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 Customs Department prosecuted the respondent under Sections 132 and 135 of the Customs Act, 1962, alleging offences connected with antiquities/art treasures. The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate discharged the respondent, accepting that prosecution under the Customs Act was completely barred once the Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972 applied, relying on an earlier Delhi High Court ruling. The Delhi High Court's Single Judge upheld this discharge, prompting the Customs Department to appeal to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court held that the Antiquities Act, though a comprehensive special law, is not an exhaustive code that completely excludes the Customs Act. Examining the statutory scheme (including Section 4 of the Antiquities Act), the Court found no inconsistency that would bar separate prosecution under Sections 132 and 135(1)(a) of the Customs Act merely because the goods involved were antiquities or art treasures. The same set of facts can give rise to more than one distinct offence where the legislature intended as much. The Court therefore allowed the appeal, set aside the discharge order, and directed that the complaint proceed in accordance with law, while clarifying that this ruling should not influence the trial court's eventual decision on the merits.
A specialised law covering a subject (like antiquities) does not automatically shut out prosecution under a general law (like the Customs Act) for the same conduct, unless the two statutes are genuinely in conflict: courts will allow parallel prosecutions where the laws can operate together.
