ORDER: Petitioner prays for the issue of a writ of certiorarified mandamus to call for the records relating to the order in T.N.L./S/604, dated 8.12.2000 on the file of the first respondent, quash the same and direct them to award the L.P.G. distributorship to the petitioner.

2. The brief facts of the case are stated below: The Indian Oil Corporation proposed to appoint Indane L.P.G. distributors at Nithiraivillai Village, Kanyakumari District and the same was notified in the local dailies. As per this notification, a category was reserved for women. As per the eligibility criteria prescribed for the applicants as set out in that notification, Clause 8, which is relevant for the purpose of this case, is as follows:

"8. Corporations owned or controlled by State Government/all PSUs are also eligible to apply for open category locations if they are not reserved for women only. However, restrictions relating to Annual Income, residence and multiple dealership would not be applicable to them.

For the locations reserved for women:

(a) A Co-operative Society is eligible to apply, if all members are women.

(b) ‘Other things being equal’, unmarried women above 40 years of age without earning par

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