President Assents to Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2026

The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2026 received the assent of the President on 11th August, 2026. The Act was published in the Gazette of India (Extraordinary, Part II, Section 1) on the same day by the Ministry of Law and Justice, Legislative Department, as No. 14 of 2026. It amends Section 2 of the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, raising the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court from thirty-three judges to thirty-seven judges and the Chief Justice of India. 

Commencement

Although assent was granted and the Act published on 11th August, 2026, the legislation is deemed to have come into force on 16th May, 2026. 

Key Provisions

• The legislation is to be called the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act, 2026, and is deemed to have taken effect from 16th May, 2026.
• In Section 2 of the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, the word "thirty-three" has been substituted with the word "thirty-seven," increasing the Supreme Court's sanctioned judicial strength by four judges. The Act follows an earlier stage of this process, when the number of judges was raised through an Ordinance. (Read more on how the increase in judges' numbers was expected to speed up the disposal of cases)
• The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026 stands repealed by this Act. However, anything done or any action taken under the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, as it stood amended by the said Ordinance, is deemed to have been done or taken under the corresponding provisions of the Act as now amended.

Legislative Passage

The Bill was passed by both Houses of Parliament and certified by the Speaker as a Money Bill within the meaning of Article 110 of the Constitution of India, prior to receiving Presidential assent.  

This is the latest amendment to the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, which has been revised multiple times since its enactment to alter the Court's sanctioned strength.  
 

Sr. Adv. Maneka Guruswamy during consideration of Bill in Parliament

Also read: A look back at how the Supreme Court's judicial strength has grown from 8 judges in 1950 to the present count traces this legislative history.