New Delhi, August 5:The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, paving the way for an increase in the sanctioned strength of judges in the apex court from 34 to 38, including the Chief Justice of India. Union Law and Justice Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, while replying to the debate on the Bill, said the move was "a demand of the time" aimed at tackling the growing backlog of cases and strengthening the judiciary's efficiency.

The Bill, which had already received approval from the Lok Sabha, was returned to the Lower House after being passed in the Rajya Sabha, completing Parliament's legislative process. The legislation replaces the Ordinance promulgated in May 2026 that had temporarily enhanced the court's sanctioned strength and marks the first increase in the number of Supreme Court judges since 2019.

Addressing the House, Meghwal said the judiciary has witnessed a steady rise in workload due to increasing litigation, evolving constitutional questions, and the growing complexity of legal issues.

"Keeping in view the increasing workload of the judiciary, the changing nature of judicial matters, and the new questions of emerging constitutional and legal interpretations, increasing the number of judges in the Supreme Court is a demand of the time and also a timely reform," the Minister said.

He informed the House that Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 11, drawing attention to the sharp rise in fresh case filings before the Supreme Court and stressing the need for additional judges to sustain the court's disposal rate.

According to Meghwal, the Chief Justice estimated that the apex court could witness an annual shortfall of nearly10,000 case disposalsif its judicial strength was not expanded. He further noted that the frequent constitution of larger Constitution Benches also reduces the number of judges available for regular hearings, resulting in delays in criminal appeals and other important matters.

The Law Minister emphasized that reducing judicial pendency remains one of the government's key priorities and that increasing the strength of the Supreme Court is part of a broader judicial reform agenda.

"To ensure that access to justice is universally accessible and universally available, the Central Government is committed to reducing pendency through speedy disposal of pending cases. Increasing the strength of Supreme Court judges is an important step towards improving judicial efficiency," he said.

Meghwal recalled that the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had approved the proposal on May 5, 2026, following which the Ordinance was issued. He added that five new Supreme Court judges were appointed on June 1, 2026, and that four special benches have since been constituted to exclusively hear the oldest pending civil and criminal cases.

Responding to concerns raised by several members regarding judicial infrastructure, the Minister said the government is undertaking a major expansion of the Supreme Court complex at an estimated cost ofRs 795.53 crore.

The expansion project, being implemented in two phases, includes the construction of28 additional courtrooms,nine Constitution Bench courtrooms,42 judges' chambers, improved facilities for advocates, and expanded parking infrastructure.

On the issue of judicial appointments, Meghwal reiterated that appointments to the higher judiciary are made through a collaborative process involving both the judiciary and the executive under the constitutional framework. He added that appointments to district courts fall within the jurisdiction of the respective High Courts and state governments.

Citing data from the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), the Minister informed the House that as of July 16, 2026, the Supreme Court had 96,024 pending cases, while the High Courts were burdened with 64.72 lakh cases, and district and subordinate courts together had 4.98 crore pending cases.

He said the government is also promoting Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)mechanisms and strengthening the e-Courts project to enhance judicial efficiency and improve access to justice across the country.

Urging members to support the legislation, Meghwal concluded his reply by saying, "We have come among you to light the lamp of reform. I request the House to pass this Bill."

Following the passage of the legislation, both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha were adjourned for the day. Proceedings in both Houses will resume at11 a.m. on Thursday.