President Droupadi Murmu has approved the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, raising the number of judges in the Supreme Court from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India. This decision aims to tackle the backlog of cases and ensure quicker justice delivery in the highest court of the country. Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal shared this update on X.
The recent ordinance follows the Union Cabinet’s approval to amend the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956. The proposal, cleared by the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 5, sought to introduce the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 in Parliament to add four more judges to the Supreme Court. This step is taken due to the mounting workload and pending cases in the apex court.
The government’s decision to increase the judicial strength is a response to the growing demands on the judiciary and the need for expeditious case disposal. The move is expected to enhance the efficiency of court proceedings and reduce delays in hearings. The Supreme Court’s judge strength has been periodically revised since the enactment of the original law in 1956 to meet the evolving requirements of the justice system.
In 2019, the Supreme Court’s judge strength was last increased from 30 to 33, excluding the Chief Justice of India, through the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2019. With the latest amendment ordinance, the total sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court will now reach 38, including the Chief Justice of India. This development signifies a significant stride towards fortifying judicial infrastructure and ensuring timely access to justice nationwide.
