Supreme Court Dismisses PIL After Petitioner Admits Using AI Tools to Draft Plea
The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a Ludhiana-based cloth trader after he confessed to using artificial intelligence tools to draft the petition and was unable to explain intricate legal terminology used within it. The bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and including Justices Joymalya Bagchi and R Mahadevan, grew suspicious during the hearing when the petitioner, Rajnish Sidhu, began reading from a prepared text while arguing his case related to the PM CARES Fund.
Petitioner's Background and Court's Sarcastic Remarks
When questioned about his background, Sidhu revealed he had studied only up to Class 12 and had never filed any petition before, coming directly to the apex court with his first plea. In a sarcastic tone, Chief Justice Surya Kant remarked, "Very brave of you to come straight from Ludhiana to the Supreme Court." He further cautioned the petitioner against filing such cases through others, stating, "Go and sell 2-3 more sweaters in Ludhiana... If you continue filing such petitions through others, they will end up having costs imposed upon you."
English Exam and Moment of Truth
The Chief Justice decided to test whether Sidhu had genuinely drafted the petition himself, declaring, "I will take your English exam right here. If you manage to score even 30 per cent, I will believe you drafted this plea." The critical moment arrived when the bench asked Sidhu to define "Fiduciary Risk of Corporate Donors," a term featured in the PIL. Sidhu struggled to explain it and attempted to read from his notes, prompting the Chief Justice to interject, "Mr Sidhu, this has been written and given to you by some advocate. You are just reading the script." The bench warned that it could order an investigation by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau.
Admission of Using AI Tools and Typist Assistance
In response, Sidhu claimed that a typist working on the Supreme Court premises had initially helped him draft the petition, stating, "The typist was very helpful. I gifted him four jackets. He was asking for Rs 1,000 per hour." He added that he had not used the typist's petition and drafted his own. However, he later admitted to using three to four artificial intelligence tools to prepare the plea because he could not afford a lawyer.
Dismissal and Warning Against Future Attempts
The bench ultimately dismissed the PIL and issued a stern warning that any similar attempts in the future would result in penal and financial consequences. This incident follows the dismissal of five "frivolous" PILs by the same bench on Monday, including one seeking a scientific study on whether onion and garlic contain "tamasic" (negative) energy, with the court questioning if they had been drafted in the middle of the night.
