In a first-of-its-kind case highlighting the potential misuse of artificial intelligence in judicial proceedings, the Karnataka High Court has recorded that an order passed by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), Bengaluru, appeared to be “Artificial Intelligence driven.” The Court later disposed of the related writ petition after the ITAT President reassigned the matter to a new bench, rendering the plea infructuous.
The bench Justice M. Nagaprasanna, hearing the case, noted that the peculiar situation arose when the Tribunal’s earlier order—suspected to have been generated using AI tools—was recalled. Following the recall, certain members of the Tribunal recused themselves, while one of the authors of the disputed order sought to rehear the matter.
The High Court, in its earlier interim order dated August 19, 2025, had observed that such a situation raised concerns of “apparent bias” and undermined the foundational judicial principle that “justice must not only be done but must also be seen to have been done.”
It restrained the concerned Judicial Member from proceeding with the matter until the ITAT President decided on the petitioner’s transfer application.
Subsequently, the ITAT President assigned the case to a different bench. In light of this development, the petitioner’s counsel informed the Court that the purpose of the writ petition no longer survived. The Court therefore disposed of the petition as infructuous, while reserving liberty to the petitioner to approach the appropriate forum if any adverse order is later passed.
The court stated, “In the light of the said submission, reserving such liberty, the petition stands disposed of as having become infructuous.”
Case Details
Case Title: Buckeye Trust Versus ITAT Registrar
Case No.: Writ Petition No. 25280 Of 2025 (T-It)
Date: 18/09/2025
Counsel For Petitioner: A.Mahesh Chowdhary
Counsel For Respondent: Pramod B.
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