The Impressive TimesNew Delhi : The growing use of AI-based and digitally manipulated content has introduced new challenges for the Indian judicial system. Addressing this concern, the Ministry of Law and Justice has highlighted the legal provisions, technological initiatives, and safeguards undertaken to manage AI-driven digital evidence and support judicial processes.
According to information shared in the Lok Sabha by Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, cases involving morphed or fabricated digital content are actively registered under the Information Technology Act, 2000, particularly Sections 66C, 66D, 67, 67A, and 67B. Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, offences relating to cheating by personation (Section 319), electronic forgery (Section 336), and falsification of electronic records (Section 340) further strengthen the legal framework.
The judiciary has increasingly acknowledged the impact of manipulated digital content on public perception and legal proceedings. To address this, the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 now mandates electronic authentication certificates under Section 63 to establish the legitimacy of digital evidence.
As part of the ongoing digital transformation, the eCourts Mission Mode Project has significantly expanded livestreaming of court proceedings to enhance transparency. Authentic copies of judgments are now accessible through the Judgement Search Portal, ensuring both reliability and public access.
With an outlay of ₹7,210 crore, Phase III of the eCourts Project is under implementation to modernize India’s judicial infrastructure. Its goals include enabling ICT across all courts, improving judicial productivity, and making justice delivery more cost-effective and transparent. A dedicated budget of ₹53.57 crore has been earmarked for exploring future technologies, including AI and blockchain.
The Supreme Court of India has also constituted an Artificial Intelligence Committee to cautiously explore the adoption of AI within the judicial ecosystem. While no formal policy exists yet, AI-driven solutions remain in controlled pilot phases under the approved scope of the Phase III DPR.
The judiciary recognizes the challenges of AI integration — such as algorithmic bias, privacy concerns, language barriers, and the need for human verification. To address this, a sub-committee of six High Court judges and technical experts has been appointed to develop secure connectivity and authentication mechanisms.
New AI tools are already being tested. The Legal Research Analysis Assistant (LegRAA) has been developed to support judges with research and document analysis. Additionally, Digital Courts 2.1 provides a single window platform for case management and integrates advanced tools like ASR-SHRUTI for voice-to-text dictation and PANINI for translation. The eCommittee has reported no systemic bias or unintended errors in ongoing pilot deployments.
These initiatives represent a significant step toward building a technologically empowered judiciary, focused on improving efficiency, transparency, and the reliability of digital evidence in India’s justice system.
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