State pp Hasan muhammad Jinna excellant arricle // NAVIGATING THE AI REVOLUTION: THE CORNERSTONE OF JUDICIAL REFORM As Indian judiciary deals with mounting caseloads and calls for greater transparency, artificial intelligence emerges as a valued ally. So far, CJI Chandrachud’s ten-month term has been marked by a wave of encouraging reforms

NAVIGATING THE AI REVOLUTION: THE CORNERSTONE OF JUDICIAL REFORM
As Indian judiciary deals with mounting caseloads and calls for greater transparency, artificial intelligence emerges as a valued ally. So far, CJI Chandrachud’s ten-month term has been marked by a wave of encouraging reforms. The Supreme Court urged High Courts on October 6th to guarantee that no member of the bar is denied access to video conferencing or hybrid facility hearings. Earlier on the hearings of Article 370, the CJI urged counsels to submit their written arguments and supporting material online.
In a world marked by rapid technological advancements, the Indian judiciary is no exception to the transformative power of artificial intelligence (AI). It has the potential to enhance the efficiency of the judicial system, streamline operations, and improve access to justice. This transformation promises to make the legal system more efficient, and citizen-friendly.
During the global standstill caused by COVID-19, the Indian Judiciary embraced virtual hearings, online dispute resolution, and remote collaboration, thereby paving the way for increased access to justice. Furthermore, the live streaming of court proceedings positively contributed to transparency and bolstered public trust in the legal system. For instance Madras High Court recorded an impressive CCR(Case Clearance Rate) of 93.07% and 98.12% in 2020 and 2021 respectively even as the corresponding figures for all High Courts in the country put together was only 76.75% and 83.70% for those years. Similarly, the trial courts in the State recorded a CCR of 85.02% and 95.18% as against 62.60% and 81.12% in 2020 and 2021 by all district courts in the country.
Tech adoption in the Indian judiciary can improve case management, predictive analytics, and legal research capabilities, reducing the court’s burden. Modernizing the judicial system started with the E-court project under the NeGP which aimed to modernize India’s judicial system by computerizing court processes and establishing a networked infrastructure. The National Judicial Data Grid provides real-time information on pending and disposed cases. While technology has made significant inroads into the Indian judiciary, there are ongoing efforts to further modernize and digitize the legal system, making justice more accessible, efficient, and transparent for all citizens.
Role of AI in the Legal system
Artificial Intelligence can automate case prioritization, case categorization, case scheduling, and docket management, which assist in analyzing large volumes of legal documents, language translation of case proceedings, making recommendations based on criminal records, administrative tasks, predicting case outcomes, providing data-driven judicial recommendations, and real-time digital evidence in proceedings.
AI has already stepped its footprint in the Indian Judiciary. For instance, The Indian Supreme Court has launched an AI-powered portal, SUPACE (Supreme Court Portal for Assistance in Court’s Efficiency) to assist judges in case management and decision-making. SUVAS (Supreme Court Vidhik Anuvaad Software) which is a machine assisted translation tool trained by Artificial Intelligence has been developed with technical support from Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. This tool is specially designed for judicial domain and currently has the capacity of translating English Judicial Documents, orders or Judgments into ten vernacular languages. Hon’ble Justice Mr. Abhay Shreeniwas Oka, Supreme Court of India is made the Chairperson of the AI Assisted Legal Translation Advisory Committee.
In regard to the Madras High Court, Hon’ble Justice Mr. M. Sundar has been appointed as the head of the computer committee responsible for overseeing e-initiatives. The committee’s remarkable performance under the exceptional leadership of Hon’ble Justice Mr. M. Sundar is evident in the fact that the Madras High Court has translated the highest number of Supreme Court judgments from English to Tamil, totaling 6,234 records to date. This achievement surpasses that of all other High Courts in India and reflects the hard work of the committee. Along with the Supreme Court efforts, the Madras High Court has implemented a number of E-initiatives, including the Judicial Officers Management System, Recruitment Software Module, Display Board Service, E-filing, Advocate Information & Management Systems (AIMS), and so on. These achievements were made possible because of Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala’s unwavering support. The Chief Justice of the High Court showed his interest in technology intervention in the judiciary while participating in an event at Madras High Court’s Madurai Bench. He said, ‘The use of paperless courts is intended to be a significant step forward in increasing judicial efficiency and openness.’
Global Scenario and Inferences
Globally, Various countries are using AI-based technological interventions in their judicial arena. US employed AI-powered tools such as COMPAS (Correctional Offender Management Profiling for Alternative Solutions) for data collection, risk assessment and decision support. The US Court System has also developed chatbots that provide information to the public. The UK Ministry of Justice launched the Digital Case System in 2020, harnessing AI technology in the judiciary. China’s use of AI in Xiao Zhi 3.0 (China’s Smart Court system) claims to have reduced a judge’s average workload by over a third.
But to what extent can AI be used in our justice delivery system? Can it replace humans in judicial decision-making? There are concerns over the use of AI in the justice system, particularly in replacing human decision-making. Stakeholders must proceed with caution as the use of AI in the judiciary is a double-edged sword.
For instance, In US, the COMPAS and Pattern algorithms are used widely. The AI algorithm is used by US judges to make decisions on granting bail and sentencing. An investigation claimed that the system generated “false positives” for black people and “false negatives” for white people.
Although AI can be helpful in courtrooms, it is important to consider potential biases in decision-making due to biased metadata and false information provided by chatbots. The justice system is vast and complex and technology is needed to manage it. But it is important to remember that there are people behind the numbers. Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, an independent think-tank published a research paper highlighting that the integration of AI in the justice system requires a comprehensive legal, regulatory, and ethical framework to establish trust in these technologies.
Implementation
Careful implementation with transparency, fairness, and accountability is crucial. However, it is also important to train judges, advocates, and public servants to prevent against AI-related harms in the present. Tawfik Jelassi (Assistant Director-General for Communications and Information at UNESCO) emphasizes the need for both new laws and immediate action.
Justice Delayed is Justice denied, is often used to describe the negative consequences of delayed justice. For instance, the Naz Foundation case related to section 377 took 624 days to receive its judgment. Lot of researches suggests that there is a positive correlation between judicial pendency and economic growth. According to a 2018 report by the Institute for Economics and Peace, the inability of the Indian state to deliver timely justice and ensure the rule of law resulted in preventable violence which cost India as much as 9% of our annual GDP.
As per PRS legislative Research, the Indian judiciary is grappling with the formidable challenges of case pendency and judicial vacancies, with over 4.32 crore pending cases and a notable shortage of judges. High Courts and subordinate courts face a significant deficit, with 30% (778 out of 1108) and 22% (19288 out of 24631) fewer judges than their sanctioned strength, respectively. Addressing these issues is of paramount importance, and technological intervention can undoubtedly play a pivotal role in expediting the legal process in India.
In this landscape, AI emerges as a promising factor in fast-tracking justice delivery. With its potential to streamline case management, provide data-driven insights, and enhance accessibility, AI offers a ray of hope in the quest to address the persistent challenges faced by our judicial system. Reforms that impact all stakeholders in a positive way is the need of the hour, and the integration of AI into the legal system is a significant step in the right direction.