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 applicant, Dheeraj Toor, has been in custody since February 2023 in a case over the death of a man on 04.02.2023, registered at P.S. Baba Haridas Nagar, Delhi. The chargesheet has been filed, most public witnesses have been examined, and a co-accused had already been granted bail, partly because a key witness turned hostile. The prosecution relied on a forensic (DNA) report linking clothing recovered at the applicants' instance to the deceased, while the defence relied on a Supreme Court ruling that recovered blood-stained clothes alone are not enough to prove the charge.
The High Court granted regular bail to both applicants. It weighed their more than three years and seven months of custody, the substantial evidence already recorded, and the bail granted to the co-accused. The Court applied the settled principle that "bail, not jail" is the rule, and that pre-trial detention cannot be a punishment, while acknowledging that the offence is grave. Each applicant was directed to furnish a bail bond of Rs 25,000 with one surety, and to comply with conditions such as not leaving the country, not contacting witnesses, and reporting to the Investigating Officer when called.
A long period of pre-trial custody combined with a slow trial can outweigh the seriousness of a charge when deciding bail. Bail comes with strict conditions, and breaching them can lead to cancellation.
