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's proprietor had borrowed Rs. 10,00,000 from the second respondent and issued a cheque towards repayment, which was returned unpaid with the endorsement "payment stopped by drawer." He was convicted under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act by the Trial Court and sentenced to two years' imprisonment; the First Appellate Court upheld the conviction, and the High Court affirmed the conviction while reducing the sentence to one year. The appellant then appealed to the Supreme Court, having already deposited Rs. 5,00,000 with the Trial Court pursuant to an earlier Supreme Court order.
By the time the matter reached the Supreme Court, the appellant and the complainant (second respondent) had reached a compromise, under which the complainant received the full cheque amount of Rs. 10,00,000 and filed a notarised Compromise Memo in court, with the complainant personally present and identified by Aadhar card. In view of this compromise, the Court set aside the conviction and sentence under Section 138 and acquitted the appellant under Section 320(8) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which allows compounding (settlement) of certain offences even at the appellate stage. The Court also directed that the Rs. 5,00,000 earlier deposited with the Trial Court be refunded to the appellant since the complainant had already received the full amount through the compromise.
Offences under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act (cheque bounce) are compoundable, meaning that even after conviction, parties can settle the dispute and have the conviction set aside if the complainant confirms receipt of the amount: a practical route for resolving cheque-dishonour disputes without exhausting the full appellate process.
