The Supreme Court of India has adopted the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) language technology in translation of judicial documents as well as in legal research and process automation etc. AI has also been deployed for transcribing oral arguments, particularly in Constitution Bench matters since February 2023.

A Committee headed by Hon’ble Judge of the Supreme Court of India has been constituted to monitor the translation of important Supreme Court and High Court judgments into vernacular languages. The Committee is having regular meetings with the Sub-Committees of High Courts comprising Hon’ble Judges to expedite the process of translation.

The AI Translation Committees of the High Courts are monitoring the entire work relating to translation of the Supreme Court and High Court Judgments into vernacular language.  As on date, 8 High Courts have already started e-High Court Reports (e-HCR) and other High Courts are in the process of launching e-HCR.

The AI Committees of the High Courts have been informed to request the respective State Governments to translate all the Central and State Legislation, Rules, Regulations, etc. into regional language and put it on the State website so as to help the common man to read it in the regional language. It has also been impressed upon all the State Governments to extend full support to the respective High Courts in the exercise of translation of judgments, since it is part of ‘access to justice’ as envisaged under the Constitution of India.

As on 05.08.2024, 36,271 Supreme Court Judgments have been translated in Hindi language and 17,142 Judgments of Supreme Court have been translated in other 16 regional languages and the same are available on the e-SCR portal.

No separate fund has been sanctioned to Supreme Court for this translation project.

This information was given by the MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF LAW AND JUSTICE; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS, SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL in a written reply in the LOK SABHA today.

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SB