In a first-of-its-kind move in the Indian judiciary, the Kerala High Court (HC) has directed that all trial courts across the state must mandatorily adopt Adalat.AI, an artificial intelligence-based speech-to-text transcription tool, for recording witness depositions from 1 November 2025.
The directive, issued through an official memorandum dated 27 September 2025, aims to modernise court processes, minimise delays in recording evidence and enhance transparency in judicial proceedings. The move follows a successful pilot phase launched on 1 February 2025, in four trial courts in Ernakulam district.
Until now, witness statements were either handwritten by presiding judges or dictated to typists in an open court — a process that was often slow and prone to delays due to the shortage of stenographers and reliance on manual transcription. The new AI-powered system seeks to automate and accelerate this crucial aspect of trial proceedings.
According to the HC’s memorandum, from 1st November all courts in Kerala will primarily record depositions using Adalat.AI’s voice-to-text transcription tool. In cases of technical difficulties, courts may seek prior approval to use other platforms vetted by the directorate of IT of the HC, ensuring data security and confidentiality.
Once the deposition is duly recorded, endorsed and signed, it will be uploaded to the district court case management system (DCMS), allowing parties and lawyers to access the document through their respective dashboards. Each district will also have designated nodal officers responsible for monitoring compliance and including detailed monthly reports on deposition recording practices in their action reports.
Judicial officers say the integration of AI tools like Adalat.AI is a step toward eliminating inefficiencies that have long plagued India’s trial courts — from manual paperwork and scheduling delays to incomplete or inaccurate records. The technology automates transcription, digitises court records and enables real-time access for advocates, thus reducing administrative burdens.
The AI system is equipped with a specialised legal speech model for Malayalam and English, designed and trained in consultation with judges, court staff and stenographers. It has been tested for accuracy across nine states over the past nine months, with the Kerala pilot receiving particularly strong feedback from judicial officers and the bar.
Legal experts have hailed the Kerala HC’s decision as a pioneering step in judicial reform and digital governance. Cyber law expert advocate Dr Prashant Mali remarked that the initiative not only streamlines justice delivery but also redefines the relationship between technology and law.
“With this move, Kerala Judiciary is not just embracing technology, it is setting the pace for the rest of India’s justice system. Innovation must walk hand in hand with privacy safeguards and evidentiary integrity. But credit where due — Kerala HC has taken a bold, intelligent step into the future of justice delivery. Let us just say… the ‘record of proceedings’ just got a digital soul,” Dr Mali says.
The project forms part of the government of India’s IndiaAI Mission, under the Union ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY), which supports the development of AI solutions in governance and public service delivery.
Kerala has thus become the first state in India to make the use of an AI-based transcription system mandatory across all courts. The HC’s directive marks a significant milestone in the country’s ongoing digital transformation of the judiciary, aligning with broader national efforts to enhance judicial efficiency and accessibility through technology.
By embedding AI into the heart of courtroom operations, the Kerala judiciary is expected to drastically reduce delays, improve accuracy in recording evidence and set a model for replication across other high courts in the country.
