Election Commission of India (ECI) has been working on using modern technology in elections since long time. Also adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools to ease the process of elections and to put surveillance on candidates & political leaders. ECI established the India International Institute of Democracy & Election Management (IIIDEM) in New Delhi. This organization focuses on training, research, and capacity building in the field of democracy and election management. Its primary goal is to promote free, fair, and transparent elections not only in India but also in other countries by sharing knowledge and expertise.
IIIDEM conducts a wide range of training programs and workshops aimed at election officials, political leaders, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders. These programs cover various aspects of election management, including electoral laws, voter registration, polling procedures, and election observation. It also collaborates with international organizations and election management bodies from different countries to share best practices and experiences in conducting elections.
Special Training for Telangana Poll Teams:
Election Commission is preparing to use artificial intelligence (AI) technology in the states assembly elections of Telangana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram. As part of this project, a team of election officials from Telangana visited Karnataka recently. State poll team is studying the procedures followed by the authorities for the latest assembly elections held in Karnataka. Mainly they focused on usage of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Face Recognition Systems.
With the help of AI tools, election teams will keep a close watch on issues like candidate spending and other irregularities. AI tools analyze every move of candidates. The Election Commission aims to make effective use of this technology from top level IAS officers who supervise the election process and the government personnel performing duties at the field level. Recently in the Karnataka assembly elections the face recognition system was used. Now officials want to use AI tools widely in Telangana assembly elections. Special teams from Delhi IIIDEM cell have been co-coordinating with Telangana teams specifically for the use of AI.
Telangana State Election Commission has used facial recognition application as a solution for real-time digital verifiability of the voters for 10 polling booths involving close to 7,000 voters in Kompally Municipal elections in December, 2020. That was the first time such technology was used in Elections in India. Facial Recognition through RTDAI was also deployed in the verification of voters in ‘Mahesh Bank Elections’ held in December, 2020.
Mobile Apps for Election Surveillance:
Election Commission of India has already developed 20 types of mobile apps using modern technology. Special groups use these apps to prevent candidates from luring or intimidation of voters by distributing money, liquor or threatening voters. This technology is going to be used to conduct polling in a transparent manner while curbing election irregularities. The election officials likely efficiently use the details like phone number, pancard and aadhaar card included in the nomination papers by the candidates through AI tools. Based on these, the movements of the candidates, day-to-day expenditure, bank transactions, posts on social media, methods of luring voters, violations of the code of conduct... these are monitored round the clock. The ultimate aim of using this technology is to prevent illegal activities in elections.
How AI will transform the Elections:
There were widespread AI tools specifically designed for managing elections in India. However, it's important to note that technology and its applications can change rapidly. AI can be used to streamline the voter registration process by automating data entry and verification, making it more efficient and reducing errors. It is also useful in voters outreach and Engagement. AI-powered chat-bots and messaging systems can be used to engage with voters, answer their queries, and provide important information about the election process and candidates. AI and machine learning algorithms can be used to analyze voter data and predict voter behavior and trends, helping political parties and candidates strategize more effectively. Technology can enhance the security of elections by identifying potential fraud, such as multiple voting or impersonation, through facial recognition and other biometric technologies.
Elections team fully depend on AI tools as it can be used to monitor election processes in real-time, including monitoring polling stations through video analysis to ensure fairness and detect irregularities. It also assist in speeding up the vote-counting process, especially in large elections, by automating the tallying of paper ballots or processing electronic votes. It's important to mention that while AI can offer many potential benefits in the electoral process, it also raises important ethical and privacy considerations. Ensuring the security, transparency, and fairness of elections must be a top priority when implementing AI tools in the electoral process.