JUDGMENT

VENKATARAMIAH, J.:— People belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes and to other weaker sections of society in India are the zealously protected children of the Indian Constitution. Article 46 of the Constitution provides that the State shall promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people, and, in particular, of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and shall protect them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation. While clause (1) of Article 15 of the Constitution provides that the State shall not discriminate against any citizen on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth or any of them, clause (4) of that Article provides that nothing in the said Article or in clause (2) of Article 29 of the Constitution shall prevent the State from making any special provision for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. Similarly, while clause (1) of Article 16 of the Constitution provides that there shall be equality of opportunity for all citizens in matters relating to employment or a