Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill 2026

Why in News?

The Lok Sabha passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 on 3 August 2026 without debate. The Bill seeks to increase the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court of India from 34 to 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI). The amendment aims to strengthen the judicial capacity of the apex court and address the growing backlog of pending cases.

About Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill 2026

The Supreme Court of India is the highest judicial authority in the country. It was established under Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India and was inaugurated on 28 January 1950. Article 124 provides for the establishment and composition of the Supreme Court and empowers Parliament to determine the number of judges through ordinary legislation.

Before this amendment, the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court was 34 judges, comprising the Chief Justice of India and 33 other judges. The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 increases this strength to 38 judges, consisting of the Chief Justice of India and 37 other judges.

The legislative proposal was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on 20 July 2026. It followed the approval of the Union Cabinet in May 2026. The Bill replaces the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, promulgated by the President of India in May 2026, which had temporarily increased the number of judges from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India.

The primary objective of the amendment is to improve the Court’s capacity to dispose of cases more efficiently. As of 1 January 2026, the Supreme Court had 92,101 pending cases. Although the Court has functioned close to its full sanctioned strength since the 2019 amendment, the number of newly instituted cases has consistently exceeded the number of cases disposed of. Increasing the sanctioned strength is expected to reduce delays and improve access to timely justice.

The Supreme Court exercises a wide range of constitutional powers. It hears constitutional matters, civil appeals, criminal appeals, and Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) under Article 136 of the Constitution. It also protects Fundamental Rights under Article 32 and serves as the final interpreter of the Constitution.

Related Information

The strength of the Supreme Court has increased gradually since its establishment. Originally, the Court consisted of the Chief Justice of India and seven puisne judges. Parliament has amended the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act several times to meet the growing workload of the judiciary.

The most recent increase before the 2026 amendment came through the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2019, which raised the sanctioned strength from 31 to 34 judges (including the Chief Justice of India) by increasing the number of puisne judges from 30 to 33.

While increasing the number of judges enhances judicial capacity, experts have also emphasised complementary reforms such as filling judicial vacancies promptly, strengthening the subordinate judiciary, expanding court infrastructure, adopting digital technologies through the e-Courts Mission Mode Project, and promoting alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to reduce case pendency.

Exam Oriented Facts

• Bill: Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026.
• Passed by Lok Sabha: 3 August 2026.
• Introduced by: Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union Law Minister.
• Constitutional Provision: Article 124.
• Supreme Court Established Under: Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution.
• Supreme Court Inaugurated: 28 January 1950.
• Previous Strength: 34 judges (1 Chief Justice + 33 judges).
• New Sanctioned Strength: 38 judges (1 Chief Justice + 37 judges).
• Previous Amendment: Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2019.
• Ordinance Replaced: Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026.
• Pending Cases (1 January 2026): 92,101.
• Special Leave Petition (SLP): Provided under Article 136.
• Right to Constitutional Remedies: Article 32.
• Power to Change Supreme Court Strength: Parliament through ordinary legislation.
• Objective of Amendment: Improve judicial capacity and reduce case pendency.