NEW DELHI: A seven-year-old girl from Delhi whose parents migrated to Zambia in 1973 for livelihood opportunities has gone on to become the first woman judge of Zambian Supreme Court and the first from there to sit on the judicial dais of Supreme Court of India at the invitation of CJI Surya Kant.Justice Abha Nayar Patel, after graduating in law from University of Zambia, pursued her master’s from University of Cambridge in UK and was admitted to Zambia Bar in 1989.Also a mountaineer who has scaled Mount Kilimanjaro, she navigated a male-dominated legal world through hard work and integrity and was appointed a judge of the High Court in 2019 and to the Court of Appeal in April 2023. She was elevated as a judge of Zambian SC on May 27, 2026.Addressing the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association, Justice Patel said justice delivery has three important components: innovation, integrity and inclusivity — and each one is intrinsically linked to the other.She said every innovation in justice delivery system must pass the twin tests of improving fairness and access to justice. Cautious about the use of AI in judicial decision-making, she said, “Allowing the play of algorithms in justice delivery would bring with it historical bias.”CJI Kant said technology has transformed access to justice for litigants in India and made it more convenient and less expensive for them, as they are able to track judicial proceedings and participate in them without having to travel long distances.He said AI presents an unprecedented opportunity for judicial administration. “Yet, while AI may augment judicial intelligence, it cannot replace judicial conscience. Justice ultimately demands empathy, judicial conscience and reasoned judgement,” he said.
