Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026
Why in News?
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 was approved by the Union Cabinet on May 5, 2026. The bill proposes to increase the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court to ensure faster delivery of justice and handle the massive backlog of cases.
Key Highlights of the Bill
- Increase in Judges: The sanctioned strength will increase by 4 judges.
- New Total Strength: The number will rise from 33 to 37 judges (excluding the Chief Justice of India).
- Including the CJI: With the Chief Justice of India, the total maximum strength will be 38 judges.
- Constitutional Basis: The bill exercises powers under Article 124(1), which allows Parliament to prescribe the number of judges.
- Funding: Salaries and infrastructure for the new judges will be funded by the Consolidated Fund of India.
Expected Impact
- Faster Justice: More judges will allow for more benches to function simultaneously.
- Case Clearance: Aims to reduce the "crisis of pendency" currently plaguing the apex court.
- Constitution Benches: Additional strength provides flexibility to form more Constitution Benches for critical legal questions.
- Administrative Efficiency: Helps the court manage the heavy workload without compromising on the depth of hearings.
Historical Context of Strength Increases
| Year |
Sanctioned Strength (Excluding CJI) |
Total (Including CJI) |
| 1950 |
7 |
8 |
| 1956 |
10 |
11 |
| 1960 |
13 |
14 |
| 1977 |
17 |
18 |
| 1986 |
25 |
26 |
| 2009 |
30 |
31 |
| 2019 |
33 |
34 |
| 2026 (Proposed) |
37 |
38 |
Current Status
- Pending Vacancies: There are currently two existing vacancies in the Supreme Court.
- Upcoming Retirements: Five judges are scheduled to retire by the end of 2026, making the new appointments even more critical for maintaining working strength.
- Next Steps: The Bill will be introduced in the upcoming session of Parliament for discussion and passing.
- The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared the proposal to amend the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956. This move follows reports of over 92,000 pending cases and is the first such increase in judicial strength in seven years.
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