The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a proposal to increase the sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court of India from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India (CJI). For this, the government will introduce the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 in Parliament to amend the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956.
The move aims to improve the efficiency of the Supreme Court, reduce the growing pendency of cases, and ensure speedy justice. Expenses related to salaries, staff, and infrastructure for the additional judges will be funded through the Consolidated Fund of India.
Under Article 124 of the Constitution of India, Parliament has the authority to determine the number of Supreme Court judges. Since Independence, the strength of the apex court has gradually increased from 8 judges to 33 judges in 2019, and the latest proposal seeks to raise it further to 37 judges.
