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The Hindu Editorial • May 13, 2026 • Read Original
Data and justice: On courts in India and AI tools
As courts adopt AI, care must be taken on the potential for abuse
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Analysis of editorial from The Hindu newspaper on May 13, 2026
Data and justice: On courts in India and AI tools
As courts adopt AI, care must be taken on the potential for abuse
Judiciary DigitisationAI in CourtsOne Case One DataSu-SahayakDigital Divide
Sentences
Sentence 1 of 18
Sentence 1 of 18
In the latest step in a long-standing effort to digitise the judiciary, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant announced two initiatives from the Bench, called ‘One Case, One Data’ (OCOD), a unified judicial data platform, and ‘Su-Sahayak’, an AI-powered chatbot on the Supreme Court of India website.
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct
In the latest step in a long-standing effort to digitise the judiciary
As part of the most recent action in a long process of moving court records and processes online
Subject
Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant
The highest-ranking judge of the Supreme Court of India, Justice Surya Kant
Verb
announced
Officially made a statement about new plans or projects
Object
two initiatives from the Bench, called ‘One Case, One Data’ (OCOD), a unified judicial data platform, and ‘Su-Sahayak’, an AI-powered chatbot on the Supreme Court of India website
Two new projects: a single data system for court cases and an AI help tool on the SC website
Sentence 2 of 18
OCOD promises a unified digital trail for a dispute as it moves through various courts, linkages between court records and litigant actions (such as appeals), easier access to various documents, lower need for manual verification, reciprocal access to High Courts and other courts, and more accurate judicial statistics.
Phrase Breakdown
Subject
OCOD
The ‘One Case, One Data’ system
Verb
promises
Assures or suggests that it will provide these benefits
Object
a unified digital trail for a dispute as it moves through various courts, linkages between court records and litigant actions (such as appeals), easier access to various documents, lower need for manual verification, reciprocal access to High Courts and other courts, and more accurate judicial statistics
A single digital record for a case, connecting court papers with people’s actions, easier document access, less manual checking, shared access between courts, and better data
Sentence 3 of 18
It is notable considering the wide variation in software practices and records quality across India’s thousands of district and subordinate courts.
Phrase Breakdown
Subject
It
The OCOD project or the fact mentioned earlier
Verb
is
Represents a current state of being
Complement
notable
Important or interesting enough to be noticed
Adjunct
considering the wide variation in software practices and records quality across India’s thousands of district and subordinate courts
When we think about how different the computer systems and record-keeping quality are in many local courts
Sentence 4 of 18
If the programme succeeds, standardised data could also allow administrators to determine where cases are held up and ease procedural bottlenecks, and improve data-based decision-making overall.
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct
If the programme succeeds
If this new project works as planned
Subject
standardised data
Information that is organized in a uniform way across all courts
Verb
could also allow
Might make it possible for someone to do something
Object
administrators
The officials who manage and run the court system
Complement
to determine where cases are held up and ease procedural bottlenecks, and improve data-based decision-making overall
To find out where case delays happen, fix slow steps in the process, and use facts to make better choices
Sentence 5 of 18
‘Su-Sahayak’ has been integrated into the Court website’s front-end to help users navigate case status, cause lists, orders and judgments, e-services, and frequently asked questions.
Phrase Breakdown
Subject
‘Su-Sahayak’
The name of the new AI chatbot on the Supreme Court website
Verb
has been integrated
Has been added or combined into a larger system
Adjunct
into the Court website’s front-end
Into the main part of the website that the public interacts with
Adjunct
to help users navigate case status, cause lists, orders and judgments, e-services, and frequently asked questions
To assist people in finding case updates, schedules, legal orders, and help topics online
Sentence 6 of 18
As with any major state-backed technology rollout in India, questions about interoperability, integrity of legacy records, restricting access to private information, and staff skilling remain.
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct
As with any major state-backed technology rollout in India
Similar to other large-scale government-supported technology projects launched in the country
Subject
questions about interoperability, integrity of legacy records, restricting access to private information, and staff skilling
Doubts regarding how systems work together, the accuracy of old files, data privacy, and worker training
Verb
remain
Continue to exist or stay as they are
Sentence 7 of 18
By aspiring to a centralised digital fingerprint for each case, OCOD also bears the risk of misuse.
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct
By aspiring to a centralised digital fingerprint for each case
By trying to create one single digital record or identity for every court case
Subject
OCOD
The ‘One Case, One Data’ system
Verb
also bears
Also carries or has a certain quality or risk
Object
the risk of misuse
The danger that the data or system could be used wrongly or illegally
Sentence 8 of 18
While the CJI said that these new tools will improve “access to justice”, their introduction risks deepening the digital divide.
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct
While the CJI said that these new tools will improve “access to justice”
Even though the Chief Justice stated that these tools would help people get legal help more easily
Subject
their introduction
The act of bringing these new systems into the court process
Verb
risks
Has the possibility of leading to a negative result
Object
deepening the digital divide
Increasing the gap between people who have computers and internet and those who don’t
Sentence 9 of 18
OCOD may require lawyers to maintain digital scanners, cloud backup options, and updated software.
Phrase Breakdown
Subject
OCOD
The ‘One Case, One Data’ system
Verb
may require
Might make it necessary for people to have or do something
Object
lawyers
The legal professionals who work on court cases
Complement
to maintain digital scanners, cloud backup options, and updated software
To keep and use digital scanning tools, online storage for files, and the latest computer programs
Sentence 10 of 18
Metropolitan corporate firms can easily absorb these costs but independent practitioners in the district and taluka levels will lack the capital.
Phrase Breakdown
Subject
Metropolitan corporate firms
Large legal companies located in major cities
Verb
can easily absorb
Can afford or take on extra expenses without difficulty
Object
these costs
The expenses related to the new digital requirements
Subject
independent practitioners in the district and taluka levels
Lawyers working on their own in smaller towns or local areas
Verb
will lack
Will not have enough of something necessary
Object
the capital
The money needed to buy equipment or start a business
Sentence 11 of 18
The system may also introduce digital middlemen to help litigants who cannot navigate the e-filing portal, potentially creating a new layer of unregulated costs.
Phrase Breakdown
Subject
The system
The new digital court process being introduced
Verb
may also introduce
Might bring in a new type of person or service
Object
digital middlemen to help litigants who cannot navigate the e-filing portal
New agents or experts who help people file court cases online because they don’t know how to do it themselves
Adjunct
potentially creating a new layer of unregulated costs
Possibly adding extra fees that the government does not control
Sentence 12 of 18
While the government has launched assistants with voice-first capabilities, such as Jan Sahayak, ‘Su-Sahayak’ is primarily text-based and could exclude people who are not comfortable typing or navigating complex website menus.
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct
While the government has launched assistants with voice-first capabilities, such as Jan Sahayak
Even though the government has already created talking AI help tools like ‘Jan Sahayak’
Subject
‘Su-Sahayak’
The new court assistant chatbot
Verb
is
Exists in a certain state or way
Complement
primarily text-based
Mostly works through typing and reading rather than speaking
Verb
could exclude
Might leave out or make it difficult for some people to use
Object
people who are not comfortable typing or navigating complex website menus
Users who find it hard to type on a screen or search through many lists on a website
Sentence 13 of 18
The state and the judiciary must ensure that the AI model is not biased against marginalised communities who were historically disproportionately arrested or denied bail.
Phrase Breakdown
Subject
The state and the judiciary
The government and the legal court system together
Verb
must ensure
Must make absolutely certain or guarantee
Object
that the AI model is not biased against marginalised communities who were historically disproportionately arrested or denied bail
That the computer system does not unfairly target poor or ignored groups who have faced more arrests or been refused bail in the past
Sentence 14 of 18
India’s courts have generally been more comfortable with AI for assistance than for substantive reasoning.
Phrase Breakdown
Subject
India’s courts
The legal system and judges in India
Verb
have generally been
Have usually shown this trend or attitude
Complement
more comfortable with AI for assistance than for substantive reasoning
Prefer using AI tools to help with tasks rather than letting AI make important legal decisions
Sentence 15 of 18
While the CJI promised that AI is not intended to replace human judges, a high degree of dependence on AI tools could lead to automation bias.
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct
While the CJI promised that AI is not intended to replace human judges
Even though the Chief Justice assured everyone that AI will not take the place of real judges
Subject
a high degree of dependence on AI tools
Relying very heavily on computer programs for legal work
Verb
could lead
Might cause or result in a particular situation
Adjunct
to automation bias
The tendency for humans to trust computer-generated results too much, even when they are incorrect
Sentence 16 of 18
If judges and court staff become less critical of AI-generated inputs, the constitutional right to a fair hearing by a human judge could be undermined.
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct
If judges and court staff become less critical of AI-generated inputs
If judges and workers stop checking computer answers carefully
Subject
the constitutional right to a fair hearing by a human judge
The legal promise that every person can have their case heard by a real person fairly
Verb
could be undermined
Might be weakened or made less effective
Sentence 17 of 18
In the end, AI must remain a tool for empowerment and not a source of opaque authority.
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct
In the end
Finally or as a conclusion to the discussion
Subject
AI
Artificial Intelligence technology
Verb
must remain
Should continue to be in a certain state or role
Complement
a tool for empowerment and not a source of opaque authority
A system that helps people do things better, not a hidden power that we don’t understand
Sentence 18 of 18
While digitisation is necessary, it should not come at the cost of the common litigant’s faith in the judicial process.
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct
While digitisation is necessary
Even though moving court records online is very important
Subject
it
The process of digitising the courts
Verb
should not come
Should not happen or be achieved in a certain way
Adjunct
at the cost of the common litigant’s faith in the judicial process
If it results in regular people losing trust in how the legal system works
Reading Comprehension
Practice questions based on this editorial
Reading Comprehension - Courts and AI
Practice reading comprehension questions based on the editorial about the Indian judiciary's adoption of AI tools.
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