'Judicial Reasoning cannot be Outsourced to AI': HC bars Judges from using ChatGPT, warns of Serious Consequences

On Monday, in a significant move reinforcing judicial accountability, the Punjab and Haryana High Court prohibited judicial officers across Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh from using AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot for drafting judgments or conducting legal research. The direction, issued through the Registrar General on the Chief Justice’s instructions, warns of serious consequences for violations, signalling a firm stance against delegating judicial reasoning to artificial intelligence.

The directive comes amid growing reliance on AI tools within professional spaces, including the legal domain, where concerns over accuracy, accountability, and authenticity have intensified. The Court specifically instructed District and Sessions Judges to ensure strict compliance by all judicial officers under their control. The concern at the core is the potential erosion of independent judicial application of mind if decisions or research are influenced by automated tools. This development follows a similar institutional approach seen earlier, where restrictions were placed on the use of AI in adjudicatory functions, reflecting a broader judicial hesitation to allow technology to intrude into core decision-making processes.

The Court made it unequivocally clear that judicial work cannot be outsourced to artificial intelligence, stressing that the responsibility of reasoning and adjudication rests solely with the judge. In its directive, it cautioned that “any violation of these instructions will be viewed seriously,” underlining zero tolerance for deviation. The Court’s approach highlights a key concern, that reliance on AI tools may compromise the integrity, originality, and accountability inherent in judicial decision-making. The operative direction mandates a complete prohibition on the use of AI tools for judgment writing and legal research by judicial officers.

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