Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill passed in Rajya Sabha NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, which seeks to increase the number of Supreme Court judges from the present 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India.The bill, approved through a voice vote, seeks to replace an ordinance that raised the sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court.The Upper House cleared the legislation and returned it to the Lok Sabha, as it is a Money Bill.During a brief discussion, Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal described the measure as part of judicial reforms aimed at reducing case pendency.”The increase of judges in the Supreme Court is a step to improve judicial efficiency. We will adopt an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanism using arbitration, mediation and conciliation to help reduce pendency in cases,” Meghwal said, according to PTI.Meghwal added that the central government is committed to working in coordination with the judiciary in this regard.The Opposition staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha during the discussion on the legislation.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorKaran ManralKaran Manral is a journalist at the Times of India. He covers politics, social issues, and international affairs, exploring stories that affect people’s everyday lives. He also writes explainers to make these stories easier for readers to follow.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’We Feel Cheated’: Jharkhand Student Protesters Voice Anger Over JPSC-JSSC Exam Row’If You Won’t Listen, Then Who Will?’: Jharkhand Student’s Msg To Hemant Soren Over JPSC-JSSC RowIndia Responds After Pakistan Deploys Chinese SH-15 Howitzers Along BorderJharkhand Mob Lynching: Rape Accused Beaten To Death, Police Probe POCSO Case And Mob ViolenceGovt May Allow Merchant Charges On UPI Payments Above Rs 2,000SC Proposes Fuel Ban For Uninsured Vehicles, Calls For Automatic E-ChallansWest Bengal Clears Fast-Track Land Acquisition For Strategic Rail Link Near DoklamSecurity On High Alert: Pak Drone Sighted In Jammu On Eve Of Article 370 Abrogation AnniversaryNot A Single Woman In Karnataka Cabinet? Congress Faces Tough QuestionsExplained: Why Jharkhand Students Are Distancing Their JPSC Protest From The Jantar Mantar Agitation123PhotostoriesKriti Sanon’s 3,000-crystal ivory Gaurav Gupta lehenga looks like fashion imagined beyond EarthWhat happens when you mix baking soda, detergent, and toothpaste? 3 reasons to use this combination in your kitchen‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ star Tom Holland’s box office report card: Top-earning movies of your friendly-neighbourhood spiderFrom a dream closet to an exquisite art and painting collection: Inside Orry’s ultra-luxurious home’UK07 Rider’ Anurag Dobhal accuses wife of cheating during pregnancy, Ritika Chauhan reacts; here’s everything that’s happened so far10 Himachali dishes that are naturally healthyNormal blood sugar doesn’t always mean you’re healthy: Hyderabad doctor explains the silent metabolic problem that can begin years before diabetesFrom animal fat to graphite brows: Ancient China’s beauty rituals were more advanced than you thinkGhajini actor Pradeep Rawat died after blood cancer relapse: Doctors explain why the disease can return years after successful treatmentScientists have discovered 14,000-year-old flatbread, the earliest known evidence of bread-making at a dig site123Hot PicksRBI MeetingGold Rate TodayStock Market TodayICMAI June 2026 toppers listTamil Nadu Budget SessionTN supplementary resultSpaceXUPI transactionsD Y PatilTop TrendingRBI MPC MeetingVande Matram StanzaUdhayanidhi StalinBritish ReturnsPM ModiTamil Nadu Budget Session 2026Air India FlightD Y Patil DeathTamil Nadu BudgetShradha Singh
NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, which seeks to increase the number of Supreme Court judges from the present 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India.The bill, approved through a voice vote, seeks to replace an ordinance that raised the sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court.The Upper House cleared the legislation and returned it to the Lok Sabha, as it is a Money Bill.During a brief discussion, Union law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal described the measure as part of judicial reforms aimed at reducing case pendency.“The increase of judges in the Supreme Court is a step to improve judicial efficiency. We will adopt an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanism using arbitration, mediation and conciliation to help reduce pendency in cases,” Meghwal said, according to PTI.Meghwal added that the central government is committed to working in coordination with the judiciary in this regard.The Opposition staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha during the discussion on the legislation.
