India Supreme Court Sanctioned Strength Increased to 38: CJI Surya Kant's Proposal Gets Presidential Assent

• President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2026, increasing the sanctioned strength from 34 to 38 judges.
• The increase in sanctioned strength is expected to provide room for the appointment of additional judges to bring the Court closer to its newly sanctioned capacity.
• The Supreme Court is dealing with a substantial inflow of cases and an expanding Constitution Bench workload, which has been cited as one of the key factors behind the move.

The increase in sanctioned strength is expected to provide room for the appointment of additional judges to bring the Court closer to its newly sanctioned capacity.

The Supreme Court's sanctioned strength has been increased 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. This move comes after Parliament approved the increase in the Court's judicial strength, which was first proposed by CJI Surya Kant in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 11, 2026. The CJI highlighted the growing inflow of cases and the need for the Supreme Court to maintain a high daily disposal rate, as well as the impact of Constitution Bench proceedings on regular work.

The increase in sanctioned strength is expected to provide room for the appointment of additional judges to bring the Court closer to its newly sanctioned capacity. The current working strength of 32 judges, including the CJI, remains below the sanctioned strength. This development has significant implications for the country's highest constitutional court, which is dealing with a substantial inflow of cases and an expanding Constitution Bench workload.

The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2026, marks another increase in the statutory strength of the country's highest constitutional court. The last time the sanctioned strength was increased was in 2019, when Parliament raised it from 30 to 33 judges, excluding the CJI. Article 124 of the Constitution provides that the Supreme Court shall consist of the Chief Justice of India and such number of other judges as Parliament may prescribe by law.

The amendment is part of a broader effort to address the growing case burden and demands of Constitution Bench adjudication. The Union Government had promulgated an ordinance on May 17, 2026, to raise the strength, which was later replaced by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026. The legislation has now been given statutory effect following presidential assent.

The increase in sanctioned strength is expected to have a significant impact on the Supreme Court's daily operations. With a growing inflow of cases and an expanding Constitution Bench workload, the Court will need to adapt to its new capacity. The appointment of additional judges will provide much-needed relief to the existing bench, which has been struggling to keep up with the increasing case load.

The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2026, is a significant development for the country's highest constitutional court. It marks another step towards ensuring that the Court can effectively discharge its duties and maintain its high standards of justice delivery.

Lawyers and compliance officers should watch for potential appointments to fill the newly sanctioned positions, which could lead to increased efficiency in case disposal and potentially affect existing court proceedings.

Source: Original reporting via [Source]