Justice Anoop Chitkara

A key figure in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Anoop Chitkara has a career defined by years of dedicated service, extensively leveraging technology and Artificial Intelligence to promote law and justice.

Education

Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla: LLB (1987 – 1990)
National Cadet Corps: 1982

Experience

Judge, High Court of Punjab and Haryana: October 12, 2021 - Present
- Presiding over and deciding a multitude of criminal matters, including Election Petitions, Death Reference, Criminal Appeals, Bails, Directions for investigation, Quashing Petitions, Writs of Habeas Corpus, and Protection, and ensuring adherence to the mandates of the Indian Constitution.
- Member of Artificial Intelligence Committee, Supreme Court of India (Appointed by the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India) [From 08 Dec 2025 Continuing].
- Member of Monitoring and Implementation Committee to the e-committee of the Supreme Court of India (Appointed by the then Hon’ble Chief Justice of India) [From 07 Jan 2023 to 10 Nov 2024].
- Member of the Computer Committee, Punjab and Haryana High Court [From Nov 2021 Continuing].
- Member of the Computer Committee & Artificial Intelligence Committee, Punjab and Haryana High Court [From 23 Nov 2024 Continuing].
- Member of the Board of Governors of Chandigarh Judicial Academy [From July 2025 Continuing].
- Resource Person in National Judicial Academy, Bhopal.
- Appointed more than 646 Advocates, including young lawyers, as Amici Curiae/Legal Aid Counsel, of which 240 are females and 406 are males.
- Seven Law Researchers (All females) (Currently Three).
- To date, internships have been offered to 124 law students, 82 of whom are females and 42 are males.
- Offering internships on merit to law students, as fostering the next generation of legal minds, will undoubtedly ensure a better future.
Judge, Himachal Pradesh High Court: May 2019 - October 2021
- Decided around 4900 main cases, excluding miscellaneous cases.
- Presided over and decided a large number of bail applications, criminal appeals, public interest litigations, and Writ petitions filed before the Court.
- Delivered lectures on the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, in the State Judicial Academy. Familiarised District Judges with the developments in Indian Narcotic Laws.
- Appointed one hundred and two lawyers as Amici Curiae and Legal Aid Counsel, of whom 60 were women.
- A total of five Law Researchers, all females.
- Offered internships to sixty-five law students, the majority of whom were females.
Senior Advocate, Himachal Pradesh High Court: March 2019 - May 2019
Advocate, Himachal Pradesh High Court: October 1990 - March 2019
- Represented a large number of victims and accused in appeals, revisions, quashing, bail, contempt, and public interest litigation petitions, among others.
- Mentored a significant number of young advocates, primarily women, as associates.
- Assisted the Court in several matters as Amicus, Pro Bono, and Legal Aid Counsel.
- Delivered lectures on Criminal and Narcotics Law to law students and District Judicial officers of the State.

Key Achievements as an Advocate

2014: Apprised the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India regarding various particulars of “Process Re-engineering (Criminal)” as a team member of the Criminal Process Re-engineering Team, H.P. High Court, Shimla, January 24, 2014.
2015: Authored a Research Paper titled “An Analysis of Recent Amendments in Sexual Offences Laws of India,” published in 2015(6) R.A.J.
Delivered lectures to law students at HP University Institute of Legal Studies, Ava Lodge, Shimla.
More than 470 judgments of the cases argued have been published in various law journals, and all cases were from private practice, i.e., in none of these cases, I had represented the State.
Offered internships with decent stipends to 46 students from various law schools across the country.

Publications and Copyrights

An Analysis of Recent Amendments in Sexual Offences Laws of India R.A.J. (July 16, 2015)
Essay titled, “The Stress Buster” published in compilation, “Shaping the Judges”, Essays in Honor of Dr. Balram Gupta, Former Director National Judicial Academy, Bhopal, Editor Prof. Shruti Bedi (2025)
Sentence Calculator in NDPS Act, 1985 (Copyright SW-15939/2023, Issued Oct 13, 2022)

Pro Tip for Researchers: CaseOn’s 2-minute audio summaries allow legal professionals to rapidly analyze this judge’s complex rulings and judicial philosophy on the go.

Learning Participant

National Judicial Academy, Bhopal (Online): Workshop for High Court Justices (Direct Taxes, 09-10.01.2021)
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal (Online): National Workshop for High Court Justices (The Regime of Goods & Services Tax, 16-17.01.2021)
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal (Online): National Workshop for High Court Justices (Impact on Litigation Post-COVID-19, etc., 23-24.10.2021)
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal (Online): Orientation Course for Newly Elevated High Court Justices (30-31.10.2021)
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal (Online): Workshop for High Court Justices (ICT Enablement of Indian Judiciary Through E-Courts Project & The Evolving Concept of Artificial Intelligence, 08-09.01.2022)
Singapore-India Conference on Technology (2024.04.13-14): National Workshop for High Court Chief Justices, Members of Computer Committees, & CPCs (Artificial Intelligence & Law, 16-17.01.2024)
Conference on Latest Criminal Law Reforms (2024.06.30): India’s Progressive Path in the Administration of Criminal Justice System” (Criminal Laws, 30.06.2024)

Skills Course

University of Washington, USA (Online): Course on Preparing to Network in English (English for Business Networking Professional Certificate Program, March 2018)

Subject Specialist

Federal Judicial Center, USA | National Judicial Academy | CEELI, Prague: Cybercrime (MASTER- TRAINER) (First Session, Online, 11-15 Nov 2021)
Federal Judicial Center, USA | National Judicial Academy | CEELI, Prague: Cybercrime (MASTER- TRAINER) (First Workshop, Berkley Judicial Center, University of California, Berkley, USA, 28 Nov to 02 Dec 2.2022)
CEELI | Federal Judicial Center, USA | NJA: Second Workshop (National Judicial Academy, Bhopal, 21-22 Jan 2023)
CEELI | Federal Judicial Center, USA | NJA: Third Workshop (Czech Republic, Prague, 08-10 Jun 2023)
Federal Judicial Center, USA | National Judicial Academy | CEELI, Prague: Cybercrime (MASTER- TRAINER) (Fourth Workshop, NJA, Bhopal, 06-08 Oct 2023)
CEELI | Federal Judicial Center, USA | NJA: Karnataka Judicial Academy, Bengaluru (Cybercrime Workshop at Karnataka Judicial Academy, Fifth Workshop, 09-10 Dec 2023)
CEELI | Federal Judicial Center, USA | NJA: Telangana Judicial Academy, Hyderabad (Master- Trainer, Cybercrime Workshop at Telangana Judicial Academy, Sixth, 10-11 Feb 2024)

Teaching Lectures

University Institute of Legal Studies | Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla: three lectures to law students (≤ 2010)
Himachal Institute of Public Administration | Himachal Pradesh Judicial Academy: WORKSHOP ON “NDPS ACT AND RELATED ISSUES, Fairlawns, Shimla (March 2010)
Himachal Pradesh Judicial Academy, Shimla: AN OVERVIEW OF THE LATEST AMENDMENTS IN THE RAPE LAWS (2013)
Himachal Pradesh Judicial Academy, Shimla: OVERVIEW OF THE NARCOTIC DRUGS AND PSYCHOTROPIC SUBSTANCES ACT, 1985 (Latest Judicial Trends in NDPS Cases, July 2019)
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal: Topic- E-COURTS & COMPUTER SKILLS ENHANCEMENT (High Court Justices, 05 Mar 2023)
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal: National Seminar on ICT Skills For District Computer Committee-in-Charge and Members (06-07 Jan 2024)
University Institute of Legal Studies | Punjab University, Chandigarh | Mississippi College School of Law, USA: Topic - ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE & LAW (29 Mar 2024)
Jindal Global Law School | O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana: Topic- BAIL OR JAIL-BEHIND THE SCENES WITH A JUDGE’S PERSPECTIVE (Expectations of a Judge from an Advocate, The Trial Advocacy Society, 06 Apr 2024)
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal: Workshop for High Court Justices (Topic- INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT), 07 Apr 2024)
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal: National Seminar on Cybercrime & Electronic Evidence (District Judiciary, 20-21 Apr 2024)
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal: National Conference on Sentencing, Probation and Victimology (Topic -ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, ALGORITHMS, AND ISSUES OF FAIRNESS IN SENTENCING JUSTICE, District Judiciary, 16-17 Nov 2024)
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal: Workshop for High Court Justices on Information and Communication Technology (Topic- CHALLENGES POSED BY ICT & DIGITALIZATION, 08 Dec 2024)
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal: NATIONAL SEMINAR ON ORGANIZED CRIME AND OFFENCES AGAINST NATIONAL SECURITY (Participants – Sessions Judges/ Judges of NIA Courts, Workshop for High Court Justices on Information and Communication Technology, Topic- Digital Evidence, 04 Jan 2025)
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal: ORIENTATION COURSE FOR NEWLY ELEVATED HIGH COURT JUSTICES (Participants – High Court Justices, Effective use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Courts, 04 Jan 2025)
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal: NATIONAL CONFERENCE FOR HIGH COURT JUSTICES ON CYBER LAWS AND AI (Participants – High Court Justices, Challenges & Emerging Issues of Cyber Threats, Courts in 21st century -Powers & Perils of AI Driven Judiciary, 08-09 Feb 2025)
BIPARD, Gaya, Bihar: East Zone-I Conference on Court Dockets Explosion and Exclusion (Participants – High Court Justices from Bihar, Jharkhand, & Odisha; District and Sessions Judges and Civil Judges from Bihar, Advancing Judicial Governance through Emerging and Future Technologies, 22 -23 Feb 2025)
Regional Conference at Ahmedabad on Court Dockets: Explosion and Exclusion (West Zone-I): Participants – High Court Justices from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, & Rajasthan; District and Sessions Judges and Civil Judges from Gujarat and Maharashtra (Advancing Judicial Governance through Emerging and Future Technologies, 22 -23 Mar 2025)
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal: Workshop for High Court Justices on Information and Communication Technology (ICT): Participants: High Court Justices (Institutional and Individual Security Concerns before the Courts in the 21st Century, 05-06 Apr 2025)
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal: National Seminar on Cyber-crime & Electronic Evidence: Participants: District Judiciary (Regulating the Cyber Space – National and International Jurisprudence, 19 Apr 2025)
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal: National Seminar on Cyber-crime & Electronic Evidence: Participants: District Judiciary (Challenges & Emerging Issues of Cyber Threats, 20 Apr 2025)
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal: Workshop for High Court Justices on Information and Communication Technology (ICT): Institutional & Individual Security Concerns Before The Courts In The 21st Century (04 May 2025)
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal: National Conference on Sentencing, Probation and Victimology: Session-4 (REFORMATION, PROBATION, & VICTIM-CENTRIC JUSTICE), Session-5 (INTERFACE OF TECHNOLOGY & SENTENCING), District Judiciary (27-28 Sep 2025)
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal: National Conference on Cyber Law & AI: Session-1 (UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE OF CYBERCRIME IN THE AGE OF AI), Session-3 (LIABILITY & ACCOUNTABILITY CHALLENGES IN AI-DRIVEN OFFENCES), High Court Justices (11 Oct 2025)
Regional Conference at Jaisalmer: Regional Conference on Advancing Rule of Law Through Technology: Challenges & Opportunities, Session-4 (Cybercrimes and Digital Forensics), Session-5 (Improving Quality of Adjudication: Emerging and Future Technologies), Rajasthan High Court and Rajasthan State Judicial Academy in collaboration with National Judicial Academy (13-14 Dec 2025)
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal: National Conference on Cyber Law & AI: Session-4 (JURISDICTIONAL ISSUES IN ADJUDICATION OF CYBERCRIME), Session-5 (CHALLENGES & EMERGING ISSUES OF CYBER THREATS), High Court Justices (25 Jan 2026)
National Judicial Academy, Bhopal: National Seminar on Judicial Skills: Session-4 (Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Courts), Newly Appointed District Judges (14-15 Feb 2026)

Causes

Environment, Human Rights, Poverty Alleviation, Animal Welfare, Arts and Culture, Civil Rights and Social Action, Children, Disaster and Humanitarian Relief, Economic Empowerment, Education, Science and Technology.

Core Specializations

BSA, 2023 [Indian Evidence Act, 1872]
BNSS, 2023 [CrPC, 1973]
BNS, 2023 [IPC, 1860]
NDPS Act, 1985
Drugs laws
Prevention of Corruption laws
Prevention of Money Laundering laws [ED]
Cyber Crime
Corporate Law
Appellate Adjudication
Writ Petitions
Public Interest Litigation
Constitutional Law
Legal Research and Writing.

Areas of Interest

Judicial Decision Making, Tutoring
Use of Computers & Technology in Justice Dispensation
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Legal Scholarship
Collaborative Problem Solving
Analytical Reasoning
Leadership and Mentoring!