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 appellants ran a 9.90 MW biomass power plant and challenged a fourth amendment to Haryana's renewable-energy tariff regulations, along with the regulator's underlying order, arguing the amended norms unfairly revised the tariff terms that applied to their plant for the relevant control period. The Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed their writ petition in a brief, two-paragraph discussion without engaging with their detailed arguments on prejudice or on the validity and competence to frame the amended regulations.
The Supreme Court found the High Court had disposed of the writ petition "in a most casual and cavalier manner," failing to properly consider the appellants' detailed submissions, including a comparative chart showing the disparity between the old and amended norms. Relying on the Constitution Bench ruling in PTC India Ltd. v. Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, the Court reiterated that a challenge to the validity of such regulations can only be examined through judicial review (a writ petition), not through other remedies, so the High Court was obligated to properly adjudicate all the contentions raised. The Court expressly declined to express any view on the merits of the regulatory dispute itself, allowed the appeal, set aside the High Court's order, and restored the writ petition to the High Court for fresh consideration on its own merits.
When a court dismisses a case without actually engaging with the specific arguments and evidence a party has raised, that dismissal can itself be set aside on appeal for being perfunctory: a litigant is entitled to have their detailed contentions genuinely considered, not brushed aside in a cursory order.
