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SC judge strength raised to 38, lower courts need reform: MP
Parliament has approved the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill 2026, raising the apex court's sanctioned strength from 34 to 38 judges. The Supreme Court had 92,101 pending cases as of…
The Story in Brief
Parliament has approved the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill 2026, raising the apex court's sanctioned strength from 34 to 38 judges. The Supreme Court had 92,101 pending cases as of January 1, 2026, and received 75,410 fresh filings last year while disposing of 65,615 cases.
RS MP Ashok Mittal welcomed the move but stressed that broader reform must focus on district and subordinate courts, which hold nearly 89% of the over five crore pending cases nationwide. He cited the Economic Survey’s observation that contract enforcement delays hurt ease of doing business, urging sustained investment in infrastructure, timely appointments, and digital systems.
The Indian Opinion
Raising Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38 is a good start, but the rhetoric that this alone will clear pendency is misleading. Nearly 89% of the 5 crore pending cases sit in district courts, not the apex court. The Economic Survey ties delay to ease of doing business, yet the focus stays on the top. The real test is whether the government will now speed up lower-court appointments, build infrastructure, and make digital tools work. Watch the number of judicial vacancies filled next year.
Source: legal.economictimes.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
