The Supreme Court of India plans to deploy Artificial Intelligence to manage case listing and bench allocation, reducing human intervention in the roster process. The reform aims to improve transparency, fix registry lapses, and ensure faster and more efficient justice delivery.
The Supreme Court of India is planning to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) to manage case listing and bench allocation, a move aimed at improving transparency and efficiency in the judicial system. According to media reports, the decision has been taken under the leadership of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.
At present, the Chief Justice of India acts as the “master of the roster,” meaning the CJI has the authority to decide which cases are assigned to which bench of judges. However, the new system is expected to reduce human involvement in this administrative process by using AI-based tools to handle case distribution more systematically.
The move reportedly comes after an internal review within the Supreme Court registry revealed certain serious issues. The review highlighted that some officials had been posted in the same positions for a long time and that outdated technological infrastructure was still being used. These factors were said to contribute to irregularities and improper case allocation in certain situations.
The issues reportedly came to light during the hearing of a petition before a bench comprising CJI Surya Kant along with Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul Pancholi. The matter involved a challenge to provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986. The petition argued that the provisions of the Act were inconsistent with Section 111 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
During the hearing, the Government of Uttar Pradesh informed the Court that a similar challenge had already been rejected by a three-judge bench in December 2022. Despite this earlier dismissal, another petition raising the same issue appeared on the cause list before a new bench.
The development drew a strong reaction from the CJI. Although Senior Advocate Shoeb Alam requested permission to withdraw the petition, the Court decided that the matter would continue to remain pending until it reached a logical conclusion. At the same time, the Chief Justice also ordered a deeper administrative examination into the issue.
In recent remarks, CJI Surya Kant also spoke about the Supreme Court’s increasing focus on technology and artificial intelligence to strengthen the justice delivery system. He emphasised that AI would be used in a constructive and responsible manner to address systemic issues and improve court functioning.
“We’re making the optimistic, positive, and constructive use of AI. For this, we’ve constituted a separate committee. The Supreme Court’s AI Committee. We’ll use AI to its maximum optimal potential for speedy justice, affordable justice, and true justice,”
The Court has also been looking at technological innovations adopted by various High Courts across the country. In particular, the Supreme Court recently appreciated the advanced Case Management System (CMS) developed by the Kerala High Court. The apex court described the system as being significantly more advanced than many other digital platforms used in courts across India.
The CMS introduced by the Kerala High Court has played a key role in making the court fully digital and paperless, marking a major milestone in India’s judicial digital transformation.
Earlier this year, a bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta of the Supreme Court praised the initiative and highlighted that the Kerala High Court had developed the software internally without outsourcing it to external vendors. The bench noted that this system could serve as a model for other courts in the country seeking to modernise their operations.
The CMS, which was introduced in 2019, offers several modern features designed to streamline court functioning. These include automated workflows for case allocation, round-the-clock e-filing facilities, and dedicated digital portals for judges, advocates, litigants, and government officials.
In addition, the system includes smart courtrooms equipped with “All-in-One” touch screen machines that automatically display the relevant case files to judges and lawyers during hearings. This eliminates the need for physical paper files and makes proceedings faster and more efficient.
The platform also integrates AI-based tools that assist with tasks such as transcribing witness depositions and translating court orders, while still maintaining strict human supervision over the final outcomes.
The Supreme Court’s proposed move to introduce AI for case listing and bench allocation is therefore being seen as part of a broader effort to modernise India’s judicial system. By combining advanced technology with institutional reforms, the Court aims to improve efficiency, reduce administrative lapses, and ultimately deliver faster and more accessible justice to citizens.
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