Parliament has approved the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, paving the way for an increase in the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court of India from 34 to 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India.
The legislation received final approval after being passed by the Rajya Sabha, following its earlier passage in the Lok Sabha. The amendment revises the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, and replaces the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, which had been promulgated in May 2026.
Under the amended framework, the number of Supreme Court judges other than the Chief Justice of India will increase from 33 to 37. The move marks the first increase in the sanctioned judicial strength of the apex court since 2019.
The Union Government stated that the expansion is intended to strengthen the Court’s capacity to deal with growing case pendency, increasingly complex litigation, and the expanding scope of constitutional and statutory adjudication.
During parliamentary discussions, lawmakers highlighted concerns relating to judicial vacancies, infrastructure requirements, and the need to improve access to justice. Several members also emphasized the importance of ensuring greater diversity and representation within the higher judiciary.
The amendment is expected to facilitate the constitution of additional benches and improve the Court’s ability to dispose of pending matters more efficiently. Legal experts have observed that while increasing judicial strength is a significant step, complementary measures such as filling vacancies promptly, strengthening court infrastructure, and adopting technological reforms will also be necessary to effectively reduce backlog.
The Bill derives its authority from Article 124 of the Constitution, which empowers Parliament to determine the number of judges of the Supreme Court by law. With Parliament's approval, the amendment is expected to further enhance the institutional capacity of India's highest constitutional court.