Telangana SEC to use facial recognition technology in municipal polls

The Telangana State Election Commission (SEC) will launch a pilot project using facial recognition technology to check photo electoral rolls in the ensuing municipal elections, disclosed Union Minister of State for Home, G. Kishan Reddy, here on Thursday. He was speaking after inaugurating the two-day All India State Election Commissioners’ Conclave here.

The Union Minister said the use of this technology would further enhance the Election Commission’s credibility and called upon the SECs to make the elections more credible by following transparent electoral processes. Referring to the panchayat elections held in Jammu and Kashmir recently, the conduct of



these elections had re-established grassroot level democracy and because of these elections, panchayats in J&K received their 14th Finance Commission funds, he said.

The two-day conclave is being organised by the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR) and Telangana SEC with an objective to take stock of the gains made and challenges faced by the State Election Commissions (SECs) in conducting timely and free elections to local bodies after the promulgation of 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments. The conclave is being attended by 40 delegates from across the country.