The sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court of India has been increased from 34 to 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI), following President Droupadi Murmu’s assent to the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2026.
The legislation received Presidential assent on August 11 and has since been notified in the Gazette of India. The Act will be deemed to have come into force from May 16, 2026, the date on which the President promulgated the corresponding Ordinance.
The Lok Sabha passed the legislation on August 3, while the Rajya Sabha returned it on August 5, paving the way for its enactment.
During the parliamentary debate, Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal said that Chief Justice of India Surya Kant had sought an increase in the Court’s sanctioned strength in view of the rising caseload and the difficulties in maintaining disposal rates when judges are assigned to Constitution Benches.
According to the government, more than 92,000 cases were pending before the Supreme Court as of January 1, 2026. The enhanced judicial strength is expected to increase the Court’s capacity, facilitate the constitution of larger Benches and help in reducing the mounting case backlog.
The latest legislation marks the first increase in the Supreme Court’s sanctioned strength since 2019.
The Supreme Court currently has 35 judges against the newly sanctioned strength of 38, leaving three vacancies to be filled.
The increase is expected to strengthen the functioning of the country’s highest judicial institution and improve its ability to deal with the growing volume of litigation.
