Supreme Court Awards ₹12 Lakh To Woman Denied LPG Job Over Gender
The Supreme Court has directed Indian Oil Corporation to pay ₹12 lakh in compensation to a woman who was denied employment as a refilling helper at an LPG bottling plant solely on grounds of gender, despite meeting all eligibility criteria. A Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Vipul M Pancholi strongly condemned the corporation's discriminatory action, noting that the woman has now reached retirement age.
Justice Kumar rejected the corporation's argument that the job involved manual labour and night shifts unsuitable for women. He observed that women routinely handle LPG cylinders at home and questioned why the same capability was denied recognition in employment. The Court criticized such discrimination from a Government of India undertaking, calling it an affront to womanhood and a violation of equal employment opportunity principles.
