Parliament embraces tech | Lok Sabha to introduce digital attendance for MPs, use AI to transcribe speeches

New Delhi: Lok Sabha will have a Multi-Media Device (MMD) system to register their attendance for its MPs from this Monsoon Session of Parliament starting July 21, which will require the lawmakers to punch in their presence at the seat allotted to them instead of doing so in the lobby.

The Lower House is also experimenting with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to transcribe speeches of MPs as well as interpretation in multiple languages real time with sources saying that they are looking at implementing it either in the upcoming Session or Winter Session later this year.

Earlier MPs used to sign physical attendance registers before entering the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha chambers and in the new Parliament Building, the attendance register turned digital with four tablets placed in lobbies serving the purpose. The MPs were using a digital pen to mark their attendance on the tablet, as part of efforts to make Parliament paperless.

Sources said this has now been upgraded with the introduction of the MMD system installed on the sleek terminals, which were otherwise used to access Parliamentary papers and the day’s agenda among others, at every MP's seat. The MPs can register their attendance by using their i-card or through biometric (thump impression) and entering a PIN.

Rajya Sabha is likely to follow the new system soon. Sources said the new attendance system will help save time as lobbies are at times crowded with MPs and also end the practice of some MPs marking their attendance and leave without participating in the House proceedings.

For smooth transition, sources said, the existing system would be available for a week or ten days.

Ministers and the Leader of Opposition are not required to sign in their attendance while MPs have to mark their attendance to receive their daily allowances during Parliament sessions. 

Sources said two new languages, including Sindhi, would be added for simultaneous interpretation while Artificial Intelligence are likely to be introduced soon to transcribe speeches as well as interpretation in multiple languages real time. At present, Lok Sabha provides simultaneous interpretation in 17 languages.

"Of the 22 official languages, the facility is available in most languages; some languages like Konkani, Dogri, etc are to be introduced for transcriptions,” a senior Lok Sabha Secretariat official said. While a manual transcription system is in place, the AI system is likely to replace that from the upcoming session. 

For simultaneous translations, too, AI has been utilised. “We were using interpreters for this job, but now AI has been introduced and we are now fine-tuning the system,” the official said. Recently, sources said Birla held meetings with tribal panchayat leaders where the system was tested.