In Brief
The State of Punjab challenged a High Court order directing it to provide 1% reservation for children of terrorist-affected and Sikh riot-affected persons in private medical colleges and 3% sports quota in government medical colleges. The Supreme Court held that Articles 15(4) and 15(5) are enabling provisions—they allow but do not compel the State to provide reservations. Courts cannot issue writs of mandamus directing the State to adopt a particular reservation percentage, as policy decisions lie exclusively within the State's domain. The Court quashed the direction regarding 3% sports quota, finding it to be improper judicial interference with policy-making, and disposed of the other direction as academic since the State later implemented the 1% reservation voluntarily.
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