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 moreAn employees' union had filed an unfair-labour-practices complaint against Bonatrans India before the Industrial Court, challenging disciplinary proceedings initiated against certain employees. The employer objected, arguing the complaint was not maintainable because the employees in question were not "workmen" as defined under the Industrial Disputes Act. The Bombay High Court framed an issue for the Industrial Court to decide on this question but worded it in a way that appeared to place the burden of proving "workman" status on the employer, prompting the employer to appeal to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court held that it was the complainant union, not the employer, that had to establish that the employees it was espousing the cause of were indeed "workmen" under Section 2(s) of the Industrial Disputes Act, since that status was a jurisdictional prerequisite for the complaint itself. It modified the issue framed by the High Court accordingly, replacing "employer" with "complainant-union" as the party bearing the burden of proof. Given the time that had elapsed since the dispute began, the Court also laid down a fresh timeline for the Industrial Court to record evidence and decide this preliminary issue by 31 October 2026, while directing both parties to cooperate and avoid unnecessary adjournments. The appeals were allowed in part, and all other findings of the High Court were left undisturbed.
In labour disputes, a union making a claim on behalf of employees must first establish that those employees actually qualify as "workmen" under the law: this threshold burden lies with the party asserting the claim, not the employer defending against it.
