Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud inaugurated the National Judicial Museum and Archive at the Supreme Court on Thursday and showcased a unique interaction with an Artificial Intelligence lawyer during the ceremony.
As the Chief Justice addressed the AI, he asked one of his provocative questions: “Is the death penalty constitutional in India?” The AI lawyer replied, “Yes, the death penalty is constitutional in India. It is reserved for the rarest of rare cases, as decided by the Supreme Court, where the crime has to be so diabolical that it calls for such a sentence.” This just left the Chief Justice impressed.
Amongst others, Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who will succeed him as the next Chief Justice and other Judges of the Supreme Court of India attended the inauguration. In his address, the outgoing Chief Justice, who retires on November 10, said the museum should be an interactive place, particularly for the younger generation.
He called upon visits from school and college students and all citizens other than the legal fraternity with the judicial environment. CJI Chandrachud also called upon members of the Bar to explore the museum for greater engagement with the legal heritage.
Its establishment has not been devoid of controversy, either. The SCBA executive Body passed a resolution to boycott the inauguration just a day before. The association said that the place allocated for the National Judicial Museum should be used to provide a library and café/lounge facility to Supreme Court lawyers. It is the real milestone at the junction of technology and law, as well as the discussions on the needs and spaces of lawyers at the courts nowadays.
