President Murmu assents to law raising Supreme Court strength to 38 judges

President of India Droupadi Murmu has given assent to the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2026, which increases the Court's sanctioned strength from 34 to 38 judges, including the Chief Justice of India, according to Bar & Bench and LiveLaw. Bar & Bench reports that assent came on August 11 and that the Act has been notified in the Gazette of India. The headline of its report refers to an increase from 33 to 37 judges; its text gives the figures as 34 to 38 including the CJI. Bar & Bench reports that the Act is deemed to have come into force on May 16, 2026, the date the President promulgated the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026. The Act repeals the Ordinance while protecting all actions already taken under it. Bar & Bench reports that Arjun Ram Meghwal, whom it styles Union Minister of State for Law and Justice, introduced the Bill in the Lok Sabha on July 20. LiveLaw calls him Union Law Minister. Both sources report that the Lok Sabha passed the Bill on August 3 and that the Rajya Sabha then considered and returned it; Bar & Bench dates the Rajya Sabha step to August 5. Bar & Bench reports it was certified as a money bill under Article 110 of the Constitution. Both sources report that Meghwal said Chief Justice of India Surya Kant wrote to the Prime Minister on May 11 seeking an increase in sanctioned strength. Both report that the CJI pointed to growing case inflow and to the effect of Constitution Benches on the disposal rate. Bar & Bench says the nine-judge Bench hearing the Sabarimala reference was cited as an example. Bar & Bench reports the government said more than 92,000 cases were pending as of January 1, 2026. In 2025 the Court received 75,410 fresh matters and disposed of a little over 65,000. It reports 35 judges are serving against a sanctioned strength of 38, leaving three vacancies, and that this is the first increase since 2019.