President Murmu approves increasing Supreme Court's strength to 38 Judges from 33

President Droupadi Murmu has officially approved the Union Cabinet's decision to increase the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court of India from 33 to 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India. Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal announced on Sunday via social media that the President has promulgated an ordinance to amend the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956. This amendment specifically raises the number of judges from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice. The ordinance follows a decisive approval by the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on May 5, 2026.

The government emphasized that this significant expansion is aimed directly at strengthening the apex court and ensuring the quicker delivery of justice. The judicial system is currently facing tremendous pressure, with more than 92,000 cases pending before the Supreme Court. To formalize this transition seamlessly, the Union Cabinet has also approved a proposal to introduce the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, in Parliament during its upcoming session.

Under Article 124(1) of the Constitution of India, Parliament holds the absolute authority to determine and alter the number of Supreme Court judges through statutory legislation. Over the decades, the court’s structural strength has been periodically revised to handle growing caseloads. The baseline was established by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, which initially fixed the strength at just 10 judges, excluding the Chief Justice.