President Murmu Approves Increase in Supreme Court Judge Strength

President Droupadi Murmhas approved the increase in the sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court of India from 34 to 38, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI). The approval was granted through the promulgation of the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026. The move aims to address the growing pendency of cases and improve the speed of justice delivery in the country.

Details of the Amendment

Before the amendment, the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court was:

33 judges + Chief Justice of India = 34 judges

After the amendment:

37 judges + Chief Justice of India = 38 judges

The ordinance amends the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal announced the decision after the approval by the President.

Reason Behind Increasing Judge Strength

The increase in the number of judges has been undertaken mainly due to:

Rising pendency of cases in the Supreme Court

Increasing number of fresh case filings

Need for faster disposal of cases

Requirement of more Constitution Benches and specialised hearings

The government believes that increasing judicial capacity will strengthen access to timely justice and improve judicial efficiency.

Constitutional and Legal Provisions:

Under Article 124(1) of the Indian Constitution:

The Supreme Court originally consisted of:

Chief Justice of India

Seven other judges

Parliament has the power to increase the number of judges by law.

The strength of Supreme Court judges is regulated through:

Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956

The ordinance was promulgated under:

Article 123 of the Constitution, which empowers the President to issue ordinances when Parliament is not in session.

Historical Background

In 1950, the Supreme Court started with 8 judges including the CJI.

In 2019, the sanctioned strength was increased from 31 to 34 judges.

The 2026 amendment marks another major expansion of judicial strength.

Additional Key Facts:

About the Supreme Court of India:

Established on: 28 January 1950

Headquarters: New Delhi

Highest judicial authority in India

Functions as:

Constitutional Court

Court of Record

Final Court of Appeal

Appointment of Supreme Court Judges

Judges are appointed by the President of India under Article 124(2).

Appointments are made through the Collegium System.

Importance of Constitution Benches

Constitution Benches consist of at least five judges.

They decide substantial questions related to constitutional interpretation under Article 145(3).