President Droupadi Murmu has approved an increase in the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court from 34 to 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India. The move comes through the promulgation of the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026.
Under the amendment, the number of judges excluding the Chief Justice has been raised from 33 to 37. This effectively creates four additional positions in the country’s highest court. The ordinance was notified in the Gazette of India on May 16 under Article 123 of the Constitution, which allows the President to issue ordinances when Parliament is not in session.
The decision follows approval by the Union Cabinet earlier this month. The government said the expansion is aimed at reducing the growing backlog of pending cases and improving the speed of justice delivery. According to official estimates, the Supreme Court is currently dealing with more than 92,000 pending matters.
Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal announced the development, saying the amendment further updates the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956. Legal experts and members of the judiciary have largely welcomed the move, arguing that a larger bench strength could help the apex court function more efficiently.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant had earlier supported the proposal, stating that additional judges would assist in faster disposal of cases, including Constitution Bench matters that often require larger judicial benches.
The Supreme Court originally started functioning in 1950 with only eight judges, including the Chief Justice. Over the decades, Parliament has repeatedly expanded its strength in response to rising litigation and increasing constitutional responsibilities. The last increase took place in 2019, when the sanctioned strength was raised from 31 to 34 judges.
