In traditional Indian polity questions, what was often cited as the maximum possible sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court of India, including the Chief Justice of India?

Introduction / Context:
The sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court of India has changed over time as Parliament amended the relevant law to reflect rising caseloads. For many years, however, competitive exams and polity textbooks used a particular number as the standard answer to questions about the maximum number of Supreme Court judges. This question refers to that commonly cited traditional figure, which includes the Chief Justice of India as part of the total strength.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question is about the maximum possible sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court, including the Chief Justice of India.
• Options are 28, 29, 30, and 31 judges.
• We assume the context of classic Indian polity MCQs that refer to the earlier statutory strength.
• The focus is on the traditional figure that exam material used for many years.

Concept / Approach:
The Supreme Court Number of Judges Act has been amended several times. For a long period, it provided that the Supreme Court would consist of the Chief Justice of India and not more than 30 other judges. This meant that the maximum sanctioned strength was 31 judges in total. Many exam guides and textbooks repeated this number, and questions were framed with options similar to those given here. Even though later amendments may adjust the actual strength, this traditional figure of 31 judges including the Chief Justice is the one referred to in this style of question.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the earlier statute often quoted in exam books allowed for the Chief Justice plus 30 other judges in the Supreme Court.Step 2: Add these together to see that the total maximum was 31 judges.Step 3: Compare this total with the options given: 28, 29, 30, and 31.Step 4: Recognise that 31 judges including the Chief Justice matches the long standing figure used in traditional polity questions.Step 5: Select 31 as the correct answer in this context.

Verification / Alternative check:
Polity textbooks that discuss the composition of the Supreme Court often state that it consists of the Chief Justice of India and not more than 30 other judges. They use a phrase such as a maximum of 31 judges when summarising this provision. Older question banks and model papers consistently present 31 as the correct option when asking about the maximum strength of the Court. This repeated usage confirms that 31 is the expected answer for this traditional MCQ format.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• 28 judges including the Chief Justice of India: This number is lower than the traditional sanctioned strength and does not match the figure used in classic exam questions.
• 29 judges including the Chief Justice of India: This also fails to reflect the Chief Justice plus 30 others formula.
• 30 judges including the Chief Justice of India: While 30 is close, the key statutory expression was 30 other judges besides the Chief Justice, giving a total of 31.

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates sometimes confuse older figures with more recent changes or forget whether the Chief Justice is included in the count. Another error is to assume that a round number like 30 must be correct because it sounds neat. To avoid mistakes, remember the formula Chief Justice plus 30 other judges and translate that into the total of 31. Also note that exam questions based on older syllabi will often still expect this traditional number, even if later amendments modify the actual strength at a given time.

Final Answer:
In traditional Indian polity questions, the maximum sanctioned strength of the Supreme Court was commonly cited as 31 judges including the Chief Justice of India.