Indian Political CompassConstitutional Amendment · Struck down
99th Amendment (2014)
Replaced the collegium system for judicial appointments with a National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) comprising judges and non-judges. Struck down by the Supreme Court in 2015.
Why it was passed
The government argued the collegium — where senior Supreme Court judges collectively decide on appointments — lacked transparency and accountability. The NJAC would include the Law Minister and two eminent citizens.
Key changes
- Inserted Article 124A establishing the NJAC
- Amended Articles 124, 127, 128, 217, 222, 224, 224A, 231 to route all senior judicial appointments through the NJAC
Controversy and legal challenges
In Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association v. Union of India (2015), a five-judge bench struck down the amendment 4:1 as violating the Basic Structure doctrine's guarantee of judicial independence. The ruling was criticised by the executive as judicial overreach and is the most prominent post-Kesavananda example of an amendment being invalidated.
Related articles
Content is editorial draft pending fact-check against official Gazette notifications and Supreme Court judgment texts. Last reviewed: 2026-07-02.
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