The Supreme Court of India has now been recommended to be raised from 33 to 37 (excluding the Chief Justice of India) by the Union Cabinet. The government is going ahead with the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill 2026 to be introduced in Parliament for this purpose. The order is based on the idea of streamlining the functions of the top court and expeditious delivery of justice by disposing of pending cases quickly. The official government release said that the introduction of judges will enhance the Supreme Court’s efficiency and contribute towards consolidating the justice delivery system in the country. The salary and facilities expenses will be financed from the consolidated fund of India.
Key Reasons Behind Increasing Supreme Court Judge Strength
- The Union Cabinet gave its nod to the duo for a hike of 4 in the strength of the Supreme Court from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India.
- It happened under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi.
- The government will introduce the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, in Parliament for this change.
- The amendment is aimed at changing the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956.
- The net effect of the amendment on the number of members in the Supreme Court will be 25; after all, 3 more judges will be added at the same time the 20 will be removed.
- The main aim of improving the strength of the judiciary is to provide time-bound delivery of justice and enhance the operational efficiency of the judiciary.
- This would be expected to have a positive impact on the current pendency and backlog at the Supreme Judicial Court.
- The Supreme Court will have more judges, so it will be more efficient and effective,” the official information said.
- In accordance with clause (1) of article 124 of the Constitution of India, Parliament can assign the strength of the Supreme Court by law.
- The Supreme Court, when it was founded, was composed of seven Justices, with one Chief Justice.
- The number of Supreme Court judges has been enlarged several times over the years in amendment acts.
- The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1960, added 3 judges (to make 10).
- In 1977, the judge strength was further increased from 13 to 17 judges.
- The number of judges was increased to 25 by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 1986.
- The number of judges was raised from 25 to 30 in 2008.
- Since then, the number of judges has increased from 30 to 33 in 2019, the last significant step.
- The additional judges’ salaries, staff assistance, and properties will be paid from the Consolidated Fund of India.
- The decision is expected to fortify the judicial system and create access to justice in India in a timely fashion, as per the legal experts.
- This initiative is a part of the government’s efforts to upgrade and upscale the operations of the judiciary.
- The new judges will also enhance the grinding of important constitutional and civil cases in the Supreme Court so far.
Polity Important Questions on the Supreme Court
| Exam Name | Year | Question | Options | Answer |
| UPSC Prelims | 2014 | Who appoints the judges of the Supreme Court of India? | A) Prime Minister B) President of India C) Parliament D) Chief Justice of India | President of India |
| SSC CGL | 2020 | Which Article of the Constitution deals with the Supreme Court of India? | A) Article 32 B) Article 124 C) Article 226 D) Article 356 | Article 124 |
| SSC CHSL | 2018 | What is the retirement age of a Supreme Court judge in India? | A) 60 Years B) 62 Years C) 65 Years D) 70 Years | 65 Years |
| Railway NTPC | 2019 | Which is the highest judicial body in India? | A) High Court B) District Court C) Supreme Court D) Parliament | Supreme Court |
| State PCS | 2021 | Under which Article can citizens directly approach the Supreme Court for Fundamental Rights? | A) Article 19 B) Article 21 C) Article 32 D) Article 226 | Article 32 |
| SSC CPO | 2022 | Who administers the oath to the Chief Justice of India? | A) Prime Minister B) President of India C) Vice President D) Law Minister | President of India |
| UPSC Polity | 2017 | Which institution is known as the Guardian of the Constitution in India? | A) Parliament B) Supreme Court C) Election Commission D) Comptroller and Auditor General | Supreme Court |
| State Judiciary Exam | 2020 | The power to increase the number of Supreme Court judges lies with: | A) Supreme Court B) Parliament C) President D) Law Commission | Parliament |
| SSC GD | 2021 | In which year was the Supreme Court of India established? | A) 1947 B) 1949 C) 1950 D) 1952 | 1950 |
| UPSC Prelims | 2019 | The Supreme Court of India functions under which part of the Constitution? | A) Part III B) Part IV C) Part V D) Part VI | Part V |
Conclusion – Supreme Court of India Judges’ Strength Raised from 33 to 37
The expansion of the Supreme Court’s bench from 33 to 37 judges is a positive move towards enhancing the efficiency of the judicial system in India. The decision is aimed at curbing pendency of cases, speedy delivery of justice and enabling the functioning of the apex court. The Supreme Court will be handling more of the constitutional, civil, and criminal matters with the increased number of judges in the Supreme Court. It also indicates the government’s efforts to provide citizens across the nation with quick justice through the development of judicial infrastructure.
