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, a practising Company Secretary, had filed an affidavit containing false averments in a company-law appeal before the Gujarat High Court. The High Court's Company Judge directed his prosecution under Section 195 CrPC, initiated contempt proceedings against him, and referred the matter for possible disciplinary action under Section 21 of the Company Secretaries Act. He appealed to the Supreme Court and, during the hearing, sought permission to file an affidavit tendering an unconditional apology for his "unwitting conduct."
The Supreme Court examined the appellant's affidavit, in which he unreservedly apologised, acknowledged his error, and asserted he had an otherwise unblemished career since 1996 with no intention to disrespect the courts. Finding the apology genuine and sufficient to warrant dropping the contempt proceedings, the Court held it would be unjust to let the related prosecution and disciplinary-referral proceedings continue once the contempt matter itself was dropped. It therefore set aside all three proposed actions, accepted the apology, allowed the appeal, warned the appellant against repeating such conduct, and made no order as to costs.
Courts can and do accept a sincere, unconditional apology to end contempt proceedings arising from an isolated lapse, but doing so comes with an explicit warning that the conduct must not be repeated: an apology is a second chance, not a free pass.
