Andhra Pradesh has introduced an AI-based digital attendance system for Members of the Legislative Assembly to strengthen accountability in House proceedings. The new mechanism replaces the physical attendance register and records the presence of legislators through facial recognition technology inside the Assembly.
New Attendance Mechanism
The system was introduced at the start of the budget session. Attendance will now be captured only when a member takes the designated seat inside the House. Signing in a manual register has been discontinued with immediate effect. The move is intended to make attendance recording more transparent and reliable.
Use of Facial Recognition Technology
The Assembly has installed PTZ cameras to support facial recognition and monitoring. The system is designed to identify members accurately and track the duration of their presence in the House. This will help ensure that attendance is not recorded unless the legislator is physically present during proceedings.
Purpose and Administrative Reform
The digital system is part of wider administrative reforms in the legislature. It aims to prevent late arrival, early departure, and proxy attendance. The reform also reflects growing use of technology in legislative administration to improve discipline and public accountability.
Concerns Over Attendance and Allowances
The move comes amid concerns that some legislators may have signed attendance registers without attending proceedings and still received salaries and allowances. The Speaker had earlier raised the issue at the 86th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference in Lucknow and suggested stricter measures such as no work, no pay for absent members. The new system is expected to make attendance verification more objective and enforceable.
Last Modified: April 28, 2026