On Tuesday, the Union Cabinet cleared a proposal to introduce the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 in Parliament. The legislation aims to revise the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, by adding four more judges to the Supreme Court of India, raising its sanctioned strength from 33 to 37, not including the Chief Justice of India.
The government says the decision is intended to enhance the efficiency and functioning of the apex court.
With an increased strength of judges, the Supreme Court is expected to manage cases more efficiently and help reduce the backlog, thereby ensuring faster delivery of justice, according to a PIB release.
According to the official statement, the extra spending on judges’ salaries, support staff, and associated infrastructure will be financed from the Consolidated Fund of India, the release stated.