Article 124(1)
Composition and Strength of the Supreme Court
Article 124(1) of the Constitution establishes the Supreme Court of India, consisting of a Chief Justice of India and, "until Parliament by law prescribes a larger number," not more than seven other judges. This means the Constitution itself fixes only a floor (CJI + 7); the actual sanctioned strength is left to ordinary parliamentary legislation, not a constitutional amendment.
- The original 1950 strength was 8 (1 CJI + 7 judges), the number named directly in Article 124(1)
- Parliament exercises this power through the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, amended periodically to raise the ceiling
- Because it is ordinary legislation, only a simple majority in both Houses is required to change the sanctioned strength — unlike a constitutional amendment under Article 368
- Actual appointments to fill sanctioned vacancies still follow the collegium system evolved under the Second and Third Judges Cases, and formal appointment is via Article 124(2)
● Tracked since May 05, 2026 · last seen August 04, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
04 Aug '26
Supreme Court Judge Strength Raised to 38: Article 124 and the Pendency Problem
Polity & Governance
20 Jul '26
Supreme Court Judge Strength Raised to 38: Bill Replaces May 2026 Ordinance
Polity & Governance
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