Judgment

GAJENDRAGADKAR, J. : Since 1958 the State of Mysore has been endeavouring to make a special provision for the advancement of its socially and educationally backward classes of citizens under Article 15(4) of the Constitution, and every time when an order is passed in that behalf, its validity has been challenged by writ proceedings. Four previous orders passed in that behalf were challenged by writ proceedings taken against the State under Art. 226 in the High Court of Mysore. The present petitions filed by the respective petitioners under Art. 32 dispute the validity of the last order passed by the State of Mysore on July 31, 1962, under Art. 15(4).

2. Out of the twenty-three petitioners, six had applied for admission to the Pre-professional Class in Medicine in the Medical Colleges affiliated either to the Mysore University or to the Karnatak University, and seventeen had applied for admission to the First Year of the 5-Year integrated course leading to the Degree of B. E. in the University of Mysore. According to the petitioners, but for the reservation made by the impugned order, they would have been entitled to the admission in the respective colleges for which they had