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, along with others, was convicted under Section 326 IPC (voluntarily causing grievous hurt) for assaulting the complainant's family during a group clash. The High Court of Karnataka reduced his sentence to one year but enhanced his fine; his subsequent Special Leave Petition to the Supreme Court was dismissed in limine. After that dismissal, the applicant's and complainant's families amicably settled all disputes between them, including a related property/right-of-way dispute, with the applicant agreeing to pay Rs. 5,80,000 in compensation. The applicant then applied to have the offence compounded on the strength of this settlement.
Although Section 326 IPC is legally non-compoundable under the Criminal Procedure Code, the Supreme Court found the settlement genuine and voluntary, noting the families lived close together and were related, making continued hostility socially disruptive. It recalled its earlier dismissal order, used its special/inherent powers to give effect to the compromise, confirmed the conviction, but reduced the sentence to the period already undergone in light of the settlement.
Even where the law labels an offence "non-compoundable," the Supreme Court can, in exceptional circumstances, use its inherent powers to honour a genuine settlement between victim and accused, particularly in disputes rooted in personal or neighbourly relationships, and moderate the sentence accordingly.
