New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a formal regulatory framework for the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Indian judicial system. The bench, led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, observed that while the concerns raised were important and valid, they were not matters that could be addressed through judicial intervention.
The PIL had requested the Court to issue guidelines on the deployment of AI tools in judicial processes, citing risks related to accuracy, transparency, and potential bias. However, the Chief Justice emphasized that policy decisions regarding technology adoption fall within the purview of the executive and expert bodies, not the judiciary.
Although the PIL was dismissed, the Court offered a constructive route forward. The Chief Justice invited the petitioner to submit detailed suggestions and recommendations directly to the Supreme Court’s administrative wing, which is currently studying the potential use of AI for tasks such as transcription, case management, and data analysis.
The bench reaffirmed that the judiciary is committed to responsibly exploring technological advancements but cautioned that any integration of AI must uphold fairness, privacy, and constitutional values.
With this decision, the Supreme Court signaled openness to innovation while maintaining that regulation of emerging technologies requires expert-driven policy-making, not judicial directives.
