Context: Recently, Artificial Intelligence Committee constituted by Supreme Court identified applications of AI in Indian judiciary.
- To explore the use of AI in judicial domain, the Supreme Court of India has constituted Artificial Intelligence Committee.
- The committee has mainly identified application of AI technology in Translation of judicial documents; Legal research assistance and Process automation.
e-Courts
- The e-courts Integrated Mission Mode Project is one of the National e- Governance projects being implemented in District and Subordinate Courts.
- It is a Pan-India Project, monitored and funded by Department of Justice, Ministry of Law and Justice.
Aim
- To provide the necessary hardware and software application to enable courts to deliver e-services, and the judiciary to be able to monitor and manage the functioning of courts.
Objectives
- To provide designated services to litigants, lawyers and the judiciary by universal computerization of district and subordinate courts.
The e-Courts initiative has so far been divided into three phases:
Phase I
- It was primarily concerned with hardware installation, or the computerization of the courts
- Objective: To extend specialized services to litigants, advocates, and the judiciary by computerizing all district and subordinate courts.
Phase II
- The main aim of Phase II was the betterment of software of the digital infrastructure.
Phase III
- The implementation of Phase III is yet to begin.
- The primary goal is to establish an “ecosystem” model in which systems interact with one another.
- The document proposes a digital case registry, a database of case laws, intelligent scheduling, a digital case management framework, e-filing, and open digital proceedings.
Machine Learning based application in Indian Judiciary
Supreme Court Vidhik Anuvaad Software (SUVAS)
- It is an indigenously engineered neural translation tool.
- It is a language learning application.
- It was launched by the Supreme Court of India.
- Objective: To translate judicial orders and rulings from English to vernacular languages faster and efficiently.
SUPACE
- Supreme Court Portal for Assistance in Court's Efficiency (SUPACE) is an AI driven portal.
- The portal was launched by the Supreme Court of India.
- It can draft a legal brief.
- Objective: To leverage machine learning to deal with huge chunks of case data.
Role
- The role of AI will be limited to the collection and analysis of data.
- It will not be used in decision-making.
Other Initiatives
SCI-Interact
- In 2020, the Supreme Court developed a software to make all its 17 benches paperless.
- This software helps judges access files, annexures to petitions and make notes on computers.
LIMBS or Legal Information Management & Briefing System
- Introduced by Ministry of Law and Justice, the application can monitor cases from high courts and tribunals uploaded by the concerned Commissionerates.
- Objective: To track the entire life cycle of a case efficiently.