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 moreA father and mother, married in 2012, had a son born in 2016. The mother left the matrimonial home in 2017 and the couple became embroiled in a long-running custody dispute across the Family Court and the Punjab & Haryana High Court, including a failed attempt at a mutual-consent divorce. While the father's appeal was pending before the High Court, the mother relocated with the child to Ireland. The High Court eventually dismissed the father's appeal, noting he had earlier breached an interim custody arrangement and that the child had been living with the mother since 2017 with no evidence she was unfit to care for him.
Before the Supreme Court, the father narrowed his request. He no longer sought custody, only regular video-call access to his son. The Court held that the child's present, settled life with his mother in Ireland should not be disturbed, but stressed that a child has a right to the affection of both parents even when they live in different countries. Finding the father's limited request fair and necessary, the Court directed that he be allowed to video-call his son for two hours on every alternate Sunday (10 AM-12 noon Ireland time), with both parents required to cooperate in good faith to make the arrangement work.
In custody disputes, courts prioritize the child's stability and wellbeing over either parent's claims, but will still protect a non-custodial parent's right to meaningful contact, even limited to virtual visitation, when physical custody changes are impractical.
