Supreme Court strengthens bench as CJI swears in three new judges

Chief Justice Surya Kant formally inducted three new judges into the Supreme Court during a ceremony held at the top court's premises on Wednesday, advancing the institution's long-delayed judicial expansion agenda. The swearing-in of the trio takes the Court's functional bench to 37 judges, including the Chief Justice himself. The three appointments represent significant progress in filling vacancies that have plagued India's apex court for months. The Supreme Court's sanctioned strength was recently enhanced from 34 to 38 judges through the Supreme Court Amendment Act, 2026, a legislative measure aimed at addressing the persistent backlog of cases pending across the Indian judiciary. With the induction of these three judges, the Court is approaching its full authorized complement, marking a milestone in efforts to bolster judicial capacity. The expansion is expected to facilitate more efficient case disposition and reduce pendency across the apex court's various benches. The appointments underline the government and judiciary's commitment to strengthening India's judicial infrastructure amid mounting caseloads in lower courts.