ON JUNE 3, 2026, the Supreme Court of India’s Artificial Intelligence Committee released, about thirty-odd pages long, Draft Regulations for Use of Artificial Intelligence in Courts, 2026 (‘Draft Regulations’). These Draft Regulations mark the first in India’s history where the Supreme Court attempts to set rules governing the operation of artificial intelligence (AI) within Indian Courts.
The Draft Regulations were published for stakeholder and public comment, with a cut-off date of June 20, 2026.
What’s behind these Draft Regulations?
Until recently, there was no unified rulebook specifying which uses of AI in courts require approval, how oversight works, what permitted uses are, or what liability counts look like if errors occur.
The Draft Regulations aim to lay out a framework governing the use of AI in Indian courts. The five key principles that sit at the core of these draft regulations are: human primacy, transparency, accountability, data protection, and judicial independence. Each principle is evident in the provisions and embedded in the document’s architecture. The main point of the Draft Regulations appears to be that AI might help justice work better, but only when it stays under court control, is subservient, and never serves as a replacement.
The Draft Regulations will apply to the Supreme Court of India, all High Courts, and every court, tribunal, and statutory commission performing adjudicatory functions across the country. They will kick off when the dates are notified separately by the Supreme Court and each High Court.
