Parliament Clears Bill to Increase Supreme Court Judge Strength

The Rajya Sabha passed a bill to increase the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38. The Law Minister informed the House that the government brought the legislation following a formal request from the Chief Justice of India to the Prime Minister. This move aims to address the growing volume of cases and ensure the apex court functions more efficiently. The Lok Sabha had already cleared the bill, making this a significant legislative milestone for the current monsoon session.

The Law Minister emphasized that the primary objective is to reduce the massive backlog of cases currently pending in the Supreme Court. During the debate, senior lawyer and Congress MP Vivek Tankha questioned if simply appointing four more judges would be enough to clear the deep-seated pendency issues. The government maintained that this expansion is a necessary step towards faster justice delivery. The increase comes at a time when the judiciary is facing intense scrutiny over the timeline of sensitive legal proceedings and constitutional matters.

Amidst the legislative process, MP Guruswamy urged the government to prioritize diversity in judicial appointments. He suggested that more women and queer judges should be elevated to the top court to ensure a more representative judiciary. While the bill focuses on numerical strength, the discussion highlighted a broader demand for structural reforms in the appointment process. The next immediate step is for the President to sign the bill, after which the process of selecting the new judges will begin.