President Droupadi Murmu has officially approved a significant increase in the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court of India, raising the number of judges from 34 to 38. This legislative update, announced this week in New Delhi, aims to address the persistent challenge of judicial backlog and improve the efficiency of the country’s highest court.
Understanding the Judicial Expansion
The decision to expand the bench size comes as the Indian judiciary grapples with an ever-increasing volume of litigation. Under the Constitution of India, the power to prescribe the number of judges in the Supreme Court rests with the Parliament, which periodically updates the strength to keep pace with the growing caseload.
The sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court has seen multiple revisions since its inception in 1950, when it began with only eight judges. The last major increase occurred in 2019, when the strength was raised from 31 to 34 to accommodate the rising number of appeals and constitutional petitions reaching the apex court.
Analyzing the Pendency Challenge
Despite the increase in judicial seats, legal experts remain cautious about the impact of numerical expansion alone. Supreme Court advocate Sumit Gehlot, known for his analysis of constitutional matters, acknowledged the government’s move as a positive step toward institutional growth.
However, Gehlot emphasized that simply adding more judges may not be a panacea for the systemic delays currently plaguing the legal system. “While the increase is welcome, it is crucial to recognize that the pendency of cases is a multifaceted issue that requires structural reforms beyond just headcount,
