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 moreJeeja Ghosh, a well-known disability rights activist who has cerebral palsy, was invited to an international conference in Goa in February 2012 and had a confirmed seat on a SpiceJet flight from Kolkata. After she had already boarded and been seated, the flight's captain ordered her removed from the plane purely because of her disability, despite her protests that she needed to reach the conference. The humiliating incident caused her significant trauma, made her miss the conference, and led her (along with the NGO ADAPT) to file a writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution seeking systemic change so that other disabled persons would not suffer similar treatment.
The Supreme Court held that SpiceJet had acted in a callous manner and violated the Aircraft Rules, 1937 and the Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR), 2008 guidelines meant to protect disabled passengers, and that this amounted to unreasonable discrimination and a violation of Jeeja Ghosh's fundamental right to human dignity, even though committed by a private airline. The Court extensively discussed the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities and the gap between disability legislation and lived reality in India. It allowed the writ petition and awarded Jeeja Ghosh damages of Rs. 10,00,000, payable by SpiceJet within two months, and directed attention to strengthening the regulatory framework protecting disabled air passengers.
Airlines and other service providers cannot deny or withdraw service from a person solely because of their disability, doing so violates their dignity and fundamental rights, and can expose the service provider to substantial liability in damages, regardless of whether it is a private company rather than the government.
