JUDGMENT

Mrs. Sujata V. Manohar, J.-Writ Petition Nos. 13671-72 of 1984 are filed by the State Bank of India Scheduled Caste/Tribe Employees Welfare Association, Chandigarh challenging the reservation policy framed by the State Bank of India reserving certain posts for employees belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes on promotion at the stage of from "Award Cadre" to the Junior Management Grade Cadre. The same policy was challenged before the Andhra Pradesh High Court by some of the employees of the State Bank of India working with the Hyderabad Circle in Writ Petitions bearing Nos. 7237/82, 10149/84 and 1786/86 filed in the Andhra Pradesh High Court. Civil Appeal Nos. 3937-39 of 1986 are from the decision of the Andhra Pradesh High Court in these writ petitions.

2. Since all these matters raise certain common questions they have been heard together. Prior to 1974 there was no provision for reservation of vacancies for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the matter of internal promotion in the State Bank of India. In 1974, it was decided to grant a concession to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe employees in the matter of promotions. When such promoti