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President Murmu Approves Increase in SC Judge Strength from 33 to 37

President Droupadi Murmu has promulgated an ordinance to increase the Supreme Court's judge strength from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India. The decision aims to tackle the rising pendency of cases and improve judicial efficiency. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal announced the development, noting it follows Cabinet approval on May 5. This is the first expansion since 2019, raising total sanctioned strength including the CJI to 38.

Key Points: SC Judge Strength Increased to 37 by President Murmu

  • President Murmu promulgates Supreme Court Amendment Ordinance 2026
  • Judge strength rises from 33 to 37 excluding CJI
  • Move aims to address growing case pendency
  • Union Cabinet had approved proposal on May 5
2 min read

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

President Droupadi Murmu approves ordinance to increase Supreme Court judge strength from 33 to 37 to tackle case pendency, announced by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.

"The President is pleased to increase the Judge strength of the Supreme Court from 33 to 37 Judges (Excluding the Chief Justice of India) - Arjun Ram Meghwal"

New Delhi, May 17

President Droupadi Murmu has promulgated the Supreme Court Amendment Ordinance, 2026, increasing the sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India.

The move is aimed at addressing the growing pendency of cases and ensuring faster delivery of justice in the country's highest court.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal announced the development through a post on X.

"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, which has further amended the 'Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956'," Meghwal said in his post.

The ordinance comes days after the Union Cabinet approved a proposal to amend the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956. Earlier on May 5, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had cleared the proposal for introducing the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 in Parliament to increase the number of Supreme Court judges by four.

According to the government, the decision has been taken in view of the increasing workload of the apex court and the rising number of pending cases. The expansion in judicial strength is expected to improve efficiency in disposal of matters and reduce delays in hearings.

An Act to increase the judge strength of the Supreme Court of India was originally enacted in 1956. Since then, the sanctioned strength of judges has been revised several times in line with the increasing demands on the judiciary.

The judge strength of the Supreme Court was last increased in 2019, when Parliament amended the law to raise the number of judges from 30 to 33, excluding the Chief Justice of India, through the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2019.

With the latest amendment ordinance, the total sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court will now rise to 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India. The move is being seen as a significant step towards strengthening judicial infrastructure and enhancing access to timely justice across the country.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Priya S
Good step, but I wish they'd also focus on filling existing vacancies faster. We have judge vacancies across high courts for months. What's the point of increasing SC strength if appointments get delayed? Strictly speaking, the ordinance is welcome but execution matters more. 🤔
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Michael C
As someone who follows Indian legal system from abroad, this is a positive move. But I'm curious—will this actually reduce case pendency? In US, adding judges sometimes just increases complexity. Hope Indian judiciary handles it well. Cheers! 🇮🇳
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Vikram M
Honestly, this is long overdue. The last increase was in 2019—6 years back. With population growing and cases piling up, we need more judges. But what about infrastructure? Do we have enough courtrooms, staff, and technology? Merely increasing numbers won't fix everything. Need holistic approach.
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James A
Exciting news! India's judiciary is overburdened. This should help reduce delays in landmark cases. As a legal professional, I hope the collegium quickly recommends qualified judges. Also, why not consider more regional diversity? Supreme Court needs judges from all parts of India. 🌏
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Siddharth J
Great move by the government, but I feel we also need alternative dispute resolution mechanisms like mediation and arbitration to be strengthened. Not every case needs Supreme Court intervention. Let's reduce the load at source. Still, credit where due—this is a step in right direction. 👏

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