'We are in age of AI': Supreme Court questions Centre over translation of Sonam Wangchuk's speech

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday questioned the Centre over translations of the transcripts of videos submitted by it against Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk, saying it should be precise in the age of Artificial Intelligence.

A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Prasanna B Varale told Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj that it wanted actual transcripts of Wangchuk's statements from the government as senior advocate Kapil Sibal on behalf of Wangchuk's wife submitted that some of the words attributed to the activist were never said by him.

"We want an actual transcript of the speech. What he relied upon and what you say are different. We will decide. There should be an actual transcript of what he says. You may have your reasons. At least, whatever he stated, the true translation should be there... Your translation goes on for 7 to 8 minutes, but the speech is for 3 minutes. We are in the era of Artificial Intelligence; precision is at least 98 per cent for translation," the bench observed.

Sibal claimed this is a very unique detention order, where the authorities relied on something that did not exist and then, it was said it was based on subjective satisfaction.

Nataraj told the court that there is a department for transcripts and said, "We are not experts in it."

The court will hear the matter on Thursday, arising out of a habeas corpus petition filed by Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali Angmo, seeking a declaration that his detention under the National Security Act (NSA), 1980, was illegal.