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 moreIndian Rare Earths Ltd., a government company, engaged Unique Builders Ltd. for structural steel and cladding work on bulk warehouses. A dispute arose before the work was completed and was referred to arbitration, where the contractor claimed about Rs. 97.5 lakh but the arbitrator awarded only about Rs. 19.5 lakh with interest. Indian Rare Earths challenged the award in the civil court and lost, then lost again before the High Court, and brought the matter to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court held that a non-speaking (unreasoned) arbitral award cannot be set aside merely because it lacks reasons, relying on the Constitution Bench ruling in Raipur Development Authority vs. Chokhamal Contractors and the earlier decision in S. Harcharan Singh vs. Union of India. Since the arbitration agreement did not require the arbitrator to give reasons, the Court held it was not permissible to probe into the arbitrator's mental process, especially where the arbitrator had already rejected the bulk of the contractor's claim. Finding no error warranting interference, the Court upheld both the award and the High Court's judgment and dismissed the appeal.
If parties agree to arbitration without requiring the arbitrator to give reasons, courts will generally not second-guess a non-speaking award just because its reasoning isn't spelled out: challenges to arbitral awards succeed only on the narrow grounds actually set out in law.
