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 moreThis is a continuing suo motu matter, taken up after news reports of children being attacked by stray dogs, along with a batch of connected special leave petitions and writ petitions from across the country. Earlier orders dated 11th August 2025 and 22nd August 2025 had directed municipal authorities nationwide to capture, sterilise, deworm, and vaccinate stray dogs under the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, release non-aggressive, non-rabid dogs back to their original localities, set up feeding zones and helplines, and file compliance affidavits. This order deals with three parts: reviewing states' and Union Territories' compliance affidavits and the Amicus Curiae's summary report, applying directions from a Rajasthan High Court writ petition, and addressing the rising incidents of dog-bite attacks in institutional areas like schools, hospitals, and transport hubs.
The Court reviewed compliance status across states and UTs and issued fresh, detailed directions requiring authorities to secure institutional areas (educational institutions, hospitals, sports complexes, bus depots, and railway stations) against stray dog incidents, and to ensure regular inspection and coordination with municipal and Panchayati Raj bodies. It directed the Union of India, through the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, to ensure similar compliance across all centrally-run institutions and to file a comprehensive affidavit within 8 weeks, along with ensuring availability of anti-rabies vaccines and immunoglobulin. The Animal Welfare Board of India was directed to file a nationwide status report on sterilisation and vaccination drives and to formulate uniform Standard Operating Procedures. The Court warned that any non-compliance would be viewed seriously and could invite penalties, including suo motu contempt proceedings, and listed the matter for further directions on 13th January 2026.
Public safety measures concerning stray animals require coordinated, sustained action from municipal, state, and central authorities under judicial monitoring: humane control of strays (sterilisation and vaccination rather than indiscriminate removal) must be balanced against the urgent need to protect children and the public, especially in institutional spaces.
