Hyderabad: President Droupadi Murmu has approved an increase in the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India. The decision came through the promulgation of the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026.
With the latest amendment, the total sanctioned strength of the apex court will rise to 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India.
Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal announced the development through a post on X. He said the ordinance further amended the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956.
The move comes after the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a proposal earlier this month to increase the number of Supreme Court judges by four.
The Centre said the decision was taken to tackle the rising number of pending cases and growing workload in the apex court. Officials believe the additional judges will help improve case disposal and reduce delays in hearings.
Supreme Court Judge Strength Increased To Reduce Pendency
The Supreme Court judge strength was last revised in 2019. At that time, Parliament increased the number of judges from 30 to 33, excluding the Chief Justice of India.
The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act was originally enacted in 1956. Since then, the sanctioned strength has been revised several times to match the increasing judicial burden.
The government said the latest increase is an important step toward strengthening judicial infrastructure and ensuring faster delivery of justice across the country.
Legal experts believe the additional appointments could improve the functioning of the apex court, where thousands of cases remain pending.
The ordinance is expected to pave the way for the appointment of new judges in the coming months.
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