Petitioners in all these writ petitions are employees of Airports Authority of India (hereinafter referred to as the ‘AAI' for short). All of them challenge the proceedings initiated by the respondents for recovery of the medical expenses disbursed to them, on the ground that the benefit of reimbursement is admissible only to one of the spouses. Documents referred to in this judgment are as described in W.P(c).No.3990 of 2016, unless specified otherwise.

2. Airports Authority of India (Employees Medical Attendance and Treatment) Regulations, 2003 (Ext.P1) were framed and published by the AAI on 24.06.2003 in exercise of powers conferred under sub section (1), r/w clause (b) of sub section 2 of Section 42 of the Airports Authority of India Act, 1994, in supersession of the Rules which existed till then in respect of medical attendance and treatment of the employees under it. Clause 3 provides for conditions of dependency. It provides that when both the spouses are employed in Central Government/State Government/Public Sector Undertaking/Local Bodies etc., which provid