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 morePoona Employees Union sought to replace Bhartiya Kamgar Sena as the recognised union at Force Motors' Pune plant, claiming that most workers had moved to it. The Industrial Court granted recognition in 2006, relying heavily on 1,556 affidavits from workers. The High Court reversed that decision in 2009, finding that the Industrial Court had used the affidavits to prove membership even though it had undertaken not to do so.
The Court refused to interfere with the High Court's view. It noted that the investigating officer found the union's membership fees had not been deposited in its bank account, its accounts were not audited by a government-appointed auditor, and blank columns in its annual return covered the very membership figures needed. It also found that the affidavits could not have been relied on to prove membership once the union had given the undertaking that they would not be used for that purpose. Since the High Court's view was "plausible and rational" on the materials, the Court exercised its restraint under Article 136 and dismissed the appeals with no costs.
A union claiming to be the recognised representative of workers must prove its majority membership with reliable records, such as receipts, bank deposits and audited accounts. Signed affidavits from workers are not a substitute where the court has limited their use.
