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 appellant, a 24-year-old self-employed carpenter, was riding a motorcycle on 24 November 2011 when a dumper truck swerved and hit him, leaving him with 90% disability in both hands: unable even to eat or use the toilet without assistance. The Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal awarded him about Rs. 12.81 lakh in compensation, which the High Court enhanced by a further Rs. 2.19 lakh. The appellant came to the Supreme Court seeking still higher compensation, arguing the courts below had undervalued his loss of future income, future prospects, and the true extent of his disability.
The Supreme Court held that given the complete loss of function in both hands, the disability should be treated as 100% rather than 90%, and that as a self-employed person under 40 at the time of the accident, he was entitled to the 40% "future prospects" addition to income recognised in the Constitution Bench ruling in National Insurance Co. Ltd. v. Pranay Sethi. Applying these corrections along with enhanced amounts for pain and suffering, attendant charges, and future medical expenses, the Court raised the total compensation to Rs. 25,38,308/- with 9% annual interest from the date the claim was filed. The appeal was allowed with no order as to costs.
Compensation for accident victims must realistically account for total loss of function (not just the percentage certified) and must include future income prospects even for self-employed, informally-earning victims: courts are expected to look at the real human impact of a disability, not just mechanical formulas.
