Real judgements, distilled
Court judgements broken down into the case type, how the decision played out, and the lesson worth remembering, with the full judgement available as a PDF.
Civil Appeal · 2026 INSC 1094
An older qualification must still satisfy the eligibility rules governing the appointment sought. Here, the certificate's early date did not secure reinstatement, and rejection of eligibility should not be confused with a conclusive finding that the certificate was forged.
Civil Appeal · 2026 INSC 1095
A party benefiting from a conditional stay must meet its deposit requirement or face enforcement. The additional ₹15 crore deposit secures the pending dispute; it does not settle the land's final compensation or amount to an immediate payment to the landowners.
Criminal Appeal · 2026 INSC 1093
An alleged attempt to kill does not become a lesser offence simply because the victim avoided a fatal injury. Restoring this charge means the accusation must be tried; it does not establish that the accused is guilty.
Civil Appeal · 2026 INSC 1090
For the assessment in this case, assistance reducing ordinary manufacturing costs was taxable even though the government wanted to encourage industry. The purpose and actual operation of the particular subsidy mattered more than its general development label.
Criminal Appeal · 2026 INSC 1091
Proof that someone caused a serious injury does not by itself prove the additional ingredients of robbery. A court can substitute a lesser offence supported by the evidence; the sentencing reduction here depended on Appa's particular circumstances.
Special Leave Petition (Civil) · 2026 INSC 1092
Someone challenging an election must ensure that the personal-presentation requirement is met and can be proved. Merely entering the court building does not establish compliance, and a filing defect can end the challenge before the election allegations are examined.
Civil Appeal · 2026 INSC 1088
An employee who retires on 30 June may be entitled to the increment that falls due on 1 July after completing a year of service. Authorities that delay paying the amounts due must pay interest after the deadline set by the court.
Civil Appeal · 2026 INSC 1089
Recruitment must follow the qualifications stated in the advertisement and the governing Recruitment Rules. A court will not override a merit-based eligibility decision made under those rules merely because the candidate concerned was higher in the written test.
Writ Petition (Criminal) · 2026:DHC:8797
A person who occupied property only because of employment has no independent right to remain once the employment and decree end. Even when a petition fails, courts can make practical arrangements to let a person recover personal belongings.
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Log in to see moreA pilot employed by Air India Express tendered her resignation along with the mandatory six-month notice period required under Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) for pilots. Before the notice period ended, she sought to withdraw her resignation, but the airline refused, having already arranged a replacement pilot in reliance on her resignation. She challenged the refusal in the Kerala High Court, where both the Single Judge and the Division Bench ruled in her favour, holding she could withdraw before the resignation took effect. The airline appealed to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court held that the general principle allowing an employee to withdraw a resignation any time before it takes effect must yield to the specific regulatory scheme for pilots under the CAR, which exists precisely because replacing a trained pilot takes significant time and cost: the airline's obligation to find a replacement begins the moment resignation is tendered. Reading the resignation letter's own terms (including the pilot's own statement about possibly leaving early for personal reasons), the Court found the notice period was tied to the regulatory requirement, not an ordinary notice period freely revocable at will. It held the pilot could not withdraw her resignation once the airline had already taken steps (finding a replacement) in reliance on it, allowed the appeal, and dismissed her writ petition.
In specially regulated professions like commercial aviation, the normal rule that resignation can be withdrawn anytime before its effective date can be overridden by sector-specific regulatory notice requirements designed to protect public safety and operational continuity: know the specific rules governing your profession, not just general employment principles.
