Justice Dipankar Datta addressed the 1st Supreme Court Bar Association National Conference 2026 on “Re‑imagining Judicial Governance”. He warned that the Supreme Court Collegium has, in the past, failed to protect judges who display courage and righteousness, potentially discouraging future judges from prioritising ethics over career growth.
Key Developments
- Justice Datta highlighted that judges who act ethically have often been left vulnerable, urging the Collegium to safeguard them.
- He appealed directly to Justice BV Nagarathna, a Collegium member, to "rise to the occasion" and stand by such judges.
- Emphasis on merit‑based selection: judges should be chosen on merit, competence, integrity, temperament and industry, excluding personal affiliations or lobbying.
- Identified systemic causes of judicial pendency: low judge‑to‑population ratio, delayed executive appointments, and inadequate judicial infrastructure.
- Recommended increasing the Supreme Court strength from the current 34 (last raised in 2018) to at least 40 judges to cope with rising case filings.
Important Facts
The Supreme Court’s strength was last expanded to 34 judges in 2018. Since then, case filings have surged, intensifying the backlog. Justice Datta noted that the judiciary is often labelled a "soft target" for criticism, overlooking the executive’s role in delayed appointments and budgetary neglect of court infrastructure.
He invoked Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s observation that a good Constitution depends on good implementers, underscoring the need for upright judges.
Exam Relevance
- Judicial Dharma and its practice in contemporary India.
- The functioning and reforms of the Collegium relate directly to questions on judicial appointments and independence.
- Understanding systemic backlog causes aids answers on governance, public administration, and the separation of powers.
- Dr. Ambedkar’s philosophy connects constitutional theory with practical implementation, a frequent UPSC essay theme.
Way Forward
Justice Datta’s suggestions can be summarised as follows:
- Institutionalise protection mechanisms for judges who take courageous, ethical stands.
- Adopt transparent, merit‑based criteria for judicial appointments, eliminating personal or political lobbying.
- Accelerate executive clearance of vacancies to improve the judge‑to‑population ratio.
- Allocate dedicated budgetary resources for judicial infrastructure and technology.
- Expand the Supreme Court bench to at least 40 judges to manage the growing docket.
Implementing these measures would strengthen judicial independence, reduce pendency, and uphold the ethos of Judicial Dharma, aligning India’s legal system with constitutional ideals.