New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS) The number of judges of the Supreme Court increased to 29 from 26 after three judges, including a woman judge, were sworn-in Tuesday.


Justice Sudhansu Jyoti Mukhopadhaya, Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai and Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar were administered the oath of office by Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia.

With this the strength of women judges in the apex court rose to two. The other woman judge is Justice Gyan Sudha Misra. The Supreme Court got its first woman judge, Fatima Bibi, in 1989.

Before elevation to the apex court, Justice Mukhopadhaya was the chief justice of the Gujarat High Court, Justice Desai was a judge of the Bombay High Court and Justice Khehar was the chief justice of the Karnataka High Court.

The sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court is 31 judges, including the chief justice of India. Four apex court judges will retire by Oct 15.