Question

Consider the following statements regarding The Supreme Court (Number of Judges)
Amendment Bill:
1. The Bill fixes the maximum number of judges in the Supreme Court at 30 judges,
including the Chief Justice of India.
2. Originally, the strength of the Supreme Court was fixed at eight including Chief
Justice of India.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer 1

Answer:

President Ram Nath Kovind has signed into law a Bill which seeks to increase the sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court from 30 to 33 besides the Chief Justice of India.

The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill was passed by Parliament earlier this week.With no vacancy, the present strength of the apex court is 31, including the chief justice of India.

After the law comes into force, the sanctioned strength of SC will be 33, besides the CJI.The move to increase the strength of judges by 3 or 10 per cent comes against the backdrop of rising cases in the top court which stand at nearly 60,000.

The decision also comes days after Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to increase the number of judges in the top court.

Answer 2

Option B - 2 Only

■ Explanation :-

Statement 1 is incorrect :- The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill was signed by President of India, increasing the number of judges in the Supreme Court from the present 30 to 33, excluding the Chief Justice of India.

More Information

■ Number of Judges of Supreme Court :-

• The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill was signed by President of India, increasing the number of judges in the Supreme Court from the present 30 to 33, excluding the Chief Justice of India.

• The move to increase the strength of judges by 3 or 10 per cent comes against the backdrop of rising cases in the top court which stand at nearly 60,000

• At present, the sanctioned strength of the
• apex court is 30, excluding the CJI.

• At present, the Supreme Court is working with its full sanctioned strength of 31, including the CJI.

• Originally, the strength of the Supreme Court was fixed at eight (one chief justice and seven other judges). The Parliament has increased the number of other judges progressively to ten in 1956, to thirteen in 1960, to seventeen in 1977 and to twenty-five in 1986.

• In February 2009, the centre notified an increase in the number of Supreme Court judges from twenty-six to thirty-one, including the Chief Justice of India.

• The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, was last amended in 2009 to increase the judges’ strength from 25 to 30 (excluding the CJI).

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