What is the significance of the Constitution (Ninety-ninth Amendment) Act, 2014, and the Constitution (Fifteenth Amendment) Act, 1963, in terms of the functioning of the Supreme Court?
The Constitution (Ninety-ninth Amendment) Act, 2014, introduced a change in the way judges of the Supreme Court were appointed. However, this amendment was struck down by the Supreme Court in the case of Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association and another vs. Union of India in its judgment dated 16-10-2015, AIR 2016 SC 117.

The Constitution (Fifteenth Amendment) Act, 1963, introduced a new section into the Indian Constitution (Article 91), which clarified that no person could be forced to sit and act as a judge of the Supreme Court unless they consented to do so.

In terms of the functioning of the Supreme Court, these amendments have had an impact on how judges are appointed and how the court operates. The struck-down amendment attempted to change the process of appointing judges, while the other introduced a provision regarding consent for sitting as a judge.