Delhi Assembly Election 2025: Police’s chatbots fail to impress

Delhi Assembly Election 2025: Touted as a game-changer for managing law and order during the elections, the Delhi Police’s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots failed to deliver the promised tech revolution. Despite their introduction, most officers struggled to use them due to inadequate training, leading to widespread underutilisation.

Chatbots introduced but barely used

The two AI-powered chatbots—‘Chunav Mitra’ and ‘Cyber Sarthi’—were designed to assist security personnel by providing real-time election-related guidance. However, officers deployed at polling booths across the capital reported little to no use of the chatbots during the elections.

“We are not very technologically adept to understand how an entire AI software is supposed to function within a fortnight. If it had been introduced earlier and we had received proper training for at least a month, the results would have been more favourable,” said an officer stationed in the Mustafabad constituency.

Some officers were not even aware of the chatbots’ existence. “We were never told about it,” admitted an official posted in the New Delhi constituency.

Control rooms set up, but technology remains underutilised

Senior officials claimed that measures were taken to familiarise personnel with the new tools.

“We had received an official notice from headquarters regarding the launch of these applications. Since many personnel struggled with the technological challenge they posed, we established control rooms where officers could use the chatbots to get their queries answered,” said a senior police officer posted in Karawal Nagar.

Despite these efforts, many officers found the chatbots difficult to use and preferred traditional methods of communication.

Intended to aid paramilitary forces, but falls short

The AI chatbots were primarily introduced to assist paramilitary forces and police personnel from outside Delhi. The elections saw the deployment of 220 companies of paramilitary forces, including 150 from the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and 70 from various states such as Karnataka and Jharkhand.

However, even among officers unfamiliar with Delhi’s polling environment, the chatbots remained largely unused. “We were not made aware of how to use it. We were told about it, but there was no training to show us how it operates,” said a CAPF officer stationed in Okhla constituency.

Special Commissioner of Police Devesh Chandra Srivastava had emphasised the importance of these chatbots, stating they were meant to ensure that every officer, regardless of rank or assignment, had access to technological aids to uphold election integrity. Developed using an extensive database of election-related information, the chatbots were intended to serve as a comprehensive resource.

To further modernise operations, Delhi Police also introduced QR codes at polling booths, allowing officers to scan and access election-related instructions instantly. “This use of technology allows officers to conveniently access instructions at any time, improving transparency and awareness while ensuring a more efficient electoral process,” Srivastava had said.

Future expansion of AI tools

Meanwhile, Delhi Police sources indicate that a new AI chatbot for civilians is in development, modelled on ‘Chunav Mitra’ and ‘Cyber Sarthi’.

Also Read: Delhi Elections 2025: Polling ends amid reports of fake voters

While the initiative holds promise, experts argue that without adequate training and user-friendly integration, even the most advanced technological solutions may struggle to serve their intended purpose.

What were the chatbots meant to do?

The Delhi Police launched these bilingual chatbots, available in Hindi and English, with the aim of streamlining security operations.

‘Chunav Mitra’ was designed to provide real-time access to essential guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Delhi Police, helping officers quickly reference rules and procedures while on duty.

‘Cyber Sarthi’ focused on cybersecurity, equipping personnel with information on safely using digital platforms and mitigating cyber threats during the electoral process