Lok Sabha Passes Bill to Increase Supreme Court Judges Without Debate, House Adjourned

The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, paving the way for increasing the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court from 34 to 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI). The legislation replaces an ordinance issued earlier by the Centre to address the growing workload and pendency of cases in the country's highest court.

The Supreme Court, established under Part V, Chapter IV of the Constitution of India, is the country's highest judicial authority and the final interpreter of the Constitution. Under Article 124, Parliament has the power to determine the number of judges in the apex court through legislation, allowing the sanctioned strength to be increased as judicial needs evolve.

The bill was cleared without any debate as proceedings in the House remained disrupted due to continuous sloganeering by Opposition members over the alleged NEET paper leak and the alleged theft of donations at the Ram Temple.

Before the bill was taken up, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal briefly introduced the legislation and urged the House to consider it. The Chair also invited members to speak on a statutory resolution moved by Opposition MPs seeking to disapprove the ordinance through which the increase in judges' strength had initially been notified.

However, with protests continuing inside the House, no discussion could take place. The statutory resolution was rejected by a voice vote, following which the amendment bill was also put to vote and passed.

The move is expected to help strengthen the functioning of the Supreme Court by allowing the appointment of four additional judges, a step aimed at improving the disposal of pending cases and reducing the burden on the judiciary. The government has said expanding the court's strength is necessary to ensure timely access to justice, a key principle embedded in the constitutional framework.

The passage of the legislation comes just days after the Lok Sabha approved another important bill relating to the registration of births and deaths, which was also passed without a debate amid disruptions.

Following the clearance of the Supreme Court judges' bill, the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day, bringing Monday's proceedings to a close amid continued Opposition protests.