Andhra Pradesh State Assembly Speaker Ch Ayana Patrudu on Wednesday launched a new “digital presence” system for all legislators to ensure accountability in attendance at assembly proceedings.
Andhra Pradesh has introduced digital presence system for MLAs in the state assemblyOn the occasion of the commencement of the budget session, State Assembly Secretary General Prasanna Kumar Suryadebra issued a notification stating that as per the orders of the Speaker, attendance of members will be continuously recorded through digital medium with immediate effect.
“Hence, signing of the attendance register has been stopped,” he said in the notification.
Talking to reporters in the Assembly lobby after the governor’s speech, Patrudu said the artificial intelligence (AI)-based digital attendance system for legislators was introduced as part of administrative reforms in the legislature.
Under the new system, members will no longer be required to sign the physical attendance register, which has now been discontinued, and instead, their presence will be identified through an AI-based facial recognition system.
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In this system, attendance will be recorded only after a member takes their designated seat inside the assembly. The system will track how long each MLA is present in the House, thereby preventing members from arriving late or leaving before the end of proceedings without recording their absence.
The new presence process uses advanced facial recognition technology. PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) cameras have been placed inside the assembly to facilitate accurate detection and monitoring of members’ presence.
The move comes amid discussions that some YSRCP MLAs are allegedly signing attendance registers outside the House without appearing in the minutes and still not drawing salaries and allowances.
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The Speaker had earlier raised the issue at the 86th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference held in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh on January 21, suggesting implementation of a “no work, no pay” policy for members who do not attend the gathering and even proposed introducing a “right to withdraw” mechanism if necessary.
YSRCP did not respond to the new attendance register system.
