.

Voter undergo thermal screening before cast her vote for the first phase Bihar Assembly polls, at Paligang in Patna district.

A voter gives his thumb impression at a polling booth before casting his vote for the first phase of Bihar Assembly Election, amid the coronavirus pandemic, at Chenari police station in Rohtas district.

An electoral official (R) distributes plastic hand gloves to voters waiting to cast their ballots for Bihar state assembly elections at a polling station in Patna.

An electoral official sprays sanitiser on the hand of a voter as she waits in a queue to cast her ballot for Bihar state assembly elections at a polling station in Patna.

An electoral official marks a voter's finger with ink after casting her ballot for Bihar state assembly elections in a polling station in Patna.

Voting in Bihar has been split across three days - Wednesday, November 3 and November 7 - to reduce crowding at booths. Coronavirus patients will be allowed to cast a ballot under the supervision of the health authorities.

Voters queue up to cast their ballots for Bihar state assembly elections at a polling station in Masaurhi.

Unemployment and the cost of living have been major election issues, with the national government also striving to keep the prices of onions - a key ingredient in Indian cuisine - in check amid a shortage after heavy rains damaged crops.

Authorities have struggled to enforce social distancing and mask-wearing during rallies across the state that have attracted tens of thousands of people. The poll is the first in India since Modi imposed a strict lockdown in late March that led to millions of poor migrant workers, many from Bihar, losing their jobs with some having to walk for days or weeks back home.

The polling began at 7 a.m. for the 71 Assembly constituencies in 16 districts. According to the State Election Commission, 2.14 crore voters will exercise their franchise in the first phase for which 31,371 polling stations have been set up. In the first phase, 1,066 candidates, including 114 women are in the fray. While in the non sensitive constituencies voting will take place from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., in the sensitive ones, the polling exercise will end at 3 p.m.; while in some other areas it will last till 4 p.m. Security forces have been deployed at all polling stations.