AI cannot replace human oversight in judicial reasoning: Telangana CJ

Telangana High Court Chief Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh said on Saturday that adjudicatory bodies must balance regulatory autonomy, specialised expertise and judicial accountability. He cautioned against allowing adjudication to substitute regulation or placing regulatory decisions beyond effective scrutiny. His remarks came at a seminar on dispute resolution mechanisms organised by the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) in Hyderabad.

Justice Singh emphasised that timely disposal of disputes is crucial, as prolonged litigation can undermine regulatory objectives and create uncertainty for industry and consumers. Referring to the constitutional framework, he noted that judicial review by High Courts and the Supreme Court is part of the basic structure, and tribunals remain subject to constitutional judicial scrutiny. He also warned that while technology and artificial intelligence can assist adjudicatory processes, they cannot replace judicial reasoning, accountability and human oversight.

TDSAT Chairperson Justice D.N. Patel highlighted the tribunal's role in providing time-bound dispute resolution in telecom, broadcasting, airport tariff and cyber sectors. He noted that under the Information Technology Act, civil remedies for cyber disputes with compensation claims up to Rs 5 crore are initially adjudicated by a designated officer. Justice P. Sam Koshy and Advocate General A. Sudershan Reddy also addressed the seminar.