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On Saturday morning, Health Minister Greg Hunt announced a "temporary pause" on travellers who have visited India within 14 days of their intended arrival date in Australia.
The penalty for failing to comply with the emergency determination under the Biosecurity Act, coming into effect at 12.01am Monday, could attract a $66,600 fine or a five-year jail term.
No such measure has been applied by the government to any other international COVID-19 hotspot so far.
Australian citizen Mandeep Sharma is currently stuck in the Indian city of Kapurthala. He left Australia on 2 April to bury his father.
Mr Sharma had his return flight to Australia scheduled for 7 May cancelled after a ban on flights from India was announced earlier in the week, and says the additional criminalisation measures are insulting.