In Brief
Petitioners sought a mandamus directing the State of Uttar Pradesh to collect quantitative data on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes representation in public services to frame regulations for reservation in promotion with consequential seniority. The Supreme Court held that Articles 16(4-A) and 16(4-B) are enabling provisions conferring discretionary power on the State, not mandatory duties. The State need not make such reservations; when it chooses to do so, it must independently gather necessary data establishing inadequate representation. The Court cannot mandate this data collection as it would constitute impermissible judicial entry into legislative policy-making. Mandamus requires an existing legal right and corresponding duty—neither exist in discretionary enabling provisions. The petitions were dismissed.
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