Rajya Sabha passes bill to increase Supreme Court judges to 38

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, raising the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38, including the Chief Justice of India. Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal called the increase a 'demand of the time' to address rising pendency and evolving judicial matters. The bill, already passed by the Lok Sabha, replaces a May 2026 ordinance and marks the first increase since 2019.