SC plans AI system for case listing

New Delhi: In a move that could mark a significant change in the functioning of the Supreme Court’s administrative side, software powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) will take over case listing and bench allocation in the top court effectively removing human intervention in the process.

The decision was taken by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice Surya Kant, according to Bar & Bench.

Currently, cases are allocated to different Benches by the CJI who is the master of roster, a power which bring the office of CJI under immense scrutiny.

The reforms stem from an internal probe that surfaced two systemic failures within the registry - one, registry officials who had dug into their positions over extended periods, and two, outdated technological infrastructure that had long provided cover for administrative lapses including irregular and improper case allocation.

Alongside, the Supreme Court registry has witnessed an unprecedented wave of interdepartmental transfers of registry officials in a bid to dismantle years of entrenched incumbency and systemic inefficiency. A second round of transfers is expected before the end of the month. The trigger was a glaring lapse uncovered during proceedings before a bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul Pancholi, which was hearing a petition filed by Irfan Solanki challenging the Uttar Pradesh Gangsters and Anti-Social Activities (Prevention) Act, 1986, on grounds of repugnancy with Section 111 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

The State of Uttar Pradesh brought to the court’s notice that a near-identical challenge in Md. Anas Chaudhary v. State of Uttar Pradesh had already been dismissed by a three-judge bench comprising former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Justice PS Narasimha and Justice Dipankar Datta on December 12, 2022, with a direction to the petitioner to pursue remedies before the competent forum.

Despite the dismissal, a similar petition had found its way onto the cause list before a fresh bench.

CJI Kant took strong exception to the lapse. Though Senior Advocate Shoeb Alam sought to withdraw the plea, CJI Kant had directed that it will remain pending before the Court and will be taken to a logical conclusion. The CJI had then announced that a deeper administrative probe would follow.