JudiciaryImportant2025-08-29

Supreme Court Reaches Full Sanctioned Strength of 34 Judges

In News

What Happened

On August 29, 2025, Chief Justice B.R. Gavai administered the oath of office to Justices Alok Aradhe and Vipul Pancholi. This elevation brought the Supreme Court back to its maximum sanctioned strength of 34 judges. The appointments followed the Central Government's clearance of a Supreme Court Collegium recommendation, which notably included a recorded dissent from Justice B.V. Nagarathna.

Why It Matters

Operating at full capacity is crucial for the Supreme Court to manage its massive backlog of pending cases and constitute necessary Constitutional Benches. Timely appointments also reflect the functional dynamics between the executive branch and the judicial collegium in upholding the Memorandum of Procedure for Judicial Appointments.

Background

History & Context

The sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court was increased from 31 to 34 (including the Chief Justice of India) by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act of 2019. Appointments to the higher judiciary are governed by the Collegium system, which was cemented by the Third Judges Case (1998) and operates under the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP). The Collegium for Supreme Court appointments consists of the CJI and the four senior-most judges, whose recommendations are sent to the Central Government for final notification.

What Changed

▶
BEFORE: The Supreme Court was functioning with 32 judges, creating two vacancies that increased the burden on existing judicial benches. NOW: The Court operates at its maximum statutory strength of 34 judges, including the CJI.
▶
BEFORE: The Collegium's recommendation faced internal debate and a formal dissent regarding the chosen candidates. NOW: The Central Government cleared the names despite the lack of complete unanimity, moving the appointment process forward under the MoP.
▶
BEFORE: The backlog of cases continued to rise due to the shortage of judicial hands at the apex level. NOW: A full-strength court allows the Chief Justice to allocate more division and constitutional benches to expedite case disposals.

Prelims Angle

NCERT Connection

This event directly connects to Class 11 Political Science (Indian Constitution at Work), Chapter 6 - Judiciary. It illustrates the practical application of the collegium system for judicial appointments and highlights the ongoing dynamics between judicial independence and executive approval discussed in the curriculum.

Practice Questions

Q1

Correct Statement(s)

Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the appointment and strength of Supreme Court Judges in India? 1. The sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court of India is permanently fixed by the Constitution and can only be changed via a Constitutional Amendment. 2. The Supreme Court Collegium for appointing apex court judges consists of the Chief Justice of India and the four senior-most judges of the Court.

Up next