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 moreTwo Tamil Nadu civil service officers competed for promotion to the Indian Administrative Service. The State withheld several years of Nanthagopal's confidential reports as supposedly invalid because they were written late, and later dropped pending disciplinary charges before his appointment. Mohanasundaram challenged the selection; the tribunal ruled in his favour but the High Court restored it.
The Supreme Court allowed the appeal and ordered fresh comparative consideration of the two officers for the 2009A vacancies within three months. The promotion regulations required assessment of the complete service records. The State's instructions about the time for writing reports were directory and did not make late reports invalid, so withholding those reports unlawfully distorted the assessment. The Court also upheld the tribunal's criticism of the unexplained dropping of charges and grant of an integrity certificate, and held that the High Court could not supply undisclosed reasons for that decision. It restored the tribunal's order with modifications requiring a fresh or review selection committee if necessary, rather than directly appointing the appellant.
A public promotion assessment must use the relevant complete service record and valid rules, rather than selectively omit inconvenient reports. A successful challenge can lead to reconsideration on a lawful basis without guaranteeing the challenger the promotion.
