Supreme Court Reaches 37-Judge Strength as Five New Jurists Are Sworn In

Top Summary

• What happened: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant administered the oath of office to five new Supreme Court judges, raising the working strength to 37.
• Why it matters: The court's expanded capacity is designed to clear a staggering backlog of more than 93,000 pending cases.
• What changes for people: The inclusion of Senior Advocate V.S. Mohana increases female representation, marking only the second time a woman is elevated directly from the Bar.
• Who is affected: The Indian judicial administration, legal practitioners, and citizens awaiting resolution of complex cases in the apex court.

Supreme Court Expands Bench to Tackle Caseload

On June 2, 2026, the Supreme Court of India inducted five new judges, leaving just one vacant seat on the bench. Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant led the oath-taking ceremony for the newly appointed judges.

This critical expansion follows the Union Government's decision to increase the court's official sanctioned strength from 33 to 37 judges, excluding the CJI. The change was carried out via the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, which was promulgated on May 16, 2026.

With over 93,000 cases currently pending, the new ordinance aims to accelerate judicial processes. It is also designed to help the court regularly convene specialized Constitution Benches.

Boosting Gender Diversity and Regional Balance

Among the newly appointed members is Senior Advocate V.S. Mohana, whose elevation is a major milestone for gender diversity. She joins Justice B.V. Nagarathna as only the second female judge on the current bench.

Ms. Mohana also becomes only the second woman ever to be elevated to the Supreme Court directly from the Bar. This achievement follows Justice Indu Malhotra's historic elevation back in 2018.

The appointments represent the first round of recommendations made by the collegium led by CJI Kant. The panel, which includes Justices Vikram Nath, J.K. Maheshwari, B.V. Nagarathna, and M.M. Sundresh, recommended the names on May 27, leading to the Union government's notification on June 1.

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal confirmed the development on X, stating that the President of India appointed the judges under Article 124(2) of the Constitution after consulting with the CJI.

Meet the Five Newly Inducted Judges

The new appointees bring a wealth of diverse judicial and legal experience to the top court:

• Justice Sheel Nagu: Joined from his role as Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He began his judicial journey at the Madhya Pradesh High Court in 2011 and became the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2024.
• Justice Shree Chandrashekhar: Formerly the Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court. He was elevated as a judge of the Jharkhand High Court in 2013, later serving as its Acting Chief Justice before taking charge of the Bombay High Court last year.
• Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva: Previously served as the Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. He was elevated to the Delhi High Court in 2013 and built a strong legal career practicing in both Delhi and the Supreme Court.
• Justice Arun Palli: Joined after serving as the Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. He started his legal practice in 1988, became a senior advocate in 2007, and was elevated to the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2013.
• V.S. Mohana (Senior Advocate): An alumnus of Government Law College, Coimbatore, graduating in 1988. She trained in the chambers of Justice Indu Malhotra and senior advocate C.S. Vaidyanathan before being designated a senior advocate in 2015.

What to Watch Next

The newly expanded Supreme Court must soon prepare for a series of scheduled retirements this year. Justice Pankaj Mithal is set to retire on June 6, followed by Justice J.K. Maheshwari on June 28, Justice Sanjay Karol on August 28, and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma on November 29. These timely appointments will help stabilize the bench's strength under CJI Kant, whose tenure continues until his scheduled retirement in February 2027.