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24 Jul 2026POLITY3 questions

From 34 to 38: Parliament Enlarges the Supreme Court, and an Old Debate Returns

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Article summary

Parliament has taken up the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, introduced in the Lok Sabha by the Law Minister to raise the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court from 33 judges besides the Chief Justice of India to 37 — a full court of 38 including the Chief Justice. The Bill replaces the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026 promulgated on 16 May 2026, and amends the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, which fixes the court's strength by ordinary legislation rather than in the Constitution. Article 124 sets the composition of the court as the Chief Justice and not more than such number of other judges as Parliament may by law prescribe, which is the constitutional source of that flexibility. The stated purpose is faster disposal against a large and rising pendency, but the reform reopens a long-running debate over whether more judges addresses the causes of arrears or only their symptoms.

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recallTests whether you read the article and retained key facts.
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applicationTests whether you can apply the concept to a new scenario.
1Q
analysisTests whether you can reason across multiple related facts.
1Q

Sample questions — answers revealed after test

POLITYRecallEasy

Q1. An ordinance promulgated by the President under Article 123 has which of the following characteristics?

AIt is a permanent law that remains in force until expressly repealed by Parliament.
BIt has the same force as an Act of Parliament but must be laid before both Houses and ceases to operate unless approved within six weeks of their reassembly.
CIt can be issued only when at least one House of Parliament is in session.
DIt is immune from judicial review in all circumstances.
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POLITYApplicationMedium

Q2. A commentator argues that raising the number of Supreme Court judges treats a symptom of pendency rather than its cause. Which one of the following best supports that argument?

APendency is caused solely by a shortage of courtrooms, which more judges cannot address.
BPendency is generated upstream by the volume of appeals admitted, procedural delay, and the state being the largest litigant, so adding disposal capacity without curbing inflow allows the backlog to reconstitute itself.
CMore judges would reduce the quality of judgments, worsening pendency.
DThe Constitution prohibits any increase in the number of judges.
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POLITYAnalysisHard

Q3. Consider the following statements about the strength of the Supreme Court of India: 1. Article 124(1) fixes only a minimum, providing for the Chief Justice and, until Parliament prescribes a larger number, not more than seven other judges. 2. The operative strength of the court is set by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956 and can be changed by ordinary legislation. 3. Because the court's strength is fixed in the Constitution, enlarging it requires a constitutional amendment passed by special majority. Which of the statements given above are correct?

A1 and 2 only
B1 only
C2 and 3 only
D1, 2 and 3
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