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21 July 2026

Supreme Court Bill on judge strength

The topic concerns a specific legislative amendment regarding the structural composition of the Supreme Court, which directly relates to judicial administration and the functioning of constitutional institutions.

1 min read Day 1 of 2 2 questions 1 prelims

Notes

  • The Union government introduced the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha to increase the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38.
  • The Bill seeks to replace the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, which was promulgated in May.
  • As of January 1, the Supreme Court had 92,101 pending cases.
  • In 2025, the court registered 75,410 new cases while disposing of 65,615 matters, indicating that the rate of institution exceeds the rate of disposal.
  • The increase in judge strength aims to improve docket management, address older pending matters, and facilitate the more regular constitution of larger Benches for substantial questions of law.
  • The Financial Memorandum estimates an annual recurring expenditure of ₹10.56 crore for four additional judges and staff, with a one-time initial cost of ₹3.47 crore for infrastructure and vehicles.

Part of a longer story

This is day 1 of 2 in Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, which has been running since 21 July 2026. Reading it whole is usually worth more than reading today alone — the exam asks how something developed.

Questions

  1. Analyze the relationship between the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court and the management of judicial pendency in India. Discuss why increasing the number of judges is considered a necessary, albeit partial, solution to the backlog of cases. 150 words
    Attempt this — 150 words in 8 min
    0 / 150 words 8:00
  2. The persistent gap between the institution and disposal of cases in the Supreme Court poses significant challenges to the administration of justice. Critically examine the institutional and procedural reforms required beyond merely increasing the sanctioned strength of judges to ensure timely adjudication of constitutional and legal matters. 250 words
    Attempt this — 250 words in 11 min
    0 / 250 words 11:00

Prelims

  1. What is the current process for increasing the sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court of India?

Syllabus

Topics

Sources

250words.in · https://250words.in/daily/2026-07-21/supreme-court-bill-on-judge-strength