A humanoid robot named Nila, dressed in a saree, greeted voters at the VOC Government School polling station in Puducherry on Thursday. The interactive machine welcomed people as they arrived to cast their votes, adding a modern touch to the Assembly elections in the Union Territory.
The robot was heard speaking in both English and Tamil, catching the attention of voters at the booth.
Designed For Public Interaction
Nila has been developed as an event-based interactive robot and is built for use in public gatherings. It can function at events such as weddings, official programmes, and elections.
Kaushik from Robo Mirror, the team behind the robot, said it comes with voice capabilities and can respond to programmed commands. He added that the robot can speak clearly so people nearby can hear its responses, making it useful for engaging with the public. The team has brought the robot from Coimbatore for deployment at the polling station.
Voting Begins Across Regions
Polling for the Assembly elections began at 7 am across Puducherry, Keralam, and Assam. The voting marks an important phase in the democratic process in these regions.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to participate in large numbers, especially young voters and women. In a post on X, he appealed to voters to strengthen democracy by turning out in record numbers, saying every vote plays a role in shaping the future of Puducherry.
Puducherry has over 10 lakh registered voters, including a significant number of women voters and first-time voters. The results of the 30-member Legislative Assembly will be announced on May 4.
