SRINAGAR: The Government of India has intensified its efforts to make judicial proceedings more accessible to the public by leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to translate judgments and court proceedings into vernacular languages. According to the Ministry of Law and Justice, AI technology has already been adopted for transcribing oral arguments in Constitution Bench cases and translating judgments of the Supreme Court and High Courts.
Minister of State for Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, informed the Lok Sabha that a dedicated committee headed by a Supreme Court judge has been established to monitor and expedite the translation process. “This initiative is a significant step towards ensuring access to justice for all, as envisaged under the Constitution of India,” the minister said.
As of now, 36,324 Supreme Court judgments have been translated into Hindi, while 42,765 judgments have been made available in 17 other regional languages. These translations are accessible through the e-SCR portal. Additionally, 17 High Courts have started publishing e-High Court Reports (e-HCR) and e-Indian Law Reports (e-ILR), offering digital access to judgments in regional languages.
The High Court AI Committees have also urged state governments to translate central and state legislation, rules, and regulations into regional languages. Meghwal emphasised, “State governments have been requested to extend full support to High Courts for this translation work to help common citizens understand the law in their native language.”
Despite the scale of this initiative, no separate funds have been sanctioned specifically for these projects. Retired judicial officers, translators, and advocates involved in vetting AI translations receive a remuneration of Rs 100 per page of original English judgments, according to the ministry.
On the subject of diversity in judicial appointments, the minister clarified that while Articles 124, 217, and 224 of the Constitution do not provide for reservations in the appointment of judges, the government has consistently urged Chief Justices to prioritise social diversity. “Due consideration for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, minorities, and women are encouraged during judicial appointments to ensure inclusivity,” Meghwal added.
