Anyone scrolling through the recent wave of Supreme Court "round-up" pieces — weekly digests, monthly digests, year-in-review lists of the top ten judgments — will notice a recurring phrase: "Constitution Bench". Some rulings are attributed to a bench of two judges, others to three, and a select few to five, seven or even nine. This is not a matter of convenience or courtroom scheduling. It is a specific constitutional requirement, and understanding it is the key to reading these round-ups intelligently rather than treating every headline as equally authoritative.
Constitution Benches Explained: Why Some Supreme Court Cases Need Five Judges — and Why It Matters for 2025-26's Big Rulings
As year-end and monthly round-ups list a cluster of major Supreme Court rulings from larger benches, here is how Article 145(3) decides when five, seven or nine judges must sit together — and why that changes the weight of a judgment.
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AI-assisted explainer · legal references verified against the provisions database · education, not legal advice.
Reporting sources: Supreme Court Review: Top 10 judgements of 2025 - Supreme Court Observ… · Supreme Court Review 2024: Constitution Bench decisions - Supreme Cour… · A Year in Review: Supreme Court's Top 10 Rulings of 2025 - LawBeat