Context
- The Lok Sabha passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 to increase the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38 (including the Chief Justice of India). The Bill was passed amid repeated disruptions during the Monsoon Session.
Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026
- What is the Bill?
- It amends the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956.
- It increases the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court from 34 to 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI).
- The objective is to improve the Court’s efficiency and reduce the growing backlog of cases.
- Why was the Amendment Needed?
- Huge pendency of cases before the Supreme Court.
- Increasing complexity of constitutional and public interest litigation.
- Rising workload due to expanding judicial responsibilities.
- Need for speedier delivery of justice and reduction in delays.
Supreme Court of India
- Constitutional Provisions
- Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution.
- Articles 124–147 deal with the Supreme Court.
- Composition
- Chief Justice of India (CJI) + other judges as determined by Parliament.
- Parliament can increase the number of judges through legislation.
- Appointment
- Appointed by the President of India.
- Appointments are made under the Collegium System (as evolved through Supreme Court judgments).
- Retirement Age: Supreme Court Judges retire at 65 years.
- Removal
- Removed by the President after Parliament passes an address by a special majority on grounds of:
- Proved misbehaviour
- Incapacity
- Governed by Article 124(4).
Important Constitutional Articles
| Article | Subject |
| Article 124 | Establishment and appointment of Supreme Court judges |
| Article 126 | Acting Chief Justice |
| Article 127 | Ad hoc Judges |
| Article 128 | Retired Judges sitting in Supreme Court |
| Article 129 | Court of Record |
| Article 136 | Special Leave Petition (SLP) |
| Article 137 | Review of Judgments |
| Article 141 | Law declared by Supreme Court binding on all courts |
| Article 142 | Complete Justice |
| Article 143 | Advisory Jurisdiction |
Previous Increase in Strength
| Year | Strength (Including CJI) |
| 1950 | 8 |
| 1956 | 11 |
| 1960 | 14 |
| 1977 | 18 |
| 1986 | 26 |
| 2009 | 31 |
| 2019 | 34 |
| 2026 | 38 |
| Important CTC from this article for UPSC: Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 Speaker of Lok Sabha |