Canadian Press

MONTREAL -- Muslim women will have to remove their face coverings if they want to vote in Monday's Quebec election.

Quebec's chief returning officer has reversed an earlier decision and is now telling Muslim women who wear a niqab to show their faces when they vote.

Facing threats from ordinary citizens that they would show up at polling stations wearing masks, Marcel Blanchet said in Quebec City today that voting day must proceed without incident.

Blanchet had to get two bodyguards as a result of his initial decision and Elections Quebec had received threatening phone calls and e-mails.

Quebec's three main political leaders had asked Blanchet to reverse the decision.

Blanchet says he's using special powers under electoral law to make the change.

Action democratique du Quebec Leader Mario Dumont says the law must be evenly applied to all citizens on voting day.