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 seller, had supplied goods to the first respondent, who issued a cheque of Rs. 20,00,000 in payment. The cheque bounced twice for insufficient funds. After a legal notice went unanswered, the appellant filed a criminal complaint under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, and the Magistrate summoned the respondent. The Patna High Court later quashed the entire complaint under Section 482 of the CrPC, holding that the cheque was not issued for the discharge of any debt or liability.
The Supreme Court held that the High Court exceeded its jurisdiction by conducting a detailed factual inquiry into whether the cheque was issued for a legally enforceable debt at the pre-trial stage. Under Section 139 of the NI Act, a presumption arises that a cheque was issued to discharge a debt, and this presumption can only be rebutted through evidence at trial, not through a summary Section 482 inquiry. Since the complaint disclosed all the necessary ingredients of a Section 138 offence, it should not have been quashed. The Court set aside the High Court's order and restored the complaint before the Magistrate, clarifying it expressed no view on the actual merits of whether the cheque was for a genuine debt.
When a cheque bounces and a Section 138 complaint is properly filed, courts should not use their inherent quashing powers to short-circuit the trial by pre-judging factual disputes. The accused must raise and prove such defenses (like disputing the debt) during the actual trial, not get the case dismissed at the threshold.
