President Murmu Clears Path to Increase Supreme Court Strength to 38
President Droupadi Murmu has approved a hike in the Supreme Court’s sanctioned judicial strength from 34 to 38. While officials anticipate this will reduce case backlogs, legal practitioners warn that headcount expansion alone is insufficient to address systemic judicial inefficiencies. President Murmu approves increasing Supreme Court Judge strength from 34 to 38 Advocate Sumit Gehlot, a Supreme Court lawyer known for his views on constitutional and judicial issues, said the move was welcome but noted.
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.
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