CJI Surya Kant called for greater use of technology and artificial intelligence in courts, stating the judiciary should function like hospitals operating “24×7” to provide faster relief, while emphasising that justice delivery systems must respond immediately to citizens’ grievances and concerns.
Chief Justice Surya Kant urged for deeper integration of technology and artificial intelligence in the judicial system, saying courts should develop the capacity to operate with the speed and responsiveness of hospitals that function round the clock. Speaking at an event organised by the Madhya Pradesh High Court on the theme “Fragmentation to Fusion: Empowering Justice via United Digital Platform Integration,” the CJI said the justice delivery framework must be able to respond quickly to the concerns and grievances of ordinary citizens.
He added,
“Time has come when the judiciary should work like hospitals 24×7,” CJI Surya Kant said. “The judiciary needs to address the aspirations, the requirements, the demands, the pains and the agony of the common man with an immediate relief giving system,”
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On the need for digital transformation, the Chief Justice argued that technology is the most practical means of tackling delays and inefficiencies in delivering justice.
He remarked,
“Technology is the only effective answer to wastage of judiciary’s time,”
The CJI noted that the Indian judiciary was among the first institutions in the country to begin digitising records and court processes. He added that the most substantial shift took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, when courts across India quickly transitioned to virtual operations and online hearings.
He said,
“The Indian judiciary was the only judiciary on the globe which could perform its constitutional duty during the pandemic. That was possible only because of adaptability to technology,”
CJI Surya Kant also stated that the judiciary is committed to maximising the use of emerging technologies, including AI-based systems, to expand access to justice and strengthen public trust in the legal system. He said modern technological tools and software can meaningfully improve both the speed and quality of judicial decision-making.
The CJI observed,
“These softwares will facilitate better and quicker decision-making,”
The Chief Justice further emphasised that technology can help increase transparency in judicial functioning. Referring to public concerns about accountability and openness, he said digital platforms can reduce the distance between courts and citizens.
He said,
“Transparency has also been an issue, and we all are concerned about it,”
Describing technological progress as a constitutional requirement rather than a matter of convenience, the CJI said digital integration would help the judiciary reduce procedural rigidity and broaden access for people who earlier found courts difficult to approach or beyond reach.
He said,
“Technological advancement is now constitutional. It is a vehicle through which the judiciary can transcend procedural rigidity and extend its reach to those who earlier found it inaccessible,”
The comments came soon after the Chief Justice delivered the keynote address at the inaugural session of the Conclave on Technology and Judicial Education in Gangtok. In that address, he discussed the growing role of artificial intelligence in judicial administration, while clarifying that although AI may improve judicial efficiency, it must never replace human judicial reasoning.
“As we integrate automated tools like AI into our daily work, the judge’s role as guardian of the human element becomes even more significant,” he had said, while stressing the importance of equipping judges to evaluate AI systems critically and protect against algorithmic bias.
The Chief Justice also called for a “rigorous and forward-looking” transformation in legal education and training, saying ethical concerns must stay central to the adoption of technology in courts. He pointed out that AI tools could help detect patterns in areas such as sentencing and bail decisions to support consistency, but that final authority and responsibility must always remain with judges.
He had said,
“We are preparing a generation of jurists who see technology as an aid to their commitment to fairness, not a replacement for it,”
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