New Delhi, September 17, 2026: The Supreme Court has directed Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to pay ₹12 lakh in compensation to a woman who was denied a job at an LPG bottling plant after her gender was cited as a reason for not appointing her. The Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Vipul M Pancholi strongly questioned the assumption that women cannot perform physically demanding work.
Woman denied job despite meeting eligibility
The woman, a resident of Gudha village, was among 49 people recommended by a local committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner for employment at an IOC LPG bottling plant.
She appeared for an interview for the post of casual khalasi, peon or refilling helper. While 43 other candidates received appointment letters, she was not appointed.
The matter subsequently went through several stages of litigation. A trial court had found that she fulfilled the prescribed eligibility requirements and that evidence indicated she was denied the opportunity because she was a woman. However, the first appellate court reversed the decision, and the Punjab and Haryana High Court upheld that ruling in October 2025.
Court questions outdated assumptions
Before the Supreme Court, IOC’s counsel argued that the work involved manual labour, including lifting LPG cylinders, as well as night shifts.
The Bench questioned whether such considerations could justify denying a woman employment solely because of her gender. Justice Aravind Kumar also pointed out that women routinely handle LPG cylinders in their homes.
The Court observed that the petitioner had reached superannuation after pursuing the matter for years. Since appointment was no longer a practical remedy, it ordered IOC to pay ₹12 lakh as lump-sum compensation.
The verdict has brought renewed attention to the need for employment decisions to be based on eligibility and individual ability rather than assumptions about what women can or cannot do.