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 was convicted of house trespass, sexual assault of a minor under the POCSO Act, and rape under Section 376(2) IPC, for an incident in which he entered the house of a 15-year-old girl while her parents were away, sent her younger brother out on an errand, and assaulted her. The victim immediately told her cousin and, through her, contacted her parents, leading to a police complaint. The trial court and the Chhattisgarh High Court both convicted and sentenced him, and he appealed to the Supreme Court arguing the medical evidence was inconclusive and there were contradictions between the victim's and her brother's testimony.
The Court held that the victim was proved to be a minor (15 years old) through her school marksheet and her parents' evidence, rejecting the age-related defence. It found the victim's testimony natural, consistent, and corroborated by her young brother (an eyewitness) and other family members, and reaffirmed settled law that a conviction for rape can rest on the sole, credible testimony of the prosecutrix even without corroborating medical evidence, citing a long line of precedents including State of Punjab v. Gurmit Singh and Lok Mal v. State of Uttar Pradesh. The absence of external injuries or conclusive medical findings did not undermine the victim's credible account. The appeal was dismissed and the conviction upheld.
In sexual assault cases, courts can and do convict based solely on a credible victim's testimony: the absence of physical injury or corroborating medical evidence does not by itself create reasonable doubt.
