India Moves to Expand Supreme Court Bench

India’s law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha to increase the number of Supreme Court judges from 33 to 37, not including the Chief Justice of India. The bill aims to replace an ordinance issued in May and address a growing backlog of cases before the court.

The expansion of the bench represents the seventh time Parliament has revised the number of judges since 1956, bringing the total potential strength of the court, including the Chief Justice, to 38 if the bill passes.

Legal experts suggest that simply increasing the number of judges may not fully resolve the issue of case pendency. The 18th Law Commission previously recommended establishing regional benches and addressing delays in the appointment process as more effective solutions. Parliament will now debate the bill and consider a resolution disapproving of the original ordinance.