New Delhi: In less than ten minutes and without any debate, the Lok Sabha on Monday (August 3) passed the The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026. The Bill was taken up and passed amid opposition members demanding Union home minister Amit Shah’s statement in the House on the police action on protesters in the national capital on July 20, as well as Ram Mandir donation theft. 

As Shah continued to remain absent from the House, along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Bill was taken up at around 2pm, and passed at 2.10 pm following which the proceedings were adjourned for the day.

The Bill seeks to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court from 34 to 38, including the Chief Justice of India. It replaces the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026 issued on May 16, 2026 and it amends the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956.

After adjournments following only a few minutes of functioning in the morning, the Bill was taken up when the Lok Sabha reconvened at 2 pm. Only Arjun Ram Meghwal, minister of state (independent charge), law and justice, gave brief remarks in which he said that the Bill was being brought in view of the pending cases in the Supreme Court and to make the justice system more effective.

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“Under the visionary leadership of the Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has embraced the mantra of reform, perform and transform, becoming a witness to comprehensive and positive changes in the life of the common man. This decision to increase the number of judges in the Supreme Court is also an important link in that same transformative chain by increasing the number of judges in the Supreme Court,” he said.

A statutory resolution moved by the opposition and presented by Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sougata Roy was not taken up for discussion. Following Meghwal's remarks, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP Krishna Prasad Tenneti who was presiding over the proceedings of the House, put the statutory resolution to a voice vote. He then moved on to put the Bill itself to a voice vote.

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At 2.10 pm the Bill was passed by a voice vote amid opposition slogans demanding Shah's presence in the House, NEET paper leaks, Ram Mandir donation theft. The House was then adjourned for the day.

Last week, the Lok Sabha passed the Prevention of Insults to National Honour (Amendment) Bill, 2026, that makes any insult to the national song, Vande Mataram, a punishable offence in just about 15 minutes, and with only two members speaking on it.

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