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 (landlord/plaintiff) owned business premises inside the historic Great Eastern Hotel building in Kolkata, let out decades earlier to the respondent (tenant/defendant) at a monthly rent of Rs. 40,000. The appellant filed a summary eviction suit for recovery of possession and arrears of rent; a Single Judge of the Calcutta High Court declined to grant the tenant leave to defend the suit, but the Division Bench reversed this and allowed the tenant unconditional leave to defend, remanding the matter for a full trial.
The Supreme Court held that since the monthly rent (Rs. 40,000) exceeded the Rs. 10,000 threshold under Section 3(f) of the West Bengal Premises Tenancy Act, the tenancy protections of that Act did not apply to these non-residential premises, so the landlord was entitled to proceed via summary suit. Examining the tenant's three grounds for seeking leave to defend, the Court found none raised an arguable or substantial defense with any real factual or legal foundation: they were raised "only for the sake of raising." It therefore held the Single Judge had rightly declined leave to defend and the Division Bench had wrongly granted it, restored the Single Judge's order, allowed the appeal, and gave the tenant six months to vacate subject to depositing all arrears and six months' additional rent as damages, with other related pending cases between the parties over the same premises standing disposed of as a consequence.
In a summary suit, a defendant is not entitled to unconditional leave to defend merely by raising objections: the defence must show a genuine, substantial factual or legal basis, otherwise courts will refuse a full trial and decide the matter summarily.
