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's son, Ziyahur/Ziyahul/Ziaul Rahman, was allegedly killed in what the appellant described as an honour killing, having been beaten with sticks and rods, suffering 14 antemortem injuries including severe head trauma. Despite the severity of the injuries, the chargesheet and the trial court framed charges only under Section 304 IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) rather than Section 302 IPC (murder), a decision affirmed at the trial stage.
The Supreme Court examined the postmortem report in detail, noting 14 injuries including a severe dural hematoma from blows to the head, and held that the trial court had erred by relying merely on the fact that the weapon used was not sharp-edged, without properly evaluating whether the nature and number of injuries showed an intention to kill. Applying its earlier ruling in Ghulam Hassan Beigh, the Court held the evidence disclosed a prima facie case for murder, set aside the lower courts' framing of charge under Section 304, and directed that a fresh charge be framed under Section 302 read with Section 34 IPC, with the trial to proceed accordingly. It also directed the State to appoint a Special Prosecutor in consultation with the appellant, while clarifying its observations should not influence the trial's ultimate outcome.
The choice of weapon alone (e.g., sticks versus a sharp weapon) is not decisive in deciding whether a charge should be murder or a lesser offence. Courts must look at the number, location, and severity of injuries to assess whether there was an intention to kill before finalizing the charge.
