Telangana is gearing up for its municipal elections on February 11 with a massive surveillance operation. Hyderabad-based Brihaspathi Technologies Limited, working with the Telangana State Election Commission, is installing more than 11,000 smart camera units at polling stations across 30 districts. The setup started on February 1, with each polling booth mapped carefully. A command and control center in Hyderabad will monitor live feeds from these cameras. Rajasekhar Papolu, Chairman and Managing Director of Brihaspathi Technologies, said, "Surveillance today is about real-time visibility. Webcasting allows election officials to monitor polling arrangements, crowd movement and overall conduct inside booths with a single click respond swiftly if required." The company previously handled surveillance for the 2025 Telangana Gram Panchayat elections. Mr. Papolu added, "Telangana is mostly peaceful, and there are no special analytics required for this election." About 11,000 personnel are involved in installing and managing the cameras. The system is organized in a hierarchy, with mandal-level coordinators managing 20 to 30 booths, reporting up to district coordinators and finally the State level. A dry run will be held on February 9 to test camera functions and fix any issues. Regarding privacy, Mr. Papolu explained that the cameras follow Election Commission guidelines. They monitor general activity inside polling stations but do not face Electronic Voting Machines. "We operate under non-disclosure agreements with election authorities. All recorded data is handed over entirely to the concerned department within a month of the election. We do not retain copies of the footage, nor is the data shared or circulated," he said. With mandatory webcasting at all stations, incidents of malpractice have dropped. Live video helps officials act fast and make clear decisions, while camera presence discourages unfair practices and promotes fairness on polling day.