Government says the move will improve judicial efficiency and help reduce the backlog of pending cases.

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed a bill seeking to raise the sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court from 34 to 38, including the Chief Justice of India (CJI), through a voice vote.

The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Bill, which replaces an earlier ordinance issued for increasing the number of judges in the apex court, was approved by the Upper House amid protests by Opposition members over other issues. The legislation was subsequently sent back to the Lok Sabha as it is a Money Bill.

Responding to the discussion, Union Minister of State for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal said the increase in the number of judges is part of the government's ongoing judicial reforms aimed at improving the efficiency of the justice delivery system and reducing the backlog of pending cases.

Meghwal said the government is working on the principle of "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas" and added that reforms are being introduced across sectors. He said strengthening the Supreme Court's judicial capacity would help enhance efficiency and ensure faster disposal of cases.

The minister also underlined the importance of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, including arbitration, mediation and conciliation, in reducing the burden on courts. He said the Centre would continue to coordinate with the judiciary to address challenges related to case pendency.

Supporting the bill, AIADMK member I S Inbadurai described the move to increase the Supreme Court's sanctioned strength to 38 judges as a significant and necessary reform. He also called for filling vacancies in the Madras High Court, where 52 judges are currently serving against the sanctioned strength of 75.

Shiv Sena member Dr Jyoti N Waghmare said the legislation would strengthen public confidence in the judicial system and contribute to speedy justice delivery.

The discussion on the bill saw participation from members including Rajendra Jain of the NCP, Sanjay Singh of the AAP, Milind Deora of Shiv Sena, Vijay Chintakayala of the TDP and Mahua Maji of the JMM.

The increase in the sanctioned strength of judges is expected to help the Supreme Court manage its rising workload and improve the pace of case disposal.