Rajya Sabha passes bill to increase number of SC judges, returns it to Lok 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.