Technology Enhances Justice, But Can’t Replace Human Touch: Justice Surya Kant

Quick Summary

• Supreme Court judge Justice Surya Kant emphasized that while technology can improve justice delivery systems, it cannot replace human empathy in law.
• Speaking at the Justice RC Lahoti Memorial Lecture, he discussed bridging the digital gap to reimagine legal aid for inclusive justice in India.
• Justice Kant asserted that automated systems are efficient but should not turn legal aid into “factories of canned responses.”
• He highlighted Article 39A of the Constitution, which mandates free legal aid to ensure no citizen is denied justice due to economic or other barriers.
• Challenges include accessibility issues faced by rural populations,urban poor,women,children,persons with disabilities,and others.
• Justice Kant will likely become Chief Justice of India in November based on seniority norms.

Indian Opinion Analysis

Justice Surya Kant’s remarks underscore critical considerations as India navigates integrating technology into its judicial and legal aid systems. While digital tools have tremendous potential to streamline processes and increase access to justice for marginalized populations, reliance solely on automation risks losing core human values like compassion and understanding. His call for a “human fallback” reflects India’s constitutional commitment under Article 39A to ensure equitable access to justice. Moreover, this statement acknowledges persistent barriers-economic disparities and physical limitations-that still deter many citizens from accessing judicial remedies. As debates about digitization deepens across sectors globally, his viewpoint reminds policymakers of its limits within inherently human-driven fields like law.

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