Thiruvananthapuram: On August 21, 2025, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared Kerala the country’s first fully digitally literate State. The announcement marked the completion of the first phase of the Digi Kerala project, a grassroots initiative aimed at bridging the digital divide across all local bodies.

Piggybacking on the initiative, the BJP Thiruvananthapuram unit appears to be using the opportunity to its advantage. The party has begun distributing glossy voter slips embedded with QR codes across the Corporation's limits, positioning the initiative as a showcase of its technology-driven administrative approach. Each slip carries two QR codes — one leading to the BJP candidate’s appeal and development promises, and the other providing essential polling booth information, including a route map accessible on mobile phones.

A wave of allegations of fund fraud in zonal offices had hit the present corporation council. The BJP-led opposition had pounced on the issue and cited that the lack of a technically proficient, foolproof system often paved the way for fraudulent practices in corporation offices.

Earlier in April 2025, the Local Fund Audit Department reported that State government buildings within Thiruvananthapuram owed ₹50 crore in property tax dues to the Corporation. When the audit team sought the demand, collection and balance details in January 2025, the civic body responded that the Sanchaya software had been non-functional since January 2024, preventing it from generating the required data. Even as efforts continue to bridge the digital divide, such lapses highlight persistent challenges in implementing technology at the local-body level.

According to the BJP, its new initiative is intended to signal a clear governance direction. If elected to the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the party will roll out advanced technological solutions, including digital payment systems for civic services and tech-enabled waste management, to make urban governance more efficient.

The QR-coded slips also position the party to stay connected with voters even after the official campaign ends on December 7. By keeping key information and its manifesto just a scan away, the BJP aims to keep young voters and other residents engaged and informed.

“The party aims to implement this system in all 101 wards. The idea of introducing a high-tech voter slip came from BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar. If the BJP takes charge of the Corporation, we intend to integrate maximum technological solutions, including artificial intelligence, into civic administration,” a BJP spokesperson told Onmanorama.

The party added that its efforts would extend beyond campaigning. “If we come to power, we will conduct awareness classes to help people handle and navigate digital devices and platforms. Our aim is to reduce the need for residents to visit officers in person and enable them to complete their tasks online,” the spokesperson added.