President Gives Assent to Supreme Court Judge Strength Increase Law

• President Droupadi Murmu gives assent to Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2026.
• Sanctioned strength of Supreme Court increases from 34 to 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India.
• Over 92,000 cases pending before the Supreme Court as of January 1, 2026.
• Government cites growing backlog and difficulty in maintaining case disposal rates as reasons for expansion.

The sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court will increase from 34 to 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India.

The Supreme Court of India is set to welcome an influx of new judges, with the sanctioned strength increasing from 34 to 38, including the Chief Justice of India. This move comes in response to the growing backlog of cases before the Court, which stood at over 92,000 as of January 1, 2026. The expansion aims to alleviate pressure on the existing judges and improve case disposal rates. According to government data, the Court received a significant number of cases in 2025, further exacerbating the problem.

The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2026, has undergone a thorough legislative process. Introduced by Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal in the Lok Sabha on July 20, the Bill was certified as a money bill under Article 110 of the Constitution. After passing through both Houses of Parliament, it received presidential assent on August 11. The law will come into effect from May 16, 2026, when the President promulgated the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026.

The catalyst behind this expansion was a letter penned by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 11. In it, he highlighted the difficulties in maintaining the Court's disposal rate due to an influx of cases and the need for additional judges. The CJI pointed to the example of the recently constituted nine-judge Bench that reserved judgment in the Sabarimala reference as a testament to the strain on resources. This plea was met with swift action from the government, which introduced the amendment bill in Parliament shortly thereafter.

Lawyers should watch for potential changes in case disposal rates and possible implications on the growing backlog of over 92,000 cases pending before the Supreme Court.

Source: Original reporting via [Source]