TRILOKI NATH TIKU & ANR. vs STATE OF JAMMU & KASHMIR & ORS.

The Supreme Court addressed the issue of reservation under Article 16(4) of the Constitution of India, ruling that while the State can make reservations for backward classes, it must ensure that such reservations do not unreasonably infringe upon the principle of equality of opportunity in employment. The Court emphasized that the classification of backward classes must be based on justifiable criteria and that mere underrepresentation in services does not qualify a class as backward. The case was remanded to the High Court for further investigation into the status of the Muslim and Hindu communities in Jammu and Kashmir regarding their backwardness.