Punjab & Haryana High Court Bars Judges from Using AI Tools for Verdict Writing

With respect to the increasing apprehension about the usage of artificial intelligence in the field of law, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has instructed that no judicial officer shall resort to the use of any software like ChatGPT, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, and Meta AI while making any judgment or carrying out research.

The High Court, by issuing this notice to the District and Sessions Judges, is one of the few courts in India that have prohibited the use of AI while doing any judicial work. This is because the Gujarat High Court had also made a similar rule recently.

Despite realizing the significance of AI in the process, the court seems to believe that only human beings can handle the tasks of judicial reasoning and judgment drafting. This decision is also an echo of the warnings that have been voiced in the past by Judge Ashwani Kumar Mishra.

Recently, Judge Mishra has raised concerns regarding the use of AI in judicial functions, warning against the premature adoption of this technology in the process of lawmaking.

According to him, such steps may bring about a “serious situation” for the legal process as soon as the technology gains traction among higher courts and lower courts alike. This development indicates a deeper message on behalf of the institution. Even though AI technology can help improve processes, it should not be used to substitute human judgment and thought.