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 dispute arose from a Title Suit over land in Bhubaneswar, in which a preliminary decree was passed and the plaintiff's first appeal against it was allowed by the Orissa High Court. The defendant (now appellant before the Supreme Court) challenged that High Court decision. During the appeal's pendency, the Supreme Court noted the possibility of settlement and referred the parties to mediation, and later to the District Legal Services Authority, to agree on the purchase price and the exact extent of the disputed land.
The parties agreed in principle that the appellant (plaintiff below) would purchase the disputed land at Rs. 2,500 per square foot, but disagreed on the exact location/extent of the land. The Secretary of the District Legal Services Authority, with the help of a licensed surveyor (Amin), measured and identified the land as 440.82 sq. ft. and submitted a report with a sketch. The Supreme Court adopted this report as part of its judgment, finally disposed of the appeal on the agreed settlement terms, and directed payment in three bi-monthly instalments, correction of land records after full payment, and cooperation between the parties for relocating an underground water pipeline.
Courts actively encourage mediated settlements in property disputes, and once a settlement's practical details (like exact land boundaries) are independently verified, the court can finally dispose of the case on those agreed terms rather than continuing prolonged litigation.
