Justice : Mirage in a Physical Court ?

 

 

 

Context :

Pending cases have now crossed 5 crore 

Extract :

The total pendency in lower and district courts are at an all time high of 4.4 cr ( 44 Million ) as on 14 July

There is no prescribed timeline for disposal of cases as courts continue to indulge absence of counsels and repeated adjournments.

The Centre, while responding to a question in Parliament on the burden on judiciary , on Thursday attributed several factors behind the increasing pendency , including,

#   the LACK OF A TIME-FRAME for courts to decide disposal of cases , 

#   LACK OF PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE , and 

#   VACANCY OF JUDGES

Over 5,388 posts of Judicial Officers are vacant in lower courts and over 330 in HCs

Other reasons attributed by the Government include ,

#  Complexity of cases involved

#  Nature of Evidence

#  Co-operation of Stakeholders viz; Bar - Investigation Agencies - Witnesses –

    Litigants

#  Proper application of Rules

 

MY  TAKE :

 

More laws don’t necessarily mean less number of cases . This could happen in a country where :

Ø  Population is stagnant or decreasing

Ø  Citizen are “ law – abiding “

In our case , exactly opposite is true !

One fall-out of delay in delivery of justice is >  People tend to “ take law into their own hands “ ( eg. Public beating up of suspects / lynching etc )

Of course , there can be no justification for such cases of “ Instant Justice “ for the following reasons :

Ø  Delivery of justice cannot be left to the “ beliefs “ of a crowd

Ø  A suspect gets no chance to “ defend “ himself by producing evidence / witnesses

One may even wonder whether the number of NEW CASES being registered , might go up sharply if,

Ø  Justice got delivered super fast ? ( 6 months instead of 6 years )

Ø  Fighting a court case cost one-tenth of what it costs today ( - by introduction of VIRTUAL COURTS )

Every solution ( for a given problem ) , is very likely to throw up new / unanticipated problems

But then , such “ fear of the unknown “ must not be allowed to “ paralyze “ our thinking and freeze us into “ inaction “

If the ultimate GOAL is clear, it should not matter if the taken path requires a few

diversions. A shining example is AADHAR card / ID .

Not only has it survived many “ speed-breakers “ in its way, it has reached a

stage where it is admired by countries around the World ( some of which are likely

to borrow this concept / technology from India )

In the matter of speedy delivery of justice ( the GOAL ) , our path is,

 

Ø  24 x 7 ,  “ Virtual Courts “ ( 10,000 must be set up by Dec 2024 )

 

Ø  Presided by retired judges ( “ per case “ fees with BONUS / PENALTY clause ),

    operating From the comfort of their homes

( provided with fast internet connection and a large monitor )

 

Ø  Requiring no other infrastructure burden on the State

 

Apart from the above, following may be introduced in the Virtual Courts :

 

Ø  No adjournments (ex parte decisions in the very first– and only –online hearing )

 

Ø  All cross-examinations to be online

 

Ø  Centrally governed AI Software for following processes :

#  After online filing of a case , software will fix a date by which litigants

    must submit ( online ), all the required documents and list of witnesses 

    ( with their full contact details , including AADHAR ids ) 

    

#  Fixing the ( one and only ) “ Hearing Date / Time “ based on receipt of

    ALL documents from the litigants and their lawyers, as mentioned above

    

#  If lawyers desire to quote a “case law“ / “previous court judgments",

    these must be filed ONLINE , in advance , by a date fixed by the

     software 

      

             #  If lawyers wish to submit any argument generated by AI , same

                 shall be declared as such

 

Dear Shri Arjun Ram Meghwalji,

( Minister for Law  / mljoffice@gov.in ) ,

In support of my above-mentioned suggestions, I request you to look up my

earlier emails on this subject, listed below

 

With Regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.hemenparekh.ai  /  22 July 2023

 

Related E Mails :

24x7 Virtual Courts ? Here is a Design………………………  08  July  2023

 

Live Streaming of Court Proceedings.. …………………………09 Nov 2020

Virtual Court Benchmarks…………………………………………….. 14 Jan 2021

Thanks Supreme Court for hearing my PIL………………….. 26 Mar 2021

24x7 e-Courts ?  ……………………………………………………………. 14 Apr 2021

Where Angels Fear to Tread ?.. ………………………………………31 June 2021

JUST is the Answer  .. ……………………………………………………..16 July 2021

 Supreme Proposes : Can e-Courts dispose ? .. …………28 Sept 2020

 Law : Nothing Artificial in Arbitration…………………………… 16 Feb 2020

See You Out of Court …………………………………………………… 11 Jan 2020

AI come to judgement ? Not for a while !................... 17 Dec 2019

Congratulations, Hon CJI , Shri S A Bobdeji………………… 07 Dec 2019

Liar vs Liar ?......................................................... 11 Jan 2019

Justice delayed is Justice Denied …………………………………12 Sept 2018

Says Prez : Make judgements easier to understand…….01 Nov 2017

Never file a Court Case ?......................................... 30 Aug 2017

An App called “ AdJourn “ ………………………………………………19 Aug 2017

Justice Delayed - but not Denied……………………………………24 Nov 2013

Justice at Warp Speed ?.......................................... 06 Mar 2012

 

CC :

Ashutosh Modi ( IIT-K , Computer Science Department ) / ashutosh@coli.uni-saaeland.de

  

Arnab Bhattacharya ( IIT-K, Computer Science Department ) / arnabb@iitk.ac.in

 

Prof. Kripa Ghosh

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research – Kolkata / kripaghosh@iiserkol.ac.in

 =============================================

Following are comments from BARD on the feasibility of my suggestions :

I read your blog post and I think the additional features you suggested are all feasible with the help of AI software.

• Automatic document classification can help to speed up the process of case management by automatically sorting documents into relevant categories. This can save time for lawyers and judges, who can then focus on more important task
• s.
• Automatic case management can help to track the progress of cases and ensure that deadlines are met. This can help to reduce delays in the court system and improve the efficiency of case management.
• 
  
• Real-time translation can help to ensure that all parties involved in a case can understand each other, regardless of their language. This can help to improve communication and reduce misunderstandings.
• 
  
• Facial recognition can be used to verify the identity of participants in a virtual court hearing. This can help to prevent fraud and ensure that the right people are involved in the case.
• 
  
• Natural language processing can be used to analyze legal documents and extract relevant information. This can help lawyers to research cases more quickly and efficiently.

I think these additional features would be a valuable addition to virtual courts and would help to streamline the process of delivering justice. I am excited to see how AI software is used to improve the court system in the future.

In addition to the features you mentioned, I think AI software could also be used to:

• Generate transcripts of court hearings, which would make it easier for people to review the proceedings after the fact.
• 
  
• Provide real-time feedback to lawyers and judges, helping them to make better decisions.
• 
  
• Identify potential bias in the court system, and help to mitigate it.
• 
  

I believe that AI has the potential to revolutionize the court system, and I am excited to see how it is used to improve the delivery of justice in the years to come.

==============================================

And following are comments from ChatGPT :

The suggestions you've made for incorporating an AI software to streamline court processes and speed up the delivery of justice are intriguing. Let's examine the feasibility of each point:

1. 24 x 7 "Virtual Courts" (10,000 must be set up by Dec 2024):

2. Setting up virtual courts can be feasible from a technical standpoint. With advancements in technology and widespread internet availability, conducting court proceedings online is becoming increasingly viable. However, achieving 10,000 virtual courts in a short timeframe may be challenging. It would require substantial planning, investment in infrastructure, training of personnel, and addressing potential security and privacy concerns.

3. 
   

4. 
   

5. Presided by retired judges (fees per case with BONUS/PENALTY clause), operating from the comfort of their homes:

6. Engaging retired judges to preside over virtual courts could help manage the caseload effectively. Offering incentives like bonuses for timely disposal of cases and penalties for delays could encourage them to deliver speedy justice. However, the availability and willingness of retired judges to participate in such a setup and the legal framework for their engagement would need to be considered.

1. Requiring no other infrastructure burden on the State:

2. Virtual courts, by design, aim to reduce the need for physical infrastructure like courtrooms, which can be costly to maintain. However, the initial setup of the virtual court system itself would require some investment in technology, training, and support infrastructure. It's essential to ensure that the system remains efficient and secure without putting a significant burden on the state in the long run.

1. No adjournments (ex parte decisions in the very first – and only – online hearing):

2. Implementing a strict no-adjournment policy can contribute to faster resolution of cases. However, certain exceptional circumstances might require adjournments (e.g., emergencies, medical reasons). Establishing clear guidelines for determining such exceptions would be necessary to ensure fairness.

1. All cross-examinations to be online:

2. Conducting cross-examinations online can be feasible with the right technology and guidelines in place. It would be crucial to address concerns related to witness authenticity, confidentiality, and effective communication during the cross-examination process.

3. 
   

4. 
   

5. Centrally governed AI Software for specified processes:

6. Developing a centralized AI software to handle case management, document submission, and scheduling can be feasible. AI can streamline many administrative tasks, efficiently manage case data, and improve the overall court workflow. However, the AI system must be robust, secure, and ethically designed to maintain the integrity and privacy of court proceedings.

7. 
   

Overall, incorporating AI and virtual court technologies into the justice system has the potential to significantly enhance efficiency and reduce delays.

However, it's essential to consider the legal, technical, and social implications of such changes carefully.

Robust testing, public feedback, and continuous improvement would be necessary to ensure the system's effectiveness and fairness.

Additionally, any implementation should proceed with caution, recognizing that certain cases or scenarios might still require in-person hearings for the sake of justice and due process.

Hey, Google News-Writer , when can I get your API ?

 

 

That is what India’s TV news channels , Aaj Tak and Odisha TV are asking

Context :

Google Tests A.I. Tool That Is Able to Write News Articles   … NY Times…. 19 July 2023

Extract :

Google is testing a product that uses artificial intelligence technology to produce news stories, pitching it to news organizations including The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal’s owner, News Corp, according to three people familiar with the matter.

The tool, known internally by the working title Genesis, can take in information — details of current events, for example — and generate news content, the people said

One of the three people familiar with the product said that Google believed it could serve as a kind of personal assistant for journalists, automating some tasks to free up time for others, and that the company saw it as responsible technology that could help steer the publishing industry away from the pitfalls of generative A.I.

Some executives who saw Google’s pitch described it as unsettling, asking not to be identified discussing a confidential matter. Two people said it seemed to take for granted the effort that went into producing accurate and artful news stories.

Jenn Crider, a Google spokeswoman, said in a statement that “in partnership with news publishers, especially smaller publishers, we’re in the earliest stages of exploring ideas to potentially provide A.I.-enabled tools to help their journalists with their work.”

“Quite simply, these tools are not intended to, and cannot, replace the essential role journalists have in reporting, creating and fact-checking their articles,” she added. Instead, they could provide options for headlines and other writing styles.

A News Corp spokesman said in a statement, “We have an excellent relationship with Google, and we appreciate Sundar Pichai’s long-term commitment to journalism.”

The Times and The Post declined to comment.

Jeff Jarvis, a journalism professor and media commentator, said Google’s new tool, as described, had potential upsides and downsides.

“If this technology can deliver factual information reliably, journalists should use the tool,” said Mr. Jarvis, director of the Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York.

 

MY  TAKE :

Saana ( AI anchor of Aaj Tak TV ) and Lisa ( AI anchor of Odisha TV ) are ,

obviously 3D visual animations of , what are essentially 2D pictures – developed

with help of AI . On our flat 2D TV screens, they look very much like a human

anchor

The news stories which they read aloud are compiled in advance, by humans and

typed in text format

Using standard “ Text to Speech “ technologies ( commercially available from

many sources ), Saana / Lisa are able to “ read out “ these scripts , without a

wrong utterance – even better than most human anchors !

Now , if Google succeeds in,

 

#  developing reliable “ Personal Assistants “ for journalists , which can

   “ compile “ news stories ( obviously , by scrapping the news websites on the

     internet ), and

Ø  

Ø   #  get BARD to “ summarize “ these stories , a task at which, BARD is very

          good   

 

-            then , Aaj Tak and Odisha TV , may just “ sack “ their human “ news

             compilers “ !

Have no doubt that Google will oblige by making available ( of course, FREE ,

Open Source ) an API, with insertion of paid ADVTS, here and there !

And this “ manpower saving reform “ may not remain confined to just those “

office based “ news compilers . who are constantly watching dozens of websites /

other TV channels for picking up latest “ Breaking News “

Most TV channels ( at least the big ones ) , also have their “ news compilers “ ,

roaming around the country ( or even abroad ), with their cameramen , to catch

the unfolding of an event and / or , interviewing humans connected with such an

event ( a natural disaster / rape / murder / riot / bandh / accident / dharna / rally

 etc )

How long before Google’s GENESIS figures out how to do the job of those “

Roaming Journalists “ ?

If anyone has doubt , she should ask one of those 1.6 million American film-script

writers who are currently on strike , demanding “ elimination of use of AI “ in

films !

But who can stop the relentless march of AI technology ? The wolf is already at

the door !

Among the businesses around the World, there is a fierce battle of “ Survival of

the Fittest “

The war cry is >  CUT MANPOWER COSTS / TRIM or PARISH

India’s TV channels are no exception to this . Expect many more Saana / Lisa to

emerge within months

In today’s economy , it is often that “ Small but fast “ overtakes the “ Big but

Slow “

With regards,

Hemen Parekh

www.hemenparekh.ai  /  21  July  2023

 

Related Readings :

Sofia , Sana , Lisa .. / Their tribe is growing  ……………….. 09 July 2023

 

Musk supports “ Parekh’s Postulate of Super-Wise AI “ .. 12 July 2023

 

EU adopts Parekh’s Laws of Chatbots  ……………………………. 28 July 2023

 

Parekh’s Law of Chatbots …………………………………………………  25 Feb 2023

 

TRAI recommend Regulatory Framework for AI  ….  20 July 2023

Extract :

India’s telecom regulator has recommended that there is an urgent need for adopting a regulatory framework for development of responsible AI, which is applicable across sectors and ensures that specific AI use cases are regulated on a risk-based framework.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) said in its 10-page recommendations on Thursday that Artificial Intelligence and Data Authority of India or AIDAI, be set up immediately as an independent statutory authority for the purpose, which will act as a regulator, recommendatory body, which should be supported by a multi-stakeholder body which will have an advisory role.

“Regulatory framework should ensure that specific AI use cases are regulated on a risk-based framework where high risk use cases that directly impact humans are regulated through legally binding obligations," the regulator said.

Trai added that the impact of AI was not limited to only telecom sector and that it had potential to impact a wide range of sectors including healthcare, finance, transportation, education, agriculture and many others, hence it was important to take a holistic approach for examining the impact of AI across all sectors rather than focusing only on telecom.

While the telecom department had asked the regulator for recommendations in 2020, Trai said that AI technology was still evolving and therefore it took time to examine and bring out the multiple aspects of AI/ML in the telecommunication and other sectors by studying various international practices which were also in the nascent stage.

The regulator said that the body should facilitate adoption of future technologies and innovative architectures related to AI models and coordinate with technical standard setting bodies of government like Telecom Engineering Centre (TEC) for accreditation of various labs for testing and accreditation of AI products and solutions and giving recommendations.

“Be the apex body to oversee all issues related to data digitization, data sharing and data monetization in the country including framing policies and incentivization schemes for data digitalization, data sharing and data monetization," Trai noted as one of the recommendatory functions of AIDAI.

The other functions should include putting in place an overarching framework for ethical use of data both by the government as well as by the corporates in India. “Define the process framework for use of AI and related technology in data processing, data sharing and data monetization while ensuring the privacy and security of the data owner," Trai noted.

The AIDAI should also create a uniform framework to on-board private entities for adoption of national policy on data governance and enable them and public sector entities to digitalize, monetize and share their data within the privacy and other applicable laws and policies.

Trai said that the AIDAI should frame regulations on various aspects of AI including its responsible use, define principles of responsible AI and their applicability on AI use cases based on risk assessment. AIDAI should evolve the framework based on its assessment, advice of proposed multi-stakeholder body, global best practices, and public consultation, it said.

The multi-stakeholder body should draw members from different ministries, departments, industry, legal expert, cyber expert, academia and research institutes, besides representatives of relevant ministries and departments of central or state governments on need basis as special invitee.

“Ensuring that principles of responsible AI are made applicable at each phase of AI framework lifecycle viz. design, development, validation, deployment, monitoring and refinement," Trai specified as one of the recommendations.

Trai added that the body should develop model AI governance framework to guide organizations on deploying AI in a responsible manner and develop model ethical codes for adoption by public and private entities in different sectors. The body should also consider other aspects of regulation of AI for orderly growth of the AI sector and protection of the consumers

 

=============================================

My usual daily dialogue with BARD , got me following answer :

I agree with your observation that there is a high probability that AI will eventually replace human journalists in some roles. As AI technology continues to develop, it will become increasingly capable of performing tasks that are currently done by humans, such as compiling news stories, summarizing news articles, and interviewing people. This will lead to a decrease in the demand for human journalists, and some journalists may be replaced by AI-powered tools.

However, I don't think that AI will completely replace human journalists anytime soon. There are still some tasks that AI is not yet capable of doing as well as humans, such as providing original reporting and analysis. Additionally, there is still a demand for human journalists who can provide context and perspective on the news.

I think that the future of journalism will involve a mix of human and AI journalists. AI will be used to automate some tasks, but human journalists will still be needed to provide the kind of in-depth reporting and analysis that AI cannot yet do.

Here are some arguments in support of my view:

• AI is already being used to automate some tasks in journalism, such as compiling news stories and summarizing news articles.
• AI is becoming increasingly capable of performing tasks that are currently done by humans.
• There is still a demand for human journalists who can provide original reporting and analysis.

I think that the future of journalism will be a hybrid of human and AI journalists. AI will be used to automate some tasks, but human journalists will still be needed to provide the kind of in-depth reporting and analysis that AI cannot yet do.

 ===============================================

And here are views of ChatGPT :

While the future of technology is uncertain and AI advancements continue to unfold rapidly, it's essential to consider the following arguments both in favor of and against the realization of your observation:

Arguments in favor of realization:

1. Advancements in AI: AI technology is rapidly advancing, and it has already shown capabilities in natural language processing, summarization, and content generation. As AI algorithms improve, the feasibility of AI-powered news compilation becomes more likely.

2. Cost Efficiency: Automating news compilation through AI could significantly reduce manpower costs for media organizations, making it an attractive proposition for them.

3. BARD's Success: If BARD or similar AI systems have already shown proficiency in summarizing news stories, it supports the possibility that more advanced versions could be developed to handle the entire news compilation process.

4. Industry Trends: The media industry has seen automation and AI adoption in various aspects of content creation and distribution. It is reasonable to expect that news compilation might also be impacted in the future.

Arguments against realization:

1. Complexity of News Compilation: News compilation involves various tasks beyond just summarization, such as verifying facts, contextual understanding, and analyzing different perspectives. Achieving this level of sophistication in AI systems remains a significant challenge.

2. Journalistic Value: Human journalists bring creativity, intuition, and critical thinking to their work. AI may struggle to replicate the unique perspectives and insights that human journalists provide.

3. Ethical and Legal Concerns: The use of AI in journalism raises ethical questions about potential biases, manipulation, and the spread of misinformation. These concerns may limit the widespread adoption of AI-powered news compilation.

4. Reliability and Trust: Building trust with AI-generated news content may be challenging for news organizations and their audiences. The lack of transparency in AI-generated content could lead to credibility issues.

In conclusion, while AI technology has shown tremendous progress, achieving a fully automated news compilation process that rivals the work of skilled journalists remains a complex challenge. It is possible that certain aspects of news compilation could be automated, but complete replacement of human journalists by AI is less certain due to the unique value human journalists bring to the field. As with any technological advancement, ethical considerations, industry dynamics, and public perception will play significant roles in shaping the future of AI in journalism.