Union Cabinet Approves Increase In Number Of Supreme Court Judges

New Delhi, May 6, AIMA Media Update News : The Union Cabinet took a significant decision on Tuesday to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court, the country's apex judicial body. The Cabinet approved a proposal to raise the current strength of 34 judges (including the Chief Justice of India) to 38. Revealing these details, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that a bill regarding this matter would be introduced during the upcoming session of Parliament.

Historical Progression of the Increase in the Number of Supreme Court Judges:

Over time, the number of judges in the Supreme Court has been progressively increased to alleviate the growing burden of pending cases.

1956: Under the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, the Court initially comprised only 10 judges, excluding the Chief Justice.

1960: This number was increased to 13.

1986: The number of judges was raised from 17 to 25 (excluding the CJI).

2009: An amendment was enacted to increase the number from 25 to 30.

2019: Most recently, the number of judges was increased from 30 to 33 (excluding the CJI).

2026: According to a recent proposal, following parliamentary approval, the Supreme Court is set to have a total of 38 judges, including the Chief Justice. The central government has taken this decision with the aim of expediting the resolution of pending cases.

-- M Venkata T Reddy, News Editor And Investigative Journalist