Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant has said that while the Supreme Court of India is rapidly embracing technological innovation and artificial intelligence to improve the justice delivery system, the country’s judicial future must remain anchored in a distinctly Indian or “Swadeshi” jurisprudential framework rooted in constitutional values, social realities and institutional needs.
Delivering a lecture at the Oxford Union and the Oxford Law Society in the United Kingdom on the theme “Constitutional Promise to Digital Reality: Safeguarding Justice in the Age of AI and Technological Advancement,” the Chief Justice said that technology should function as an aid to human reasoning and not as a substitute for independent judicial decision-making.
He emphasised that the Supreme Court has consciously adopted a balanced approach towards technological advancement, ensuring that innovation does not overshadow constitutional principles. According to him, India is developing a jurisprudential model that remains sensitive to the country’s constitutional ethos, linguistic diversity, cultural context and institutional realities, rather than relying exclusively on imported technological frameworks or foreign legal assumptions.
Justice Kant noted that since assuming office as Chief Justice on November 24, 2025, he has consistently advocated a structural transformation of the justice delivery system through technology while ensuring that substantive legal philosophy remains grounded in India’s constitutional identity and societal conditions.
Highlighting efforts to improve accessibility and inclusiveness in the legal system, the Chief Justice referred to the Supreme Court Vidhik Anuvaad Software (SUVAS), an artificial intelligence-based translation platform developed by the Supreme Court to translate judgments from English into various Indian languages. He said the initiative seeks to democratise access to law and ensure that judicial decisions are not confined to an English-speaking legal elite.
The Chief Justice also credited young members of the legal profession for facilitating the judiciary’s digital transformation. He observed that young advocates, judicial officers and legal researchers across all levels of the court system have shown remarkable adaptability in embracing technological tools and understanding their potential. Their willingness to engage with innovation, he said, has helped convert digital reform from a mere institutional objective into an operational reality.
Addressing concerns surrounding the use of artificial intelligence in judicial processes, Justice Kant disclosed that the Supreme Court is currently formulating a comprehensive regulatory framework governing the deployment of AI within the judiciary. The framework is intended to establish clear principles regulating the development, implementation and use of AI technologies in court administration and adjudicatory processes.
According to the Chief Justice, the proposed framework will ensure that artificial intelligence remains subordinate to human judicial authority and decision-making. It will require AI systems to operate consistently with constitutional principles and the rule of law while promoting fairness and preventing discrimination. Transparency and explainability will form core requirements for all AI systems deployed in court processes, and accountability mechanisms will be incorporated for decisions influenced by such technologies.
He further stated that AI systems used within the judiciary would be subjected to continuous monitoring and periodic audits to detect and address errors, technical malfunctions and algorithmic bias. Processing of personal information will remain subject to the provisions of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. AI tools will be deployed only for approved and clearly defined purposes, while principles of proportionality, inclusivity, accessibility and data integrity will guide their implementation. The framework will also mandate robust and continuously updated technical and organisational safeguards to protect judicial data and court records.
Justice Kant revealed that parallel efforts are underway to establish an indigenous artificial intelligence ecosystem specifically designed for the Indian judiciary. These initiatives include the development of Indian large language models through collaboration among government agencies, academic institutions and artificial intelligence experts. The objective, he said, is to create technological solutions tailored to India’s constitutional framework and institutional requirements.
The Chief Justice emphasised that the judiciary has adopted a policy favouring responsible AI adoption. Rather than approaching technology with undue apprehension, courts should actively identify opportunities where artificial intelligence can improve access to justice, reduce delays, enhance efficiency and strengthen court administration.
While acknowledging the growing global integration of legal systems through technology, Justice Kant cautioned against treating international convergence as a justification for uniform legal models. Referring to AI-driven judicial initiatives in jurisdictions such as France, Argentina, Brazil, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates, he noted that courts across the world are increasingly using artificial intelligence for case management, legal research, document preparation and courtroom transcription.
However, he warned that structural interconnectedness should not be mistaken for algorithmic uniformity. According to him, the purpose of transnational judicial dialogue is to facilitate the exchange of ideas and best practices without erasing constitutional identities or cultural distinctions. He stressed that global engagement should not result in the creation of a homogenised legal culture detached from local history, social realities and constitutional traditions.
It was in this context that Justice Kant articulated the concept of a “Swadeshi Jurisprudence” for the digital era, arguing that technological advancement must operate within a framework shaped by India’s own constitutional values and democratic traditions.
The Chief Justice also highlighted the broader digital transformation of India’s judicial system. He noted that the shift from paper-based litigation to technology-enabled adjudication accelerated during the Covid-19 pandemic and has since become a permanent feature of the justice delivery mechanism. Virtual hearings, he observed, have significantly expanded access to justice by eliminating geographical barriers and enabling litigants and lawyers from remote regions to participate effectively in proceedings before constitutional courts.
Linking technological reforms to constitutional guarantees, Justice Kant stated that virtual hearings have strengthened the principle of equality before law under Article 14 by making judicial institutions more accessible. He further observed that the right to witness court proceedings in real time has expanded the scope of free expression under Article 19, while technological accessibility advances the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 by enhancing meaningful access to justice.
The Chief Justice also referred to several major technological initiatives undertaken by the judiciary, including the e-Courts Project, the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) and the recently launched “One Case One Data” initiative, which aims to integrate case-management systems and eliminate duplication of judicial records across different platforms.
Concluding his address, Justice Kant reiterated that technology must remain a servant of constitutional values rather than their master. He said the future of justice must be built on systems where technological tools operate under the guidance of equity, fairness and constitutional morality, ensuring that the digital transformation of the judiciary remains faithful to the constitutional promise of justice.
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