Which of the following Constitutional Amendment Acts replaced the Collegium system of appointment of judges with the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC)?

Correct option is A

The correct answer is (A) 99th Constitutional Amendment Act

Explanation:
• The 99th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2014, established the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC).
• It sought to replace the Collegium system (where judges appoint judges) with a commission comprising the CJI, two senior judges, the Law Minister, and two eminent persons.
• However, in 2015, the Supreme Court declared the 99th Amendment and the NJAC Act as unconstitutional and void.

Information Booster:
• Fourth Judges Case (2015): The verdict that struck down NJAC is known as the Fourth Judges Case. The court held that it compromised the 'independence of the judiciary', which is a basic structure of the Constitution.
• Current System: Following the verdict, the Collegium system was restored.

Additional Knowledge:
• 97th Amendment (Option C): Gave constitutional status to Co-operative Societies (2011).
• 96th Amendment (Option D): Substituted 'Odia' for 'Oriya' in the Eighth Schedule (2011).
• 98th Amendment (Option B): Created a special region for the Hyderabad-Karnataka region (Article 371-J).