3 weeks ago
Rajya Sabha passes Bill raising Supreme Court judges to 38
In India, the Supreme Court is the highest court that decides very important cases.
The government wanted to add four more judges to the Supreme Court, increasing the total from 34 to 38.
The Rajya Sabha, one of the two houses of India's Parliament, said yes to this plan with a voice vote.
The plan replaced a special rule called an ordinance that the government had made in May.
Some leaders were unhappy and said the government was in too much of a hurry to use the ordinance.
They also said the court does not have enough judges from different groups, like women, lower castes, and minorities.
Other leaders said the court should have more branches in different cities, like Chennai.
The government said the new judges will help finish cases that have been waiting for a long time.
Many leaders agreed that crores of people in India are still waiting for justice, but they disagreed on how to fix the problem.
The Rajya Sabha passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026 by voice vote, raising the apex court's judge strength from 34 to 38, including the Chief Justice of India.
The Bill replaces an ordinance promulgated in May and was cleared by the Lok Sabha as a Money Bill on Monday.
Opposition MPs questioned the government's use of the ordinance route and staged walkouts while raising the diversity deficit in judicial appointments.
Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the four new judges would enable dedicated benches for long-pending cases, with judge availability rising from about 16 per million people in 2014 to 22 now.
Opposition MPs demanded more district court judges and regional benches, citing 5.07 crore people awaiting justice, while earlier protests sought Home Minister Amit Shah's response on police action against student protesters.
- Who
- The Rajya Sabha (Upper House), Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, and Opposition MPs from Congress, TMC, DMK, AAP, JMM and National Conference.
- What
- Passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, which increases the Supreme Court's judge strength from 34 to 38, including the Chief Justice of India.
- Where
- Rajya Sabha, Parliament of India, New Delhi.
- When
- Wednesday; the Lok Sabha had passed the Bill on Monday.
- Why
- To increase the strength of Supreme Court judges so the court can set up dedicated benches to hear long-pending cases.
Opposition's concerns
Government's position
Ordinance route
Opposition's concerns
Congress MP Vivek Tankha asked why the government rushed an ordinance just four days before the Supreme Court's summer vacation, when Parliament was due to meet in July anyway.
Government's position
Meghwal said the four new judges would enable the court to set up dedicated benches to hear long-pending cases; no defence of the ordinance's timing was recorded in the article.
Diversity in judicial appointments
Opposition's concerns
Menaka Guruswamy said the Bill does not address the judiciary's problems, claiming the Centre will not appoint women, lower castes, religious minorities or gay people; MPs cited data showing low SC/ST/minority numbers among recent appointments.
Government's position
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Centre notifies appointments, but the recommendations come from the Supreme Court Collegium.
Where judges are needed
Opposition's concerns
MPs demanded more judges in district courts where crores of cases are pending, and regional benches such as one in Chennai, saying access to justice should be made easily available.
Government's position
Meghwal said it is the responsibility of the respective High Courts and state governments to fill vacancies in the subordinate courts.
Key facts
- Bill
- Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026
- Judge strength
- Increased from 34 to 38, including the Chief Justice of India
- Replaces
- An ordinance promulgated in May
- Passage
- Lok Sabha on Monday; Rajya Sabha by voice vote on Wednesday after a nearly two-hour discussion
- Law Minister
- Arjun Ram Meghwal
- Judicial appointments (2021-2026)
- Of 593 judges appointed to the Supreme Court and High Courts, 26 were SC, 14 ST, 80 OBC, 37 minorities and 96 women were appointed to High Courts
- Judges per million
- About 16 in 2014, rising to 22 now (per Meghwal)
- Cases pending
- 5.07 crore people waiting for justice in courts across India (per Mahua Maji)
Quotes
Arjun Ram Meghwal
Law and Justice Minister, India
“"The problems are that the Central government will not appoint women to the judiciary, they will not appoint lower castes to the judiciary, they will not appoint religious minorities to the judiciary, they will not appoint gay people to the judiciary."”
indianexpress.com
“"The four new judges would enable the court to set up dedicated benches to hear long-pending cases."”
indianexpress.com
P Wilson
DMK MP and advocate
“"There is a diversity deficit in the High Courts and Supreme Court."”
indianexpress.com










