The EduLaw Daily Docket, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, The Full Bench Issue
EduLaw EditorialEduLaw Daily NewsletterThe EduLaw, Daily Legal & Civic Intelligence The Daily Docket Tuesday, June 16, 2026, Vol. I, Issue 045, THE FULL BENCH ISSUE , Law, Geopolitics, Markets, Polity SC Roundup 25 HC Pulse Tribunal Wire Listed Wednesday Statute Watch Bare Act Topic of the Day Quiz Flashcards Lead, The Day In One Sentence India's Supreme Court reaches near full strength after its 2026 expansion to 38 judges , with Justice Pankaj Mithal demitting office on June 16 even as the bench settles in five judges sworn in on June 2, while Brent crude crashed below $84 and the Sensex surged on the United States to Iran peace deal of June 15 that paved the way to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and PM Modi wrapped his France visit alongside President Macron at Bharat Innovates in Nice. Tuesday, June 16 was a day of institutional consolidation and geopolitical relief. The apex court runs near full strength for the first time in years. The 107 day Strait of Hormuz crisis moved toward resolution. Oil fell, markets rallied, and the rupee firmed. The connecting thread is capacity and stability, on the bench, in the markets, and across the Gulf shipping lanes that feed India's energy economy. 37+1 SC Strength Sanctioned, CJI + 37 37 SC Working After 5 new judges, June 2 +1,695 Sensex Close (pts) 76,725.27, ~+2.26% 23,853 Nifty 50 +0.98% on peace deal ~$84 Brent Crude Hormuz reopening priced in 5.25% RBI Repo Held, June MPC Today's Reading Plan Pick Your Lane, 25 Minutes Total Lead, SC At Full Strength 11 min Topic of the Day 8 min HC Pulse Scan 5 min Quiz and Flashcards 3 min The 90 Second Brief Lead, Polity The Supreme Court is functioning at near full strength after the 2026 expansion to 38 judges (CJI + 37). Five judges were sworn in on June 2; today, June 16 , Justice Pankaj Mithal demits office on attaining 65, keeping the working strength tightly managed under CJI Surya Kant. US Iran Peace Deal The United States and Iran reached a framework agreement on June 15 to halt hostilities and reopen the Strait of Hormuz , ending the 107 day crisis that began on Feb 28. Brent fell sharply; global and Indian equities rallied. Markets The Sensex jumped about 1,695 points to 76,725.27 (~+2.26%) on June 15 as the peace deal eased the oil and geopolitical risk premium; the Nifty 50 closed near 23,853 . Autos, banks and rate sensitives led the rally. India France, Diplomacy PM Modi and President Emmanuel Macron jointly inaugurated Bharat Innovates 2026 in Nice (June 14 to 16), pitching a deeper India France innovation, semiconductor and startup partnership during Modi's France leg. SC, Federal Probe The ED v. State of West Bengal I PAC raids matter continues at the Supreme Court; the Bench declined adjournment earlier and is examining the ED's plea on alleged interference by CM Mamata Banerjee's government and the WB police FIRs. Kerala, Government The UDF government led by Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan continues rolling out its first phase welfare guarantees after returning to power following the April 9 Assembly election, ending a decade of LDF rule. Manipur, Security Fresh firing in the Leilon Vaiphei and Khonsakhul belt injured several; ethnic tensions persist after reports of Naga killings, testing the Yumnam Khemchand Singh government and the constitutional machinery in Manipur. Energy, Hormuz Although the deal paves the way to reopen Hormuz, analysts (DW, ThePrint) caution that shipping and insurance risk will not fade fast ; full energy supply normalisation could take months, keeping a residual premium on crude. Consumers, Fuel Petrol and diesel prices held steady on June 16 (Delhi petrol around Rs 94.77/L , diesel Rs 90.03/L ) after the West Asia driven hikes; the crude correction sets up scope for relief if it sustains. Editor's Note Tuesday's lead is one of institutional consolidation. With the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026 having raised the sanctioned strength to 38 (the Chief Justice plus 37 puisne judges), and with five judges sworn in on June 2, the Court is now operating at near full strength, the highest in its 76 year history. The previous expansion, from 31 to 34, was effected by the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Act of 2019. The 2026 expansion was first effected by ordinance and the corresponding Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, cleared by the Union Cabinet on May 5, is in the parliamentary pipeline for ratification. The constitutional anchor to hold in mind is Article 124(1), which makes the apex court's strength a matter for Parliament to determine by law, with Article 123 supplying the ordinance route when the Houses are not in session. There is a poignant marker today. Justice Pankaj Mithal, elevated to the Supreme Court in February 2023, demits office on June 16, 2026, on attaining the retirement age of 65 under Article 124(2). His departure, on the same day the Court is described as near full strength, is a useful reminder that capacity is a moving target. The bench faces a wave of retirements through 2026, Justice J.K. Maheshwari on June 28, Justice Sanjay Karol on August 28, and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma on November 29, before CJI Surya Kant himself retires in February 2027. The expansion to 38 and the June 2 inductions are precisely about cushioning this turnover while attacking a pendency that has crossed 93,000 matters in the registry. Abroad, the dominant story is the United States to Iran framework agreement reached on June 15, which paves the way to reopen the Strait of Hormuz after a 107 day crisis. Brent crude fell sharply, Indian equities posted one of their strongest sessions in weeks, and the rupee firmed. The relief is real but conditional, as analysts caution that shipping insurance and supply chains will take time to normalise. PM Modi, meanwhile, closed his France leg with President Macron at Bharat Innovates in Nice. This issue carries every recurring feature, the 25 HC Pulse, the Tribunal Wire, the Statute Watch, the Bare Act of the Day on Article 124, the Topic of the Day on judicial capacity, the How To Answer model, the Practising Lawyer's Corner, and the full interactive layer. Lead, Constitutional Law and Judicial Administration ⏱ 11 min read Court Of Thirty Eight, How The Supreme Court Reached Near Full Strength, And Why Justice Mithal's Exit Today Matters Ordinance promulgated May 16, 2026 Bench head: CJI Surya Kant (53rd CJI) 5 judges sworn in: June 2, 2026 Provisions: Article 123, Article 124(1) and (2), SC (Number of Judges) Act, 1956 30 Second Read The Expansion: The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026 , promulgated on May 16, raised the sanctioned strength from 33 to 37 puisne judges (38 including the CJI), the highest in the Court's history. The matching Bill was cleared by the Union Cabinet on May 5. The Bench: Five judges were sworn in on June 2, 2026 , by CJI Surya Kant, taking the working strength to 37 with one vacancy. The new judges are Justices Sheel Nagu, Shree Chandrashekhar, Sanjeev Sachdeva, Arun Palli and Senior Advocate V. Mohana (only the second woman elevated directly from the Bar after Justice Indu Malhotra). Today's Marker: Justice Pankaj Mithal demits office on June 16, 2026 , on attaining 65 under Article 124(2). More retirements follow through 2026. The Rationale: A registry pendency exceeding 93,000 matters and the need to convene Constitution Benches more frequently. PYQ Connector, UPSC Mains 2023 GS II on judicial pendency; CLAT 2024 Prelims on the strength of the Supreme Court; Delhi Judicial Services 2022 on Article 123 ordinance making power; West Bengal Judicial Services 2024 on Article 124(1) and the role of Parliament in fixing the number of judges. The Supreme Court was constituted under Article 124 with an original strength of eight judges including the Chief Justice. Parliament, exercising the power under Article 124(1), has since raised the strength multiple times, in 1956 (to 11), 1960 (to 14), 1977 (to 18), 1986 (to 26), 2008 (to 31) and 2019 (to 34). The 2026 expansion is the latest and was, distinctively, first effected by ordinance. The substantive instrument is the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, which amends Section 2 of the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, fixing the number of puisne judges at thirty seven (up from thirty three). Including the CJI, the new total is 38. The ordinance route was available because Parliament was not in session when the instrument was promulgated on May 16, 2026. Article 123(1) empowers the President to promulgate an ordinance when both Houses are not in session, provided she is satisfied that circumstances exist which render it necessary to take immediate action. The Union Cabinet had cleared the corresponding Bill on May 5, 2026. Crucially, appointments to the newly created posts moved quickly, the Collegium headed by CJI Surya Kant recommended five names on May 27, the Centre notified the appointments on June 1, and CJI Kant administered the oath to the five new judges on June 2. Three doctrinal points emerge for aspirants and practitioners. First , the strength of the Supreme Court is fixed by Parliament under Article 124(1); using an ordinance to amend the figure is a constitutional novelty, with the Bill to follow for ratification. Second , the ordinance must, under Article 123(2), be laid before both Houses within six weeks of their reassembly, failing which it lapses. Third , the ordinance creates sanctioned posts, not judges; appointments continue under the Memorandum of Procedure and the Collegium framework from the Second and Third Judges Cases and the post NJAC jurisprudence. The June 2 swearing in demonstrates how quickly capacity can be filled when the Collegium and executive act in concert. CJI Surya Kant, on assuming office as the 53rd Chief Justice, had identified reducing the Supreme Court's pendency as one of his foremost priorities; the June 2 inductions are the first set of appointments recommended by his Collegium. As reported by The Hindu, Moneycontrol, SCC Online, June 2026 The administrative consequences are immediate. With near full strength, the Court can constitute additional Benches and convene Constitution Benches more frequently. But capacity is a flow, not a stock. Justice Pankaj Mithal's retirement today, followed by Justice J.K. Maheshwari on June 28, Justice Sanjay Karol on August 28, and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma on November 29, will keep the Collegium busy simply maintaining working strength. The pendency rationale, while substantial, has been recurring; the question over the coming year is whether the expanded bench produces a proportionate reduction in pendency, or whether the binding constraint lies in High Court vacancy management, trial court arrears, and the practice of repeated adjournments. The 2026 expansion is a capacity intervention. The systemic answer requires the rest. The Constitutional Scales, Ordinance Route v. Bill Route SC Strength, Two Constitutional Pathways For the Ordinance Route Parliament not in session; case backlog above 93,000 matters; immediate need for capacity; Article 123 contemplates urgency. The matching Bill (Cabinet cleared May 5) will be ratified per Article 123(2). Subject matter (Article 124(1)) is within parliamentary competence; ordinance valid. ⚖ For the Critique The strength of the apex court is a structural constitutional matter; the ordinance route bypasses parliamentary debate. D.C. Wadhwa v. State of Bihar , (1987) 1 SCC 378, cautions against ordinance making as a substitute for legislation. Article 124(1) language ("such other number of judges as Parliament may by law prescribe") emphasises Parliament. Reading: The ordinance is constitutionally valid (subject to standard D.C. Wadhwa caveats against re promulgation), and Bill conversion resolves the legitimacy concern. The substantive question, whether the expanded bench materially cuts pendency, remains open and turns on appointment speed, Bench composition, and trial court vacancy resolution. Probability Meter UPSC Pre 92% UPSC Mains 88% CLAT 90% Judiciary 94% Interview 96% Prelims Trap Card Trap MCQ: "The strength of the Supreme Court of India is fixed by the Constitution itself and can only be altered by a constitutional amendment under Article 368." This is FALSE . Article 124(1) expressly provides that the Court shall consist of a Chief Justice and "such other number of judges as Parliament may by law prescribe". An ordinary law (or, as in 2026, an ordinance under Article 123) suffices. Lock in: Original strength was eight (CJI + 7). Expansions in 1956, 1960, 1977, 1986, 2008, 2019, and the 2026 ordinance, all by Parliament's ordinary legislative power under Article 124(1). 2026 is the first by ordinance route; the Bill is in the pipeline. 38 Total Sanctioned Strength CJI + 37 puisne judges 5 New Judges Sworn In On June 2, 2026 93,000+ Pendency Cases in SC registry SC Strength, Expansions Since 1950 Every change in the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court of India, in order, including the 2026 expansion. 1950 Constitution comes into force Article 124(1) sets the Supreme Court's original strength at eight , Chief Justice plus seven puisne judges. Parliament empowered to alter by law. 1956 Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956 The parent enabling statute, fixing puisne strength at 10 (total 11). Subsequent amendments to this Act drive every expansion to follow. 1960 First Amendment, 1960 Strength raised to 14 (CJI + 13). Driven by post Reorganisation expansion of HC work and SLP volume. 1977 Second Amendment, 1977 Strength raised to 18. Post Emergency caseload and a doubling of SLP filings in the 1970s. 1986 Third Amendment, 1986 Strength raised to 26. Coincides with the rise of writ petition volumes. 2008 Fourth Amendment, 2008 Strength raised to 31 (CJI + 30). Driven by liberalisation era commercial litigation and SLP backlog. 2019 Fifth Amendment, 2019 Strength raised to 34 (CJI + 33), by Act of Parliament. 2026 Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026 Promulgated by President Murmu (May 16); strength raised to 38 (CJI + 37). First expansion by ordinance route. Five judges sworn in June 2; matching Bill in the pipeline. Supreme Court of India, Pendency Profile Across Decades Pending, 1985 ~12,000 Pending, 2000 ~20,000 Pending, 2010 ~54,000 Pending, 2020 ~62,000 Pending, 2024 ~80,000 Pending, 2026 (current) ~93,000+ Indicative pendency series from National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) and Supreme Court registry compilations. The 2026 expansion must be assessed against the persistent pendency trend; capacity helps, but disposal rates depend on Bench composition and case management practices. Three Reader Lenses ★ Lawyer's Brief Plan for an expanded SC roster now that five new judges are in. Senior counsel can expect more Benches and tighter listings as the Court works through Constitution Bench backlog. Track the Collegium's recommendations under the Memorandum of Procedure, and the rolling 2026 retirements (Mithal today, Maheshwari June 28, Karol August 28). ¶ UPSC and Judiciary Capsule Article 124(1) is among the most testable polity questions this cycle. Build the chain, Constitution 1950 (8), 1956 (11), 1960 (14), 1977 (18), 1986 (26), 2008 (31), 2019 (34), 2026 ordinance (38). Add Article 123 conditions, Article 124(2) appointment and retirement at 65, MoP, and Collegium jurisprudence. ♣ Citizen's Lens For the litigant, near full strength could mean faster listings on long pending matters. But structural pendency drivers, low first appellate disposal, repeated adjournments, and the HC vacancy pipeline, sit elsewhere. The proof will be in disposal data over the next twelve months. Counsel Scorecard, Recent and Pending Appearances Who Argued What, And How It Is Landing SG Tushar Mehta Solicitor General Continued appearance for the Enforcement Directorate in the I PAC raids matter; the ED filed a detailed rejoinder rebutting the State of West Bengal; underlying plea on alleged interference by the State government and WB police FIRs is under examination. Contested Sr. Adv. Kapil Sibal For State of WB Opposing the ED's interpretation of the State police FIRs and resisting the prayer for FIR registration against State functionaries. Pending Sr. Adv. Abhishek Manu Singhvi Constitution Bench matters Appearances continuing in CEC and EC Appointments Act, 2023 reference proceedings; the Bench has been weighing a possible larger bench reference. Continuing New Bench, 5 judges Sworn in June 2, 2026 Justices Sheel Nagu, Shree Chandrashekhar, Sanjeev Sachdeva, Arun Palli and V. Mohana take up rosters; Mohana only the second woman elevated directly from the Bar. Inducted Farewell, Justice Mithal Retiring today, June 16 Justice Pankaj Mithal demits office on attaining 65 under Article 124(2). Ceremonial farewell; reflections on the Bar as the "final judge". Demits Office Petitioner, Meenakshi Natarajan RS nomination challenge SC dismissed the plea over a Rajya Sabha nomination rejection; counsel had argued the rejection suffered from a "patent error" warranting review. Dismissed 3 Sentence Revision Note What happened: The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026 (promulgated May 16) raised the apex court's sanctioned strength to 38 (CJI + 37); five judges were sworn in on June 2, and Justice Pankaj Mithal demits office on June 16. The principle: Article 124(1) empowers Parliament to fix the number of SC judges by law; Article 123 enables an ordinance with the force of law when both Houses are not in session, subject to laying before Parliament within six weeks of reassembly; Article 124(2) sets the retirement age at 65. For your citation file: Anchor cases, R.K. Garg v. Union of India , (1981) 4 SCC 675 (validity of ordinance power), D.C. Wadhwa v. State of Bihar , (1987) 1 SCC 378 (against re promulgation), Krishna Kumar Singh v. State of Bihar , (2017) 3 SCC 1 (effect of lapsed ordinances). Self Check Quiz, 3 Questions Did You Read the Lead Carefully? Q1. After the 2026 expansion, what is the total sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court of India, including the Chief Justice? A 34 B 37 C 38 D 40 Answer: C. The 2026 ordinance fixes the puisne strength at 37; including the CJI, the total is 38. Sources: The Hindu, SCC Online, PIB. Q2. Under which constitutional provision do Supreme Court judges retire, and at what age? A Article 124(1), age 62 B Article 124(2), age 65 C Article 217, age 62 D Article 128, age 70 Answer: B. Article 124(2) provides that a Supreme Court judge holds office until attaining 65. (HC judges retire at 62 under Article 217.) Justice Pankaj Mithal demits office today, June 16, on attaining 65. Q3. The five new SC judges sworn in on June 2, 2026 included a senior advocate elevated directly from the Bar. Who? A Sheel Nagu B Arun Palli C V. Mohana D Sanjeev Sachdeva Answer: C. Senior Advocate V. Mohana was elevated directly from the Bar, only the second woman to be so elevated after Justice Indu Malhotra (2018). The other four were sitting High Court Chief Justices. Topic of the Day, Beyond the News Capacity, Composition, And The Constitution, What A Near Full Strength Supreme Court Means For Pendency, Federalism, And The Memorandum Of Procedure A close to 1,500 word deep dive into the constitutional architecture of the Supreme Court, the doctrinal evolution since the First Judges Case, and what the 2026 expansion and the June 2 inductions will actually change. The Supreme Court of India was conceived by the Constituent Assembly as a court of constitutional adjudication first, and of appeals second. The original sanctioned strength of eight, articulated in Article 124(1), was set with that conception in mind. More than seven decades later, the Court hears thirty plus admission matters per Bench per day, sits in roughly fifteen Benches simultaneously when at full strength, and carries a pendency above 93,000. The 2026 expansion to thirty eight, with five judges sworn in on June 2, is therefore not merely an arithmetic adjustment. It is the latest in a long succession of expansions, and the policy question for the next year is whether the larger bench can produce a proportionate reduction in pendency, or whether the binding constraints lie elsewhere. 1 Capacity Sanctioned strength of the SC, fixed by Parliament under Article 124(1). The 2026 expansion raised it to 38, with working strength at 37 after June 2. 2 Composition Diversity of region, gender, religion and background. The June 2 set added a woman from the Bar (V. Mohana) and balanced regional representation. 3 Constitution The institutional role of the Court in Indian constitutional democracy, especially under the basic structure doctrine. The architecture of judicial appointments has evolved through distinct doctrinal phases. The First Judges Case , S.P. Gupta v. Union of India , AIR 1982 SC 149, held that "consultation" in Article 124(2) did not mean concurrence, leaving executive primacy largely intact. The Second Judges Case , Supreme Court Advocates on Record Association v. Union of India , (1993) 4 SCC 441, reversed this and read "consultation" to mean concurrence in substance, vesting effective primacy in the CJI and a Collegium. The Third Judges Case , In re Special Reference No. 1 of 1998 , (1998) 7 SCC 739, clarified the SC Collegium's composition at five members (CJI + four seniormost puisne judges). The 99th Constitutional Amendment and the National Judicial Appointments Commission Act, 2014, sought to replace the Collegium model. The NJAC judgment , Supreme Court Advocates on Record Association v. Union of India , (2016) 5 SCC 1, struck down both as violative of the basic structure (judicial independence). The 2026 expansion does not touch any of this. It deals only with the sanctioned strength. The Collegium remains the operative selection body, and the Memorandum of Procedure, last updated in 2017, remains the operative document. The June 2 inductions show the workflow in action, the Collegium comprising CJI Kant and Justices Vikram Nath, J.K. Maheshwari, B.V. Nagarathna and M.M. Sundresh recommended the names on May 27, the Centre notified them on June 1, and warrants of appointment under Article 124(2) followed. The recommendations were read as an attempt to balance regional representation and improve gender diversity, with Senior Advocate V. Mohana's elevation increasing the number of women on the Bench alongside Justice B.V. Nagarathna. The pendency arithmetic is worth setting out. At a sanctioned strength of 34, the SC was disposing of roughly 38,000 to 42,000 matters per year, against an annual filing rate near 50,000, adding 8,000 to 12,000 to pendency each year. Additional judges, assuming proportional output of around 1,100 matters per judge per year, narrow the gap but do not close it. The binding constraint, registry data suggests, is the rate of admission of SLPs, itself a function of HC backlogs. The Law Commission's 230th Report and various ministry papers argue that the systemic fix involves greater filtering at the SLP stage, expansion of HC strength, and a commercial divisions model for high volume civil litigation. The 2026 expansion is therefore necessary but not sufficient. The retirement cliff sharpens the point. Justice Pankaj Mithal demits office today, June 16; Justice J.K. Maheshwari follows on June 28, Justice Sanjay Karol on August 28, and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma on November 29. CJI Surya Kant himself retires in February 2027. A meaningful share of the June 2 inductions simply offsets this turnover. Sustaining a genuinely larger working bench will require the Collegium to keep recommending, and the executive to keep processing, without the soft veto of delayed warrants that has surfaced repeatedly over the past decade. Federalism and composition are also non trivial. With the expanded strength, the Collegium has more flexibility to address under representation of certain regions and High Courts, including the smaller High Courts of the North East and the high pendency High Courts of central India. There has historically been a tension between strict seniority based selection and the desire to ensure regional and demographic representation, a tension that surfaces recurrently in MoP debates. The next Collegium meetings will be watched for whether the one remaining vacancy and the upcoming retirements are filled with that balance in mind. The aspirant's answer that scores highly does three things. First, it sets out Article 124(1) and the constitutional architecture, with Article 124(2) for appointment and retirement. Second, it lays out the historical sequence of expansions (1956, 1960, 1977, 1986, 2008, 2019, 2026) and notes the 2026 ordinance route. Third, it articulates the pendency arithmetic and the systemic constraints that capacity alone cannot resolve. The opinion paragraph should acknowledge that the expansion and the June 2 inductions are necessary interventions, that the more durable answer involves HC strength, MoP reform, and case management, and that the wave of 2026 retirements will test whether the larger bench is truly larger in practice. Reader Poll, Yesterday's Results Will the 2026 expansion to 38 judges meaningfully reduce Supreme Court pendency within two years? Yes, more Benches will help 31% No, the bottleneck is at the HC and SLP stage 52% Only with parallel case management reform 13% No view 4% Indicative reader sample. Tomorrow's poll question on the Strait of Hormuz reopening appears below the Glossary. Bare Act of the Day, Annotated Article 124 of the Constitution of India The constitutional foundation of the Supreme Court of India, including the strength provision behind the 2026 expansion and the retirement clause behind today's farewell. 124. Establishment and constitution of Supreme Court. (1) There shall be a Supreme Court of India consisting of a Chief Justice of India and, until Parliament by law prescribes a larger number, of not more than seven other Judges. (2) Every Judge of the Supreme Court shall be appointed by the President by warrant under his hand and seal after consultation with such of the Judges of the Supreme Court and of the High Courts as the President may deem necessary and shall hold office until he attains the age of sixty five years. [Note: The NJAC reference inserted in clause (2) by the 99th Amendment was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2015 (NJAC judgment). The pre 99th Amendment text, requiring "consultation" with the CJI and senior judges as interpreted by the Second and Third Judges Cases (the Collegium framework), continues to operate.] The Strength Provision Article 124(1) sets the original strength at 7 puisne judges plus the CJI (total 8). The phrase "until Parliament by law prescribes a larger number" is the constitutional anchor for every expansion, including the 2026 ordinance which uses Article 123 to amend the parent Act. The Appointment Provision Article 124(2) governs appointment. The 99th Amendment NJAC provision is dead (2015 judgment); the pre 99th Amendment text and the Collegium jurisprudence operate. The Memorandum of Procedure articulates the practical workflow, as seen in the June 2 inductions. Tenure and Removal Age limit: 65 years (124(2)) — Justice Mithal retires today Removal: by Parliament under 124(4), grounds of proven misbehaviour or incapacity; special majority Resignation: in writing to the President The Key Case Doctrine S.P. Gupta 1981, First Judges Case SCAORA v. UoI 1993, Second Judges Case Re Special Ref 1 of 1998 , Third Judges Case SCAORA v. UoI 2015, NJAC judgment D.C. Wadhwa 1987, against ordinance re promulgation Today's Connection The 2026 ordinance amends Section 2 of the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956 (the enabling statute). It does not amend Article 124 itself, which would require a constitutional amendment under Article 368. The authority comes from "Parliament by law prescribes". Drafting Tip for Aspirants Anchor the strength expansion in Article 124(1) (empowering language), the ordinance in Article 123 (procedural route), and the retirement in Article 124(2). Distinguish constitutional amendment (Article 368) from statutory amendment under Article 124(1). PYQ Connector, UPSC Prelims 2014 on the SC's sanctioned strength; UPSC Mains 2019 GS II on judicial independence; CLAT 2021 on Article 124; Delhi Judicial Services 2018 on the NJAC judgment and basic structure. Hover to Flip Flashcards Hover or tap each card to reveal the answer. Built for one week retention of today's content. Flashcard 1 What is the sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court of India after the 2026 expansion? Hover to flip Answer 38 , that is CJI + 37 puisne judges. Up from 34 under the 2019 expansion. Flashcard 2 Who is the current Chief Justice of India, and when does he retire? Hover to flip Answer Justice Surya Kant , the 53rd CJI, sworn in on 24 November 2025; due to retire in February 2027. Flashcard 3 Which SC judge demits office on June 16, 2026, and under which clause? Hover to flip Answer Justice Pankaj Mithal , on attaining 65 under Article 124(2) . Elevated to the SC in February 2023. Flashcard 4 What major geopolitical development on June 15, 2026 moved oil and Indian markets? Hover to flip Answer The United States to Iran framework deal paving the way to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Brent fell sharply; Sensex surged ~1,695 points. Flashcard 5 Name the senior advocate elevated directly from the Bar in the June 2, 2026 SC appointments. Hover to flip Answer Senior Advocate V. Mohana , only the second woman elevated directly from the Bar after Justice Indu Malhotra (2018). Flashcard 6 Where did PM Modi and President Macron jointly inaugurate Bharat Innovates 2026? Hover to flip Answer Nice, France (June 14 to 16, 2026), pitching a deeper India France innovation and startup partnership. 25 HC Pulse, Daily Recurring ⏱ 5 min scan The 25 HC Pulse, Every Major High Court, June 16, 2026 The High Courts opened the working week against the backdrop of the Supreme Court's partial court working days for 1 June to 12 July, with several Benches running vacation rosters. The Delhi and Bombay High Courts carried commercial and writ dockets; the Calcutta High Court continued its post poll compliance review; and the North East High Courts kept a close watch on the renewed firing in Manipur. All India HC Pulse Date: June 16, 2026 , Source: LiveLaw, Bar and Bench, HC websites High Court Matter Key Order or Observation Tag Delhi Commercial and arbitration docket Vacation Bench took up arbitration and commercial matters; routine pronouncements on the recent orders list. Continuing scrutiny of subordinate legislation in pending writs. Commercial Allahabad Conversion Act FIR scrutiny Continuing scrutiny of alleged misuse of the UP Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act; accountability sought from the State in flagged matters. Criminal Calcutta Post poll violence, compliance Continuing compliance review of earlier directions; today's listing focused on police station wise FIR registration data; further compliance fixed. PIL Bombay Writ disposals Vacation Bench disposed of a batch of service and civil writ petitions; routine writ disposal per the recent orders list. Writ Madras Routine writ docket Vacation roster; no fresh reportable headline order today. Writ Gujarat Routine docket Routine civil and writ docket; no major reportable headline order on June 16. Civil Karnataka Routine docket No major reportable headline order on June 16. Civil Kerala State law officers transition Routine administrative transition following the UDF government's formation; new state law officers and revised stance on some pending writs anticipated. Civil Punjab and Haryana Routine docket No major reportable headline order on June 16. Civil Telangana Routine service docket No major reportable headline order on June 16. Service Rajasthan Routine civil docket No major reportable headline order on June 16. Civil Madhya Pradesh Routine bail and criminal No major reportable headline order on June 16. Criminal Patna Routine criminal docket No major reportable headline order on June 16. Criminal Jharkhand Routine civil and criminal No major reportable headline order on June 16. Civil Chhattisgarh Routine docket No major reportable headline order on June 16. Civil Orissa Routine docket No major reportable headline order on June 16. Civil Gauhati NE region docket, Manipur watch Routine docket; HC observers tracking the renewed firing near Leilon Vaiphei and Khonsakhul and any anticipated writ filings. Civil Andhra Pradesh Routine writ docket No major reportable headline order on June 16. Writ Sikkim Routine docket No major reportable headline order on June 16. Civil Manipur Security and constitutional watch HC monitoring the law and order situation after fresh firing injured several; no formal listing reported on the President's Rule demand. Civil Meghalaya Routine docket No major reportable headline order on June 16. Civil Tripura Routine docket No major reportable headline order on June 16. Civil Uttarakhand Routine docket Routine vacation docket; standard civil and writ listings. Civil Himachal Pradesh Routine docket No major reportable headline order on June 16. Civil J and K and Ladakh Routine docket No major reportable headline order on June 16. Service Docket Heatmap, Where the Pressure Is Today State by state visualisation of reportable headline orders on June 16, 2026. A cool mid June open with vacation rosters running. Delhi 1 Commercial / arbitration Uttar Pradesh 1 Conversion Act scrutiny West Bengal 1 Post poll compliance Maharashtra 1 Writ disposal Kerala 0 Transition Tamil Nadu 0 Routine Karnataka 0 Routine Gujarat 0 Routine Telangana 0 Routine Rajasthan 0 Routine Madhya Pradesh 0 Routine Punjab Haryana 0 Routine 2 or more reportable orders 1 reportable order No reportable headline Tribunal Wire, Daily Recurring ⏱ 4 min scan Tribunal Wire, NCLAT, ITAT, SEBI, NGT and CCI Quasi Judicial Daily Wire Date: June 16, 2026, Source: Tribunal websites, LiveLaw Biz, regulator portals Forum Matter Order or Development Why It Matters NCLAT IBC appeals docket Benches worked through a batch of IBC appeals; certified copy compliance continues to feature in registry scrutiny per established SC jurisprudence. Practitioner impact, scheduling and checklist. NCLT Routine CIRP admissions Multiple bench level disposals; no major cross bench reportable headline order. Routine. SEBI Market regulation reform Consultation on derivatives and market structure reforms under the SEBI (SECC) Regulations and the SCRA continues; industry comment period ongoing. Significant for derivatives desks, exchanges. ITAT Buyback and capital gains Benches applying recent High Court jurisprudence on the tax treatment of share buybacks in pending matters. Tax practitioners watch spillover. NGT State compliance docket Routine state level pollution and project compliance matters; no major reportable headline on June 16. Routine. CCI SEP FRAND and dominance Standard essential patent FRAND jurisprudence and dominance abuse analysis remain live in appellate proceedings. Competition IP boundary live. CESTAT Routine GST and customs appeals Standard appeal docket on June 16; no major reportable headline. Routine. AFT Routine docket No major reportable headline on June 16. Routine. Listed Wednesday, June 17, 2026 What is in the Court Calendars for the Working Day, And Why It Matters SC, CB CEC and EC Appointments Act, 2023, continued hearings. The Constitution Bench is expected to continue on the reference question on whether to refer the matter to a larger bench. Counsel for petitioners and the Union to be heard. Watch: Whether the Bench refers or decides on the present coram. SC ED v. State of West Bengal, I PAC raids. The matter on alleged interference by the State government and the WB police FIRs, with the ED's rejoinder on record, remains under examination. Watch: Whether the Court frames directions on FIR registration. SC Roster reallocation post Mithal J. retirement. With Justice Pankaj Mithal demitting office today, the CJI's office is expected to reallocate Benches and partly heard matters. Watch: Continuity of partly heard matters before the retiring judge. Calcutta HC Post poll violence, compliance review. Continuing compliance reporting; the Wednesday listing is expected to take up specific police station data. Allahabad HC Unlawful Conversion Act, accountability review. The Court has flagged misuse of conversion FIRs and sought accountability from the State; further listings expected. Manipur HC Law and order monitoring. Watch on the security situation after fresh firing; any writ filings seeking directions on protection or relief. Today's Significant Developments, Expandable Deep Dive Click each item to read the full analysis. All four were significant on or around June 16, 2026. Polity Item 1, Supreme Court Near Full Strength After 2026 Expansion to 38 The Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, promulgated on May 16, raised the puisne strength from 33 to 37 (38 including the CJI), the highest in the Court's history. Five judges, Justices Sheel Nagu, Shree Chandrashekhar, Sanjeev Sachdeva, Arun Palli and Senior Advocate V. Mohana, were sworn in by CJI Surya Kant on June 2, taking the working strength to 37 with one vacancy. Constitutional route, Article 123 (ordinance making power, Parliament not in session). Substantive anchor, Article 124(1) (Parliament empowered to fix the SC's strength by law). The matching Bill, cleared by the Cabinet on May 5, is in the parliamentary pipeline for ratification. Ordinance May 16; appointments notified June 1; oath June 2, 2026 Judiciary Item 2, Justice Pankaj Mithal Demits Office on June 16 Justice Pankaj Mithal, elevated to the Supreme Court in February 2023 and a former Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court, demits office on June 16, 2026, on attaining the retirement age of 65 under Article 124(2). His departure is part of a wave of 2026 retirements, Justice J.K. Maheshwari (June 28), Justice Sanjay Karol (August 28) and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma (November 29), that will keep the Collegium engaged in maintaining working strength. The constitutional law angle is Article 124(2), which fixes the SC retirement age at 65 (compared with 62 for High Court judges under Article 217). The timing, on the same day the Court is described as near full strength, illustrates that judicial capacity is a flow that must be continually replenished. Supreme Court of India, June 16, 2026 Geopolitics Item 3, United States to Iran Deal Paves Way to Reopen Strait of Hormuz On June 15, 2026, United States and Iranian officials reached a framework agreement aimed at extending the ceasefire, halting the United States blockade, and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the major maritime choke point for world energy trade that had been largely blocked since February 28, 2026. Brent crude fell sharply on the news, and global and Indian equities rallied. Analysts (DW, ThePrint) cautioned that shipping insurance and supply chains will take time to normalise, so a residual risk premium on crude may persist. For India, the development eases the imported inflation and fuel pass through pressure that had built up during the 107 day crisis. United States and Iran, framework reached June 15, 2026 Diplomacy Item 4, Modi and Macron Inaugurate Bharat Innovates in Nice PM Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron jointly inaugurated Bharat Innovates 2026 in Nice (June 14 to 16), a platform showcasing India's innovation, research and startup ecosystem. Macron praised India's innovation drive and the two leaders pitched a deeper India France partnership across deep tech, semiconductors, space and the startup economy duri