The Supreme Court’s sanctioned strength has risen to 37 judges from 33, excluding the Chief Justice of India, with President Droupadi Murmu promulgating an ordinance.

Currently, there are 32 judges in the Supreme Court, including the CJI. This year, Justices J.K. Maheswari, Pankaj Mithal, Sanjay Karol and Satish Chandra Sharma are due to retire.

Murmu exercised her ordinance power under Article 123(1) of the Constitution on Saturday evening to enhance the sanctioned strength.

“The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026 came into force “at once” upon its publication in the gazette.

The ordinance amended the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, at a time Parliament is not in session as “the President is satisfied that the circumstances exist which render it necessary for her to take immediate action”.

In Section 2 of the 1956 Act, “for the word ‘thirty-three’, the word ‘thirty-seven’ shall be substituted”, the ordinance stated.

In August 2019, the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges who retired at the age of 65 was increased from 31 to 33, excluding the CJI.