The Supreme Court has published a draft regulatory framework governing the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in courts across the country and invited comments and suggestions from stakeholders and the public by June 20, 2026.
The proposed framework, titled “Regulations for Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Courts, 2026,” has been prepared under the supervision of the Supreme Court’s AI Committee and seeks to regulate the adoption of AI within the judicial system while preserving judicial independence, transparency, accountability, data privacy and human oversight.
A notification issued by the Apex Court on June 3 stated that the draft regulations were intended to govern the deployment of AI in judicial, adjudicatory and administrative functions of the Supreme Court, High Courts, tribunals and statutory bodies exercising adjudicatory powers. The proposed framework emphasised that AI must remain an assistive tool and cannot be permitted to undermine human decision-making in the justice delivery system.
The notification further stated that the principle of human primacy formed the central feature of the draft regulations. The Supreme Court has proposed that AI systems may only assist judges and court officials and cannot independently determine questions of law, adjudicate disputes, assess facts or render judicial decisions. The regulations make it clear that accountability for any decision taken with AI assistance will continue to rest solely with the concerned judicial officer, it noted.
The draft framework has permitted the use of AI for several judicial and administrative functions, including case management, docket administration, hearing scheduling, cause-list preparation, legal research, citation verification, document summarisation, automated transcription of court proceedings, translation of judgments and pleadings subject to human verification, accessibility services for persons with disabilities, anonymisation of judgments and court records, and other court administration functions. Most such applications would operate under human supervision and subject to prior approval mechanisms.
At the same time, the regulations imposed strict restrictions on the use of AI in sensitive judicial functions. The draft expressly prohibited AI systems from independently adjudicating disputes or influencing judicial outcomes. The use of AI for risk assessment and predictive decision-making has also been barred. Courts will not be permitted to use AI tools to predict recidivism, assess flight risk, determine eligibility for bail, evaluate witness credibility or forecast the future conduct of litigants and witnesses.
The draft regulations further prohibit the use of opaque or non-explainable AI systems in matters affecting legal rights, personal liberty or judicial decision-making. AI-based surveillance or continuous monitoring of judges, advocates, litigants or any individual connected with court proceedings has also been expressly forbidden under the proposed framework.
To ensure transparency, the Supreme Court has proposed mandatory disclosure requirements for AI-generated content used during legal proceedings. Advocates and litigants relying on AI-assisted drafting, research, document preparation or evidence generation would be required to disclose the nature and extent of such assistance. Courts may also seek information regarding the AI tools used and the verification processes adopted to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the material produced.
The proposed regulations envisage the creation of a permanent Apex Body at the Supreme Court to supervise, regulate and promote the responsible integration of AI within the judicial system. The body would be tasked with developing standards, approving AI tools, coordinating with High Courts, monitoring compliance and publishing annual governance reports concerning AI deployment in courts.
The proposed Apex Body would comprise two Supreme Court judges, two Chief Justices of High Courts, two High Court judges, a representative from an institution of national importance, an officer not below the rank of Joint Secretary from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, experts in finance and cybersecurity, advocates specialising in technology law, and a professor of artificial intelligence from the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal.
The framework also proposes the establishment of dedicated AI Committees in the Supreme Court and every High Court, supported by specialised AI Secretariats. The regulations provide for periodic technical, legal and ethical audits of AI systems, incident-reporting mechanisms, cybersecurity safeguards and structured training programmes for judges, lawyers and court personnel.
Significantly, Draft Regulation 16 states that courts should actively deploy AI systems capable of improving access to justice, reducing pendency and enhancing administrative efficiency. However, such deployment must never replace human adjudication or be used to predict the outcome of disputes. Draft Regulation 19 specifically permits AI-assisted case management, scheduling, cause-list preparation, transcription, translation, legal research and administrative functions, while Draft Regulation 20 prohibits surveillance or continuous monitoring through AI technologies.
The Supreme Court has invited comments and suggestions on the proposed regulations through the Member Secretary of the AI Committee until June 20, 2026. The draft framework comes amid increasing discussions on the use of AI within the legal system. Notably, the High Courts of Kerala and Gujarat have already issued guidelines governing AI use by the district judiciary. The Supreme Court has also previously taken judicial notice of concerns relating to AI-generated fake citations and had sought responses from bar bodies on mechanisms to regulate such misuse.
As per the notification, the proposed regulations represent the first comprehensive attempt to establish a uniform governance framework for AI in the Indian judiciary, balancing technological innovation with constitutional safeguards, procedural fairness and the preservation of judicial independence.
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