Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026

¨     The Lok Sabha passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026.

¨     The Bill increases the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court from 34 to 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI).

¨     The amendment aims to reduce the growing backlog of cases and strengthen the efficiency of the judicial system.

¨     The Bill replaces the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, promulgated in May 2026.

¨     The Supreme Court of India was established on 28 January 1950.

¨     Article 124 of the Constitution empowers Parliament to determine and increase the number of Supreme Court judges through legislation.

¨     Initially, the Supreme Court consisted of one Chief Justice and seven other judges.

¨     The sanctioned strength has been increased several times over the years in response to the rising judicial workload.

Other Key Facts

¨     The Bill replaces the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026.

¨     The proposal for the Ordinance was approved by the Union Cabinet on 5 May 2026, following which it was promulgated by the President in May 2026.

¨     It amends the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956.

¨     The number of judges other than the Chief Justice has been increased from 33 to 37.

¨     As a result, the total sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court, including the Chief Justice of India, is now 38 judges.