UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Five new judges join SC following increase in sanctioned strength
Q1. Among the five judges sworn in to the Supreme Court of India on 3 June 2026, who was the only one elevated directly from the Bar?
- A. Justice Sheel Nagu
- B. Justice Shree Chandrashekhar
- C. Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva
- D. V. Mohana
Q2. Following the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, what is the maximum number of judges in the Supreme Court of India excluding the Chief Justice of India?
Q3. Consider the following pairs of judges sworn in to the Supreme Court of India on 3 June 2026 and their immediately preceding office:
1. Justice Sheel Nagu — Chief Justice, Punjab and Haryana High Court
2. Justice Shree Chandrashekhar — Chief Justice, Bombay High Court
3. Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva — Chief Justice, Calcutta High Court
4. Justice Arun Palli — Chief Justice, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court
Which of the above pairs is/are NOT correctly matched?
- Justice Sheel Nagu — Chief Justice, Punjab and Haryana High Court
- Justice Shree Chandrashekhar — Chief Justice, Bombay High Court
- Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva — Chief Justice, Calcutta High Court
- Justice Arun Palli — Chief Justice, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 3 only
- C. 3 and 4 only
- D. 2 and 3 only
Q4. With reference to the expansions of the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court of India in 2019 and 2026, consider the following statements:
1. The 2019 amendment raised the sanctioned strength (including the CJI) from 31 to 34.
2. The 2026 expansion amends the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956 to raise the total sanctioned strength to 38, including the CJI.
3. Unlike the 2019 change, the 2026 increase was effected through an Act of Parliament rather than a Presidential Ordinance.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The 2019 amendment raised the sanctioned strength (including the CJI) from 31 to 34.
- The 2026 expansion amends the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956 to raise the total sanctioned strength to 38, including the CJI.
- Unlike the 2019 change, the 2026 increase was effected through an Act of Parliament rather than a Presidential Ordinance.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q5. With reference to the batch of judges who took oath as judges of the Supreme Court of India on 3 June 2026, consider the following names:
1. Justice Sheel Nagu
2. V. Mohana
3. Justice Arun Palli
4. Justice Sanjiv Khanna
Which of the above is/are correctly identified as members of this batch?
- Justice Sheel Nagu
- V. Mohana
- Justice Arun Palli
- Justice Sanjiv Khanna
- A. 1 and 3 only
- B. 2 and 4 only
- C. 1, 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4