सुप्रीम कोर्ट के CJI के अनुसार, एआई सहायता दे सकता है पर न्यायाधीश का निर्णय अनिवार्य

AI May Support Judicial Process, But Can Never Replace Judges: CJI Kant

Kant also said technology must be harnessed to expand access to justice while ensuring that it does not exclude vulnerable citizens or undermine public trust.

By PTI

Published : October 1, 2026 at 11:51 PM IST

|Updated : October 2, 2026 at 12:07 AM IST

New Delhi: Artificial intelligence may supplement research and support the judicial processes, but can never replace the legal acumen or decision-making, which must always remain with judges, Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said on Thursday.

The CJI was addressing the plenary session of the 7th Congress of the Association of Asian Constitutional Courts and Equivalent Institutions in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. He said technology must be harnessed to expand access to justice while ensuring that it does not exclude vulnerable citizens or undermine public trust in the judicial system.

"Yet, as our reliance on data and artificial intelligence grows, so too must the safeguards governing their use. This is the purpose of our fourth initiative. In June 2026, the Supreme Court's AI Committee released the Draft Regulations for Use of Artificial Intelligence in Courts.

"Grounded in the principle of human primacy, they make clear that artificial intelligence may supplement judicial research and support the court's processes, but can never replace judicial acumen or decision-making, which must always remain with the judge," he said.

The CJI, who is on an official visit to Uzbekistan, also spoke in another function on the theme-- 'Digitising Justice: Charting the Supreme Court of India's Course'. Justice Kant said the digitisation of justice must remain anchored in the constitutional guarantees of liberty, equality and access to justice.

"For India, therefore, the question has never been whether Courts should embrace technology, but how it may be harnessed while remaining faithful to constitutional duties," the CJI said.

He said India's approach to digitisation was not limited to computerising existing judicial processes but involved "reengineering" them around the citizens. Justice Kant said the constitutional framework, particularly Articles 21 and 14, guarantees liberty and equality, while Article 32 enables citizens to approach the Supreme Court for enforcement of fundamental rights.

Article 39A, he added, further underscores the State's obligation to provide free legal aid so that lack of financial means does not become a barrier to justice.

Highlighting India's experience with technology in the judiciary, the CJI said electronic filing, virtual hearings, digital case management and live-streaming of Constitution Bench proceedings had helped reduce geographical and financial barriers and made judicial proceedings more accessible.

He said the eCourts Mission Mode Project, which has supported the digitisation of courts across the country since 2011, proved particularly valuable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Between March 2020 and June 2024, the Supreme Court alone held over 750,000 hearings through video conference," he said. The CJI also outlined several technology-driven initiatives undertaken by the Supreme Court to address specific barriers faced by litigants.

On the issue of language, he highlighted SUVAS, an AI-assisted translation tool developed by the Supreme Court to make judgments available in Indian languages. According to Justice Surya Kant, more than 83,000 translations in 18 languages had been published by the previous year.

He also referred to Su-Sahayak, an AI-powered chatbot available on the Supreme Court's website, which enables litigants, lawyers and members of the public to obtain information relating to case status, cause lists, orders and judgments, besides providing guidance on e-services.

The CJI said technological access to information would have limited value unless judicial records were complete and readily available. In this context, he referred to the "One Case, One Data" initiative, which seeks to integrate case information across different levels of the judiciary.

Under the initiative, when a matter reaches the Supreme Court, information including details of the parties, orders passed by lower courts and the judgment under challenge can be made available without requiring records to be called for afresh, he said.

According to the CJI, such integration can reduce duplication and delay and contribute to the goal of speedy justice. At the same time, Justice Kant stressed that the increasing use of artificial intelligence in courts must be accompanied by safeguards.

He said the Indian experience with judicial technology was an evolving one rather than a finished model, with challenges including the digital divide, data security and algorithmic accountability still requiring attention.

"These challenges are shared across Asia," the CJI said, emphasising the importance of cooperation among constitutional courts in responding to technological transformation.

Read more

Powered by Nyaya 247 News