The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, has approved an ordinance to increase the sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court from 33 to 37, bringing the total to 38, including the Chief Justice of India. This decision, announced by Union Minister for Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal, aims to address the rising pendency of cases and improve the efficiency of justice delivery. The Union Cabinet had previously approved this proposal on May 5, 2026, emphasizing the necessity for additional judges to manage the growing workload. Legal professionals have largely welcomed this move, citing it as a much-needed step to tackle the backlog of nearly 95,000 pending cases. However, some experts argue that merely increasing the number of judges is insufficient and that comprehensive judicial reforms are necessary to effectively manage case flow and reduce litigation. Suggestions include the establishment of regional Courts of Appeal to alleviate pressure on the Supreme Court, which has seen its judge strength last revised in 2019.