Droupadi Murmu approves increase in SC judge strength from 33 to 37

President Droupadi Murmu has promulgated the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, increasing the sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court of India from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India, in a major move aimed at tackling mounting case pendency and speeding up the delivery of justice.

The ordinance raises the total sanctioned strength of the apex court to 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India.

Announcing the development, Union minister of state (independent charge) for law and justice Arjun Ram Meghwal said the president had approved the expansion through an ordinance amending the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956.

“The President is pleased to increase the Judge strength of the Supreme Court from 33 to 37 Judges (Excluding the Chief Justice of India) by promulgating The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026,” Meghwal posted on X.

The move comes shortly after the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a proposal to amend the 1956 law and introduce the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 in Parliament.

According to the government, the decision was taken in response to the increasing workload of the apex court and the steady rise in pending litigation across the country.

Officials said the expansion in judicial strength is expected to improve the efficiency of case disposal, reduce delays in hearings and strengthen the overall functioning of the judiciary.

The Supreme Court’s sanctioned strength has been revised multiple times since the original legislation was enacted in 1956 to keep pace with rising judicial demands.

The last major revision came in 2019, when Parliament increased the number of judges from 30 to 33, excluding the Chief Justice of India, through the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2019.

Legal experts view the latest expansion as a significant step towards improving judicial infrastructure and enhancing citizens’ access to timely justice, particularly at a time when courts across India continue to grapple with heavy case backlogs.

With IANS inputs