SHANMUGAM, J.:- The petitioners have preferred the Original Petition praying for a writ of certiorari, a writ of mandamus and a declaration containing four prayers. The petitioners did not press the prayers in respect of mandamus but have restricted their prayers to

(a) issue a writ of certiorari to quash Exts. P 1 to P4 and

(b) issue a declaration that the change of caste in school records by substituting the name of Scheduled Caste in the place of the name of caste or community coming under the category of Other Backward Classes in school records is illegal and null and void ab initio.

2. When the matter came up before the Bench consisting of K. S. Paripoornan, J. (as he then was) and K. P. Balanarayana Marar, J. on 12-4-1991, the Division Bench ordered that this matter requires indepth consideration and that the impact and the result of this litigation has far reaching consequences regarding the future of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the State, and in view of the public importance that is inherent in the very resolution of the controversy posed before this Court and the substantial questions of law that arise for consideration, the case was referred to the