The Andhra Pradesh Assembly has adopted an AI-powered facial recognition attendance system, replacing the traditional signature register and igniting a political firestorm. Speaker Chintakayala Ayyanna Patrudu ordered the change ahead of the budget session that began on Wednesday. Assembly Secretary General Prasanna Kumar informed all members of the new system, making physical signatures redundant.
The move to digitize attendance recording comes amidst accusations from the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) that YSRCP (Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party) MLAs were marking their presence without actively participating in Assembly proceedings, even allegedly drawing allowances while absent. TDP leaders have repeatedly criticized opposition members for signing the register and leaving the House. The YSRCP has refuted these allegations, claiming the ruling party is politicizing attendance to target the opposition.
Under the new AI system, attendance is recorded automatically when members are seated. The system uses facial recognition technology with cameras scanning members' faces at regular intervals. Each MLA's face is mapped using 175 vector points stored in a database. The software cross-checks images against this pre-recorded data, instantly generating a list of those present and absent. The data is then transmitted to the Chief Minister's dashboard for real-time monitoring. The AI system can also detect if a member is sitting in a seat other than their assigned one.
The Speaker's decision is significant, given the ongoing political tensions. YSRCP MLAs attended the Assembly on Wednesday, the first day of the budget session, with party sources indicating they would wear black shirts as a sign of protest. Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Botcha Satyanarayana, stated that former Chief Minister and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy would attend the House on the opening day. Jagan Mohan Reddy has been boycotting the assembly sessions along with his party MLAs since the TDP-led coalition came to power in June 2024. He has now given legislators the option to attend.
The implementation of the AI-based system follows concerns raised about poor attendance in the Assembly. Previously, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed displeasure after only about 50 members were present during one of his addresses. With the new system, the government aims to bring greater discipline and seriousness to legislative proceedings, making it mandatory for MLAs to attend and engage in Assembly discussions.
This digital upgrade is not Andhra Pradesh's first foray into AI for governance. The state government has previously implemented facial recognition for employee attendance in various sectors, including schools and NREGS. While the government aims to enhance efficiency and accountability, the move has faced challenges, including instances of tampering and objections from employee unions. The introduction of AI in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly is expected to ensure accountability, but has also sparked heated debate and underscored the deep political divisions within the state.