Centre notifies ordinance to add four judges to Supreme Court
The Union government has notified an ordinance to increase the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India, to address a growing backlog of over 92,000 cases. The move, approved by President Droupadi Murmu, follows a recommendation by Chief Justice Surya Kant and aims to facilitate faster disposal of cases and formation of constitution benches. The ordinance was issued under Article 123 of the Constitution as Parliament is not in session.
- ▪The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026 increases the judge strength from 33 to 37, excluding the CJI.
- ▪President Droupadi Murmu approved the ordinance, which was published in the Gazette of India on May 17, 2026.
- ▪The proposal was recommended by CJI Surya Kant in February 2026 and approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- ▪The Supreme Court currently faces a pendency of over 92,000 cases, with challenges in constituting larger benches due to judicial shortages.
- ▪Ten judicial vacancies are expected during CJI Surya Kant's tenure, including retirements of several judges through 2026 and 2027.
Hindustan Times — Top publishes from India and files mainly under world. We currently carry 1,538 of its stories.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Centre notifies ordinance to add four judges to Supreme CourtCentre raises Supreme Court judge strength from 33 to 37 through ordinance amid pendency of over 92,000 cases and calls for more benches.Published on: May 17, 2026 9:46 AM ISTBy Utkarsh Anand, New DelhiShare viaCopy link The Union government on Saturday notified an ordinance increasing the sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court from 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India (CJI), paving the way for the appointment of four additional judges amid rising pendency and growing calls for more constitution benches.President Droupadi Murmu approves ordinance increasing Supreme Court strength by four judges to speed up disposal of pending cases.The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026 received…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Hindustan Times — Top.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from Hindustan Times — Top
