AA Edit | With AI, SC takes step forward

The decision of the Supreme Court to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) tools to provide real time transcription of the arguments before its Constitution Bench is another step taken by it to make proceedings more transparent. The live transcription, on a pilot basis, has started in the Chief Justice’s court and if it succeeds, it will, in Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud’s words, “not only help the lawyers but also the students from law colleges who can know how important cases were argued before the Supreme Court”. With this, every word and argument will now be recorded for all time.

It was not long ago that the court took the path-breaking decision to livestream hearings before the Constitution Bench. Together, these decisions take the veil off proceedings in the apex court. The court has, in recent times, witnessed a revolution of sorts in terms of using technology. Aside from livestreaming, moves included e-filing and online appearance slip for lawyers, digitisation of court records, an online RTI portal and a digital courts desktop application.

It’s refreshing that the court has chosen to take this route to reform itself being as it is one of the oldest institutions in the country. Their lordships must have shown tenacity of the first grade to resist the pressure to keep things as they had been. However, the proof of this proverbial pudding is in its eating. 

Justice delivery leaves a lot to be desired in our country, as reflected in the simple statistic that more than three fourths of jail inmates in India are undertrials. Steady steps need to be taken to address this issue as well.