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.
14543 more judgements for members
You're seeing the newest cases. Log in — it's free — to keep scrolling, search by name or judge, and filter by court or legal area.
Log in to see moreGlencore International AG, a Swiss commodity trading company, and Shree Ganesh Metals, an Indian zinc-alloy producer, had a history of contracts for zinc metal purchases, each containing a London-seated arbitration clause. In 2016 the parties negotiated a fresh contract for 6,000 metric tons of zinc, exchanged confirming emails, and Glencore sent a signed written contract, but Shree Ganesh never signed it, even though it went on to accept deliveries, raise/honour invoices, and furnish Letters of Credit referencing that very contract. When a dispute arose over Letters of Credit and non-supply of the remaining quantity, Shree Ganesh sued in the Delhi High Court, and Glencore sought reference to arbitration under Section 45 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, both the Single Judge and the Division Bench refused, holding no concluded, binding contract (and hence no arbitration agreement) existed since the contract was unsigned.
The Supreme Court reversed both lower court rulings, holding that an arbitration agreement need not be signed if the record of agreement is otherwise established: through an exchange of emails, invoices, and conduct demonstrating both parties acted upon the contract. Since Shree Ganesh accepted 2,000 metric tons under the contract, referenced its specific contract number in correspondence and Letters of Credit, and never disputed those terms until litigation arose, its conduct amounted to acceptance including the arbitration clause. The Court relied on precedents holding that signature is not a mandatory requirement under Section 7 of the Act where conduct and correspondence show the parties were "ad idem." It set aside the High Court orders and directed that the dispute be referred to arbitration in London as agreed.
In commercial contracts, actions speak louder than signatures. If a party accepts goods, raises invoices, and issues payment instruments under a written but unsigned contract, it cannot later disown the arbitration clause in that same contract by pointing to the missing signature.
