Puducherry election flying quad teams equipped with body-worn cameras for real-time monitoring

PUDUCHERRY: The election department in Puducherry has equipped all flying squad teams with high-definition body-worn cameras to ensure transparency and curb electoral malpractices in the Union territory. This new initiative lets the authorities concerned monitor field operations in real time from the newly established integrated election command centre.

It aims at providing an uneditable digital trail of interactions between election officials, candidates and the public, especially during high-stakes moments such as vehicle interceptions and cash seizures. It allows chief electoral officer (CEO) P Jawahar and senior election officials to witness field activities as they happen.




The command centre can switch between feeds from different constituencies, providing a "bird's-eye view" of enforcement across all 30 assembly segments. The footage will serve as primary evidence in cases of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violations, ensuring that allegations of harassment or bias by officials, or threats against them, can be verified instantly.

If a flying squad encounters a law-and-order situation or a massive seizure, the command centre can immediately dispatch reinforcements based on the live visual data. "This technology ensures that every action taken by our squads is documented and transparent. It protects both the honest voter and the official on duty," a senior election official said during a demonstration at the command centre.

The department plans to deploy a fleet of drones across all constituencies to monitor candidate activity and potential illegal distributions. These drones can capture high-resolution images of both those distributing and those receiving cash. The department cautioned that under the Prevention of Corruption Act, both the giver and the receiver of bribes are liable for punishment.