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 moreDuring an appeal in a cheque dishonour prosecution, the parties privately settled and asked for referral to a Lok Adalat. The Lok Adalat refused to approve the settlement because the accused had not deposited the prescribed 15% compounding cost. The Legal Services Authority challenged the resulting orders, arguing that these costs discouraged Lok Adalat settlements.
The Court disposed of the appeal while retaining the High Court's conclusion and clarifying how the cost guidelines should operate. Settlement before a Lok Adalat did not automatically exempt a cheque dishonour case from the graded costs intended to encourage early resolution. A court could nevertheless reduce or waive costs for specific reasons recorded in writing, including appropriate cases reflecting the parties' positive approach to settlement. The accused had to establish a plausible basis for that relief. Here the parties had already settled and used the Lok Adalat only to endorse their agreement, so the Court found no error in the challenged result and criticised referrals made merely to inflate settlement statistics.
Moving a cheque dishonour settlement to a Lok Adalat does not automatically remove compounding costs. A party seeking a reduction or waiver must explain the particular circumstances so the court can record reasons for granting it.
