SUDIP AHLUWALIA, J.

1. These Letters Patent Appeals have been filed by the appellants including appellant no. 1, being Union of India through its Secretary, Ministry of Defence and its other concerned officers. The appeals are directed against the common judgment passed by the Ld. Single Judge on 30.6.2015 in the relevant CWP No. 20113 of 2013 and other connected matters. For the sake of convenience, the facts of LPA No. 1691 of 2015 are being referred to in this judgment, which shall cover all the other clubbed appeals.

2. In 2003, the Ministry of Defence, Government of India introduced the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme. The same was meant to provide medicare to Ex-servicemen and their dependents through a Network of Polyclinics and medical service facilities spread across the country. It was a contributory Scheme in which the medical benefits were sought to be extended on payment of contribution. The appointment of the staff under the Scheme was to be on a contractual basis. The age limit for Medical Officers/Specialists, Dental Officers and Officers In charge of Polyclinics for such contractual appointments was 65 years, while it was 55 years for various other