(1.) Facts and questions of law raised in these petitions can be regarded as common questions of law. The petitions are being disposed of by common order.
(2.) The basic factual questions argued be noted albeit with brevity. FACTS:
(3.) The State of Andhra Pradesh appointed Sri Justice P. Ramachandra Raju, a retired Judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court as Commission of Inquiry (hereinafter referred to as "Raju Commission") on 10-9-1996 to examine (A). Whether disproportionately large number of benefits have gone to a particular sub-caste of Scheduled Castes; and (B) If so, to indicate all such steps as are necessary and required to be taken to ensure that the above benefits are equally distributed amongst the various sub-castes of Scheduled Castes. The State made reservation of 15% in appointment in services and admission in educational institutions for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The Raju Commission concluded that a large number of benefits of the reservation were disproportionately garnished by a particular sub-caste of the Scheduled Castes. To ameliorate the benefit of reservation being usurped and provide an opportunity to a larger number of people in the category of Scheduled Castes, Raju Commission recommended steps to distribute the benefits equitably amongst Scheduled Castes, by dividing the 15% reservation proportionately according to the population amongst them. The Raju Commission report was examined by the Cabinet Committee and opined for making ameliorative measures. Keeping in view the population of the Scheduled Castes in each group, out of the castes set out for the A.P. as Scheduled Castes in the Presidential Order, 1950 categorised them broadly into Relli, Madiga, Mala and Adi Andhra group of; communities. 15% reservation provided by the State to the Scheduled Castes as a whole in the matter of public employment and; admissions in educational institutions was apportioned at 1%, 7%, 6% and 1% among the four categories categorised as A, B, C and D respectively. G.O.Ms.Nos. 68 and 69, dated 6-6-1997 and 7-6-1997 were issued accordingly.