Key Points
- Supreme Court testing AI tools with IIT Madras to fix filing defects and extract case data
- Government allocated Rs 53.57 crore for future technology under eCourts Phase-III
- LegRAA and Digital Courts 2.1 tools currently in controlled pilot deployment
The Supreme Court of India is testing artificial intelligence tools developed with IIT Madras to help judges conduct legal research and manage courts without paper, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal told the Lok Sabha on Friday. The pilot projects form part of the Rs 7,210 crore eCourts Phase-III programme that aims to make justice delivery faster and more accessible for ordinary litigants.
The AI tools address two longstanding problems in Indian courts: the time judges spend on routine paperwork and the difficulty litigants face tracking their cases. For a country with over 4.5 crore pending cases across courts, technology that speeds up even administrative tasks could mean shorter waits for those seeking justice.
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The government has earmarked Rs 53.57 crore specifically for future technological advancements under the eCourts Mission Mode project, which falls under the National eGovernance Plan. The project aims to bring information and communication technology, meaning digital systems for data management and connectivity, to courts across the country.
AI tools under testing at Supreme Court
The Supreme Court’s AI Committee, responsible for overseeing artificial intelligence adoption in the judiciary, is working with IIT Madras on several prototype tools. These include systems that automatically identify and flag defects in court filings, extract key information from legal documents and connect with the Integrated Case Management and Information System (ICMIS), the software courts use to track cases.
One tool called Legal Research Analysis Assistant, or LegRAA, helps judges search through past judgements and analyse legal documents. A second tool called Digital Courts 2.1 gives judges a single screen to access all information related to a case, eliminating the need to shuffle through physical files.
Digital Courts 2.1 includes two additional features developed in India. The first, called SHRUTI, converts spoken words to text, allowing judges to dictate orders instead of typing them. The second, called PANINI, translates legal text between languages, useful in a judiciary where proceedings occur in multiple Indian languages.
Privacy safeguards built into eCourts AI systems
Both LegRAA and Digital Courts 2.1 use only court data, meaning judgements and orders already passed by the Supreme Court, High Courts and District Courts. This approach addresses concerns about AI systems trained on external data that might contain errors or biases.
The eCommittee of the Supreme Court has formed a six-member sub-committee of High Court judges, supported by technical experts, to recommend security measures for court data. The sub-committee will assess digital infrastructure under the eCourts project and suggest ways to strengthen data protection.
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Meghwal told Parliament that the AI tools remain in controlled pilot deployments. The government wants to ensure responsible, secure and practical adoption before wider rollout. Each High Court will decide its own rules for using these tools based on its policies and rules of business.
The eCourts Phase-III project continues implementation across the country. Individual High Courts will determine when and how to adopt the AI tools once the pilot phase concludes. The Supreme Court’s AI Committee will continue monitoring the tools’ performance before recommending broader deployment.
Your Questions, Answered
What AI tools is the Supreme Court testing under the eCourts project?
The Supreme Court is testing LegRAA for legal research and document analysis, and Digital Courts 2.1 for paperless court management. Both were developed with IIT Madras and include voice-to-text and translation features.
How much has the government allocated for AI in courts?
The government has earmarked Rs 53.57 crore specifically for future technological advancements under the eCourts Phase-III project, which has a total budget of Rs 7,210 crore.
How do the court AI tools protect data privacy?
LegRAA and Digital Courts 2.1 use only existing court data from judgements and orders passed by Indian courts. A sub-committee of High Court judges is also reviewing security measures for court digital infrastructure.
When will Indian courts widely adopt these AI tools?
The tools remain in controlled pilot deployment. Each High Court will decide its own timeline and rules for adoption based on its policies once the pilot phase concludes.
