The Supreme Court has issued a draft set of rules titled Regulations for Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Courts, 2026. The draft seeks public and stakeholder feedback until 20 June 2026 and aims to create a responsible framework for using AI in the Indian judiciary.
Key Developments
- AI may be used for case management, scheduling, cause‑list preparation, transcription, translation, legal research, citation verification, document summarisation, and accessibility services, subject to prior approval and human supervision.
- AI tools must remain subordinate to human judgment; they cannot replace judges in deciding law, fact, or justice.
- Absolute prohibitions include: independent adjudication, risk‑scoring (e.g., recidivism, bail eligibility), predicting behaviour of parties or witnesses, surveillance of court participants, and use of opaque, unexplainable AI in matters affecting rights.
- Any AI‑generated content used in pleadings or evidence must be disclosed, and courts can demand details of the AI system and verification measures.
- A permanent Apex Body will be created at the Supreme Court, comprising judges, chief justices, technical experts, cybersecurity and finance specialists, and technology‑law advocates.
- Each High Court will have an AI Committee, a dedicated AI Secretariat, and will conduct periodic technical, legal, and ethical audits of AI tools.
Important Facts
• The draft applies to the High Courts, tribunals, and statutory commissions performing adjudicatory functions.
• Regulation 16 obliges courts to deploy AI that demonstrably improves access to justice, reduces delays, or enhances efficiency, without replacing human decision‑making.
• Regulation 19 lists permissible AI uses: case management, cause‑list preparation, hearing scheduling, docket prioritisation, automated transcription, translation (with verification), legal research, citations, and administrative tasks.
• Regulation 20 bans AI‑based surveillance or continuous monitoring of judges, advocates, litigants, or any person involved in court processes.
• The Apex Body will include two Supreme Court judges, two Chief Justices of High Courts, two High Court judges, a senior official from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, finance and cybersecurity experts, technology‑law advocates, and a professor of AI from the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal.
UPSC Relevance
Understanding these regulations touches upon several UPSC syllabus areas:
- GS 2 – Polity & Governance: The role of the judiciary in adopting technology, the structure of the Apex Body, and the balance between AI assistance and judicial independence.
- GS 3 – Technology & Economy: The policy framework for AI deployment, data protection, and the impact on efficiency and access to justice.
- GS 4 – Ethics & Integrity: Principles of human primacy, transparency, accountability, and safeguards against bias in AI tools.
Way Forward
Stakeholders—including judges, lawyers, technologists, and civil society—must submit comments by the deadline. The feedback will shape final rules, ensuring AI enhances court functioning while preserving fundamental judicial values. Aspirants should monitor the final regulations, as they will set precedents for AI governance across other public sectors.