Cabinet approves four more judges for Supreme Court

Why in news

The Union Cabinet approved an increase in the number of Supreme Court judges from 34 to 38 to address a backlog of 92,385 cases.

Background

The Union Cabinet proposed increasing the Supreme Court judge strength from 34 to 38. The move follows a six-year hiatus since the last increase in 2019 and requires Parliamentary approval.

Facts for Prelims

• FactCurrent Supreme Court judge strength: 34
• FactProposed Supreme Court judge strength: 38
• FactCurrent Supreme Court case backlog: 92,385
• FactLast increase in Supreme Court judge strength: 2019

For Mains

Q. Discuss the institutional and structural reasons for the mounting judicial backlog in India and evaluate the effectiveness of increasing judge strength as a primary solution.

Dimensions to cover in your answer

• Judicial infrastructure: Shortage of physical courtrooms and specialized benches for complex litigation
• Procedural bottlenecks: Delays in the filing and processing of interlocutory applications
• Human resource constraints: High vacancy rates and retirement cycles affecting case disposal rates

Keywords: Judicial backlog · Judicial infrastructure · Case pendency · Judicial reforms · Institutional capacity

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