Lok Sabha to Take Up Supreme Court Judges Increase Bill During Monsoon Session

The Government announced it will introduce a Bill in the Lok Sabha during the Monsoon Session 2026 to increase the number of Supreme Court judges. This move aims to address the persistent backlog of cases and enhance judicial capacity of India's apex court. Background: Article 124(1) of the Constitution prescribes the number of Supreme Court judges (currently 34 including Chief Justice). Increasing this requires a Constitutional Amendment or legislation under Article 124. Current Context: India's judicial system faces massive case backlogs — over 50+ million cases pending across courts. Supreme Court alone has 60,000+ pending cases. The rise in cases necessitates enhanced judicial infrastructure and personnel. Historical Precedent: Supreme Court judges were previously increased from 14 to 26 (1956), then to 31 (1977). Previous attempts to increase judges have faced debate on quality vs. quantity. Why It Matters: (1) Judicial Efficiency: More judges enable faster case disposal; (2) Access to Justice: Reduces litigant wait times; (3) Institutional Capacity: Strengthens Supreme Court's functioning; (4) Constitutional Amendment Implications: May require multi-party consensus. Exam Connection: Constitutional amendment procedure, judicial independence, separation of powers, access to justice. Expected UPSC questions on constitutional amendments, Supreme Court structure, judicial reform. Legal and Governance angles on institutional expansion.