President Murmu Clears Path to Increase Supreme Court Strength to 38
Why it matters
The sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court is determined by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956. Starting with just eight judges in 1950, the bench has expanded periodically to manage increasing litigation. This latest move adds four positions to the existing count of 34—a cap that has been in place since 2019.
Advocate Sumit Gehlot welcomed the augmentation but cautioned that numbers do not equate to a quick fix. Effective relief requires more than just additional judges; it demands broader structural reform to clear the current backlog of civil and constitutional matters. The expanded bench strength is intended to facilitate more frequent Constitution Benches under Article 145(3) and reduce average disposal times. The process to appoint judges to these four new vacancies will follow shortly.
| Year of Amendment | Sanctioned Strength |
|---|---|
| 1950 | 8 |
| 2009 | 31 |
| 2019 | 34 |
| 2026 | 38 |
Glossary
Sanctioned Strength: The maximum number of judges authorized by law to serve on a specific court.
Pendency: The volume of cases currently awaiting final judicial adjudication.
NaukriSync Exam Angle
Polity & Governance. Key fact to memorise: Under Article 124(1) of the Constitution, it is the Parliament of India that has the power to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court through legislation. The current sanctioned strength stands at 38 including the CJI. Most likely question format: Statement-based MCQ asking about the constitutional article and the current total number of judges.