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, a temporary employee of ONGC since 1983, was absent for 1968 days over seven years (later sanctioned ex-post-facto as medical leave) before a Medical Board found the leave disproportionate to her stated ailments. ONGC terminated her services in 1994. She initially pursued the wrong legal forum (a writ petition) for over fourteen years before approaching the Labour Court in 2008, which eventually set aside her termination; the High Court later upheld reinstatement but with modifications on back wages, leading both the employee and ONGC to cross-appeal to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court declined to disturb the setting aside of the termination order but held that, given her prolonged and disproportionate absenteeism (averaging 281 days a year for seven years) and the fourteen-year delay in approaching the correct forum, she was not entitled to full back wages. The Court modified the High Court's order to award her only 10% back wages along with reinstatement and consequential benefits, while making clear that although she would be treated as reinstated, ONGC would not be obliged to actually take work from her and could instead pay her salary until her superannuation (due in May 2020).
Even where a dismissal is eventually found unlawful and reinstatement is ordered, courts can scale back monetary relief like back wages where the employee's own conduct (habitual absenteeism, or long delay in approaching the right forum) contributed to the outcome: reinstatement and full back wages do not automatically go together.
