# SC orders IOC to pay Rs 12 lakh to woman denied job over gender 2026-09-17T12:22:02+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 4 independent outlets The Supreme Court on Thursday directed Indian Oil Corporation to pay Rs 12 lakh compensation to a woman who was denied a job as a refilling helper at an LPG bottling plant because of her gender. A bench of Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice Vipul M Pancholi called the discrimination an affront to womanhood, especially by a government undertaking. The court rejected the corporation's argument that the job required lifting cylinders and night shifts, with Justice Kumar observing that women routinely lift gas cylinders at home. The petitioner, a resident of village Gudha, was among 49 candidates recommended by a local committee for employment at an IOC plant. While 43 others received appointment letters, she was not appointed. The trial court had ruled in her favour, but the first appellate court and the Punjab and Haryana High Court later held she had no vested right to appointment. Since she has now reached retirement age, the Supreme Court awarded lump-sum compensation instead of a job. The court also refused the corporation's request to refer the matter to mediation. ## Indian Opinion Analysis All four sources report the same core facts without noticeable editorial slant. LiveLaw, Mathrubhumi, Free Press Journal, and New Indian Express each lead with the compensation amount and the court's strong rebuke to IOC. The uniformity suggests the court's remarks were unambiguous and the verdict was delivered in a single hearing without dissent. The key takeaway is the court's clear signalling that gender-based assumptions about physical capability are illegal, even when framed as concern about job suitability. This may influence how public sector undertakings evaluate candidates for manual roles going forward. ## Coverage - livelaw.in (neutral report) Straight news reporting, no editorialising. - english.mathrubhumi.com (neutral report) Factual report with no discernible slant. - freepressjournal.in (neutral report) Plain narration of events, no opinion added. - newindianexpress.com (neutral report) Straight news agency style, no slant. Tags: gender discrimination, Indian Oil Corporation, Justice Aravind Kumar, Punjab and Haryana High Court, Supreme Court Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/sc-awards-rs-12-lakh-to-woman-denied-ioc-job-over-gender/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/sc-awards-rs-12-lakh-to-woman-denied-ioc-job-over-gender/#story-in-brief