Union Cabinet of India approved raising strength of Supreme Court of India from 34 to 38 judges including CJI. Bill will be introduced in Parliament to address vacancies and growing case backlog.
Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah said rising case backlog cannot be blamed solely on judges, highlighting advocates’ role in delays. He noted judges handle hundreds of daily cases, stressing pendency often stems from systemic and procedural issues beyond judicial working hours.
CJI B R Gavai stressed that litigation alone cannot deliver justice and urged wider use of legal aid and mediation. With 5.36 crore cases pending, SCBA president Vikas Singh said mediation could drastically reduce India’s backlog.
