Democracy goes hi-tech as robot assists in Kerala local body polls

Voters at a polling booth in Thrikkakkara Municipality, Ernakulam were in for a surprise on Thursday as they turned up to cast their vote in the Kerala local body polls.

The Ernakulam district administration had set up a Robot at the Thrikkakkara community hall polling booth. Named Sayabot, the robot greeted voters, checked their body temperatures and gave them sanitisers before they voted.

When the robot found a particular voter's temperature as higher than the normal it made a loud announcement and advised the voter to contact the polling officer. It also advised voters to wear mask properly and maintain Covid protocol, including maintaining social distancing.

S Suhas, Ernakulam district collector said: "If people will come without sanitizer, they can sanitize their hands through this robot. This is for maintaining Covid-19 protocol."

The robot was engaged on a pilot basis and based on its performance it will be deployed in other places after consulting the election officials.

Polling was conducted on Thursday in five districts - Ernakulam, Kottayam, Thrissur, Palakkad and Wayanad - in the second phase of the local body elections of the state which will go in for assembly elections next year.