**Executive Summary:**
In response to questions regarding AI in the legal system, the Minister of Law and Justice outlines the initiatives undertaken by the eCommittee of the Supreme Court of India. These initiatives focus on using AI for case management, translation of judgments, defect identification in e-filing, and development of a tool for intelligent case searching. Challenges related to data privacy, biases and accuracy are acknowledged and addressed through continuous upgrades and stakeholder capacity building, with earmarked funding under eCourts Phase III.
**Key Points / Main Content:**
* **Ethical AI Policies and Guidelines:**
* A Sub-Committee of High Court judges and domain experts assesses digital infrastructure and network solutions under the eCourts project.
* The Sub-Committee aims to strengthen data security and protect citizen privacy.
* **AI Utilization for Efficiency:**
* AI and ML tools are deployed for case management, including transcription of oral arguments in Constitutional Bench matters, accessible on the Supreme Court website.
* AI and ML tools translate judgments from English to 18 Indian languages, accessible through the eSCR portal.
* AI and ML tools, developed with IIT Madras, identify defects in electronic filing software; prototype access granted to 200 Advocates-on-Record.
* Prototypes are being tested for curing defects and metadata extraction.
* SUPACE, an AI-based tool for understanding case facts and searching precedents, is in experimental stage.
* AI is *not* used in the judicial decision-making process.
* **Challenges and Mitigation:**
* Challenges include potential biases in AI algorithms, language barriers, translation accuracy, and concerns about data privacy and security.
* Efforts focus on continuous technology upgrades, skill development, and process reengineering.
* **Financial Allocation:**
* Rs. 208.52 crore earmarked for ICT capacity building, including AI, under eCourts Phase III.
* Rs. 53.57 crore earmarked for funding future technologies and their adoption in streamlining judicial processes.
**Impact Analysis:**
* **Supreme Court of India (eCommittee):**
* *Impact:* Responsible for overseeing the implementation and ethical use of AI in the legal system, focusing on data protection and privacy.
* *Action Required:* Continue assessing and improving digital infrastructure, address data privacy concerns, and oversee technology upgrades.
* **High Courts:**
* *Impact:* Represented on the Sub-Committee, playing a role in shaping data security and privacy measures related to AI use.
* *Action Required:* Contribute to the assessment of digital infrastructure and provide recommendations for data security enhancements.
* **Advocates-on-Record:**
* *Impact:* Benefit from AI tools for defect identification in e-filing, improving efficiency.
* *Action Required:* Utilize and provide feedback on AI tools for e-filing.
* **Citizens:**
* *Impact:* Benefit from improved court efficiency, translated judgments, and enhanced data privacy measures.
* *Action Required:* None specified.
* **National Informatics Centre (NIC) & IIT Madras:**
* *Impact:* Responsible for developing and implementing AI and ML tools.
* *Action Required:* Coordinate with the Supreme Court to develop and deploy AI tools, address challenges in integrating AI.
Key Entities Referenced
Shri Ramvir Singh Bidhuri: Member of Parliament who raised the unstarred question No. 3282 in Lok Sabha regarding AI in the legal system.
Ministry of Law and Justice: The government ministry responsible for the legal affairs and justice system in India, which is answering the parliamentary question.
Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal: Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, who provided the answer to the parliamentary question.
Supreme Court of India: The highest judicial body in India, which is actively involved in implementing and overseeing the use of AI in the legal system through its eCommittee.
eCourts Project Phase III: A project by the eCommittee of the Supreme Court of India focused on digitizing and modernizing the Indian judicial system, including the use of AI within specific guidelines.
National Informatics Centre NIC: An organization working with the Supreme Court of India to translate judgments from English to 18 Indian languages using AI and ML based tools.
IIT Madras: Indian Institute of Technology Madras is collaborating with the Supreme Court of India to develop AI and ML based tools for defect identification in electronic filing.
Supreme Court Portal Assistance in Court Efficiency SUPACE: An AI-based tool aimed at understanding the factual matrix of cases with intelligent search of precedents.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 3282
TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 08th AUGUST, 2025
AI IN LEGAL SYSTEM
†3282. Shri Ramvir Singh Bidhuri:
Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:
(a) whether any specific policies or guidelines are being prepared for the use of ethical AI
in the legal system;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the manner in which AI is being used to reduce the pendency of cases and improve
efficiency of courts in India; and
(d) the biggest challenges being faced in implementing AI in India's legal system and the
strategy being adopted by the Government to address them?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF LAW AND
JUSTICE; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY
AFFAIRS
(SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)
(a) to (d): As per the information provided by the eCommittee, Supreme Court of India, use
of Artificial intelligence (AI) is strictly within the confines of the areas outlined in the
Detailed Project Report (DPR) of e-Courts Project Phase III. A Sub-Committee consisting of
six judges of the various High Courts, assisted by the technical working group of domain
experts has been constituted by the Chairperson of the eCommittee of the Supreme Court of
India to suggest/recommend secure connectivity and authentication mechanisms for data
protection in order to preserve the right to privacy. The Sub-Committee is mandated to
critically assess and examine the digital infrastructure, network and service delivery solutions
created under the eCourts project for giving solutions to strengthen data security and protect
the privacy of citizens.
As per the information provided by the eCommittee, Supreme Court of India, Artificial
Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) based tools are being deployed in case
management. These tools are being used in transcribing oral arguments in Constitutional
1Bench matters. The AI assisted transcribed arguments can be accessed on the website of the
Supreme Court. The Supreme Court of India is also using AI and ML based tools in close
coordination with National Informatics Centre (NIC), in translation of judgments from
English language to 18 Indian languages viz., Assamese, Bengali, Garo, Gujarati, Hindi,
Kannada, Kashmiri, Khasi, Konkani, Malayali, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Santali,
Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. The judgments can be accessed through the eSCR portal of the
Supreme Court of India.
The Supreme Court of India, in close coordination with IIT Madras, has developed and
deployed AI and ML based tools integrated with the electronic filing software for
identification of defects. The access of the proto-type has been granted to 200 Advocates-on-
Record. Further, the Supreme Court of India is testing the prototypes of AI and ML tools, for
curing defects, meta data extraction in collaboration with IIT Madras. This AI and ML based
tool is envisaged to be integrated with the electronic filing module and the case management
software, namely Integrated Case Management & Information System (ICMIS).
An AI based tool, Supreme Court Portal Assistance in Court Efficiency (SUPACE),
aimed at developing a module to understand the factual matrix of cases with an intelligent
search of the precedents apart from identifying the cases, is in experimental stage of
development. The SUPACE may be deployed after procurement and deployment of graphic
processing unit(s) and other latest technology-based units such as Tensor Processing Unit.
However, no AI and ML based tool is being used by the Supreme Court of India in decision
making process.
As per information provided by eCommittee, Supreme Court of India, the challenges
in integrating AI into Judicial processes, including case management, legal research and
translation services include potential biases in AI algorithms, language barriers, translation
accuracy, concerns on data privacy and security. Efforts are being made for continuous
upgrades in technology, skill upgradation and process re-engineering. Under eCourts Phase
III, a sum of Rs. 208.52 crore has been earmarked for capacity building of stakeholders in
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) including AI. Additionally, an amount of
Rs. 53.57 crore has been earmarked for funding such future technologies and their adoption
in streamlining the judicial processes.
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