Centre Notifies Ordinance to Increase Supreme Court Judge Strength by 4

May 17, 2026

Delhi: The Centre has notified an ordinance to increase the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court of India by four judges in a major move aimed at reducing the mounting backlog of pending cases and improving the efficiency of the country’s judicial system. With this decision, the total strength of the apex court will rise from 34 to 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India.

The ordinance comes after the Union Cabinet earlier approved the proposal to amend the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956. The move marks the first increase in the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court since 2019.

Move Aimed at Tackling Rising Case Pendency

According to official figures, more than 92,000 cases are currently pending before the Supreme Court, raising concerns over delays in the delivery of justice. Legal experts and judicial observers have repeatedly stressed the need for additional judges and structural reforms to ensure faster disposal of cases.

Government sources stated that increasing the number of judges would help the court function more efficiently, allow more Constitution Bench matters to be heard and improve access to timely justice for litigants across the country.

Several Increases Made Since 1956

The strength of the Supreme Court has been revised multiple times since the enactment of the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act in 1956. Initially, the apex court had a sanctioned strength of 8 judges, including the Chief Justice of India.

Over the decades, the number was gradually increased through amendments in 1960, 1977, 1986, 2008 and 2019 in response to rising litigation and expanding judicial responsibilities. The last revision in 2019 increased the judge strength from 31 to 34.

Legal Experts Seek Broader Judicial Reforms

While welcoming the decision, several legal experts have argued that merely increasing the number of judges may not fully solve the problem of judicial delays. Many have called for additional reforms such as regional benches of the Supreme Court, better case management systems and faster appointment processes to strengthen the judiciary further.

The ordinance is expected to pave the way for fresh appointments to the apex court in the coming months through the collegium recommendation process.