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 moreThe appellant sued the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation, seeking a declaration that the Corporation's realignment of a street line affecting his land was illegal and void, and an injunction to stop construction of a road through the property. The trial court decreed the suit in his favour, but the first appellate court reversed this and dismissed the suit; the Bombay High Court upheld the dismissal in second appeal, leading to this appeal before the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court found that the appellant had filed a "misconceived suit" seeking the wrong reliefs. Instead of simply challenging the realignment, he should have sought a declaration of his ownership over the land and an injunction restraining the Corporation from interfering with it without following due legal process (including paying compensation). Because the case was never pleaded or argued on this correct footing, and no evidence was led on ownership or the Corporation's specific actions, the Court held it could not grant the proper relief on the existing record. It dismissed the appeal but granted the appellant liberty to file a fresh suit framed correctly, clarifying that none of the findings in the earlier proceedings would bind him or operate as res judicata in the new suit.
When suing to protect property rights against government action, a plaintiff must plead and prove the precise legal basis for the claim (such as ownership) and seek the correct relief: courts cannot grant relief on a claim that was never properly framed, however legitimate the underlying grievance may be.
