Why in News?
The Lok Sabha passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, to raise the sanctioned number of Supreme Court judges from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India.
What will the Bill change?
- The total sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court will rise from 34 to 38 when the Chief Justice of India is included.
- The Bill amends the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956 and follows an ordinance issued earlier in 2026.
- The increase is intended to help the Court deal with a large backlog of pending cases.
Exam Connect
- Supreme Court → Article 124
- Parliament → can determine the number of Supreme Court judges by law
- Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act → 1956