Lok Sabha Passes Bill to Increase Supreme Court Judges' Strength to 37

New Delhi: The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, paving the way for increasing the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India.

The Bill, moved by Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, seeks to amend the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956. The move follows an ordinance promulgated by President Droupadi Murmu in May this year to increase the number of judges.

Introducing the Bill, Meghwal said the amendment was aimed at improving the efficiency of the judiciary and addressing the growing backlog of cases. He said expanding the strength of the apex court would help speed up the disposal of pending cases and ensure timely justice.

According to official data, more than 92,000 cases were pending in the Supreme Court as of January 1, 2026. Last year, the court received 75,410 new cases while disposing of over 65,000 cases, highlighting the need for additional judges to reduce the backlog.

Earlier in the day, amid Opposition protests over the alleged police action against students during the NEET protests, Statistics and Programme Implementation Minister Rao Inderjit Singh introduced the Indian Statistical Institute Bill, 2026, which seeks to provide a comprehensive statutory framework for the Indian Statistical Institute.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also introduced the Bankers' Books Evidence Bill, 2026, aimed at updating laws relating to bankers' records in line with modern digital banking practices.

Parliamentary proceedings were repeatedly disrupted by Opposition members demanding a statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the alleged police action against students, leading to adjournments before the House resumed legislative business in the afternoon.

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