India Adds More Judges to Courts
India Adds More Judges to Courts
Introduction
The Indian government wants more judges in the Supreme Court. Also, the Supreme Court chose new judges for the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Main Body
The government will change a law. The Supreme Court will have 37 judges instead of 33. This is because there are too many cases. There are more than 93,000 cases waiting for a decision. In the past, the court started with only 8 judges in 1950. Over time, the government added more judges to help the court work faster. Now, 10 new lawyers will become judges in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. This court needs more people. It has 58 judges, but it needs 85. There are 400,000 cases waiting there.
Conclusion
India is adding more judges to finish court cases faster.
Learning
Counting & Comparing
Look at how the text describes numbers. To reach A2, you need to show change and quantity.
1. The 'Instead' Switch When one number replaces another, we use instead of.
- Example: 37 judges instead of 33 judges.
- Meaning: The old number (33) is gone; the new number (37) is here.
2. The 'More Than' Rule When a number is bigger than a specific limit, use more than.
- Example: More than 93,000 cases.
- Simple Tip: Use this for any number that is not exact (e.g., "I have more than 5 apples").
3. Needs vs. Has Notice the difference between what is real now and what is wanted:
- Has = Current reality (It has 58 judges).
- Needs = The goal (It needs 85).
Quick Vocabulary List
- Add: To put more in (+)
- Faster: To move with more speed ()
Vocabulary Learning
Increasing the Number of Judges in the Indian Supreme Court and Punjab and Haryana High Court
Introduction
The Union Cabinet has approved a new law to increase the number of Supreme Court judges. At the same time, the Supreme Court Collegium has authorized the appointment of new judges to the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Main Body
The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026. This bill aims to change the 1956 Act to increase the number of judges from 33 to 37. This decision was made because there is a need to reduce a very large number of pending cases, which reached 93,143 by March 31, 2026. Furthermore, the government will pay for the judges' salaries and office costs using the Consolidated Fund of India. Historically, the number of judges in the highest court has been changed several times. According to the Constitution, Parliament has the power to decide how many judges are needed. Since the court started in 1950 with only eight judges, it has grown steadily to meet the increasing demand for legal services. For example, the number of judges increased in 1960, 1977, 1986, 2008, and most recently in 2019. In addition to these changes, the Supreme Court Collegium, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, has approved ten lawyers to become judges at the Punjab and Haryana High Court. This is necessary because the court currently has only 58 judges, although it is allowed to have 85. These new appointments, including the Advocate-General for Haryana, are intended to help clear a backlog of over 400,000 cases and speed up the legal process in that region.
Conclusion
The Indian legal system is currently increasing the number of staff at both the highest and regional court levels to solve the problem of delayed court cases.
Learning
The 'Precision Shift': Moving from General to Specific
At the A2 level, students often use generic verbs like do, make, or get. To reach B2, you must use Precise Action Verbs. This article is a goldmine for this transition.
The Upgrade Path
Instead of saying "The government made a law," the text uses Approved. Instead of "The law changes the number," the text uses Amendment (as a noun) and Increase.
Look at these B2-level replacements found in the text:
HelpAuthorize (Giving official permission)Fix/SolveClear a backlog (Removing a pile of old work)GrowSteady growth (Consistent, controlled increase)
Connecting Ideas (The Logical Glue)
A2 speakers use And, But, and Because. B2 speakers use Transition Markers to guide the reader. Notice how this text builds a bridge between ideas:
- "Furthermore..." Use this when you aren't just adding a fact, but adding a stronger or more detailed point.
- "In addition to..." This allows you to mention one thing while immediately introducing another, making your sentences longer and more fluid.
The 'Legal' Logic Structure
Observe the phrase: "intended to help clear a backlog."
B2 Secret: Using "intended to" is a sophisticated way to explain the purpose of an action. It sounds more professional than saying "They want to..."
Quick Comparison: A2: They want to fix the cases. B2: These appointments are intended to clear the backlog of cases.
Vocabulary Learning
Expansion of Judicial Capacity within the Indian Supreme Court and Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Introduction
The Union Cabinet has approved a legislative proposal to increase the number of Supreme Court judges, while the Supreme Court Collegium has authorized new appointments to the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
Main Body
The Union Cabinet, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has sanctioned the introduction of the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026. This legislative instrument seeks to modify the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, thereby augmenting the sanctioned strength of puisne judges from 33 to 37. This expansion is predicated upon the necessity to mitigate a substantial caseload, which reached a recorded high of 93,143 pending cases as of March 31, 2026. Financial obligations pertaining to judicial remuneration and infrastructure will be discharged via the Consolidated Fund of India. Historically, the judicial strength of the apex court has been subject to periodic legislative adjustments, as Article 124(1) of the Constitution vests the authority to determine the number of judges in Parliament. Since its 1950 inception with eight judges, the court has undergone several expansions: to 13 in 1960, 17 in 1977, 25 in 1986, 30 in 2008, and 33 in 2019. These incremental adjustments reflect a systemic effort to align institutional capacity with an escalating docket. Parallel to these apex court developments, the Supreme Court Collegium, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, has approved the elevation of ten advocates to the Punjab and Haryana High Court. This measure addresses a significant institutional deficit, where the current working strength of 58 judges falls substantially short of the sanctioned 85. The appointees include Pravindra Singh Chauhan, the Advocate-General for Haryana, and nine other legal professionals. This intervention is intended to alleviate a backlog exceeding 400,000 cases, thereby enhancing the disposal rate within the regional jurisdiction.
Conclusion
The Indian judiciary is currently implementing strategic personnel increases at both the apex and high court levels to address critical case pendency.
Learning
The Architecture of 'Nominal Precision'
At the B2 level, learners describe actions using general verbs (increase, help, pay). To ascend to C2, one must master Nominal Precision—the ability to replace common verbs with high-register, domain-specific terminology that encodes precise legal and administrative meaning.
⚡ The Semantic Shift
Observe how the text eschews common verbs in favor of stately alternatives:
- Instead of "Pay": "Discharged via the Consolidated Fund"
- Analysis: 'Discharged' here doesn't mean released from prison; it refers to the fulfillment of a financial obligation. This is polysemic mastery.
- Instead of "Increase": "Augmenting the sanctioned strength"
- Analysis: 'Augment' implies a strategic addition to a pre-existing structure, whereas 'increase' is merely quantitative.
- Instead of "Based on": "Predicated upon the necessity"
- Analysis: 'Predicated upon' suggests a logical or foundational dependency, essential for academic and judicial writing.
🏛️ The 'Institutional' Lexicon
C2 proficiency is characterized by the use of collocations that feel native to the bureaucracy. Notice the pairing of:
- Sanctioned strength (The official approved number)
- Legislative instrument (The formal tool used to create law)
- Escalating docket (The growing list of cases)
- Institutional deficit (A systemic lack of resources/personnel)
C2 Insight: The text avoids the word "problem" entirely. Instead, it uses "substantial caseload," "institutional deficit," and "case pendency." By nominalizing the problem, the writer transforms a complaint into a professional observation.
🔍 Syntactic Density
Look at this construction: "...thereby augmenting the sanctioned strength of puisne judges from 33 to 37."
This is a participial phrase used to express a result. A B2 student would write: "...and this will increase the number of judges." The C2 writer integrates the result directly into the action using "thereby + [verb-ing]", creating a seamless, high-density flow of information.