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 complainant's brother was murdered during a political dispute over the removal of a local Mayor. The trial court convicted all four accused, including the present respondent no.2, under Section 302/34 IPC (murder with common intention) and sentenced them to life imprisonment. On appeal, the High Court acquitted respondent no.2, reasoning that he had not personally fired the weapon, was unarmed, and may not have known a co-accused was carrying a revolver. The deceased's brother (the appellant) challenged this acquittal before the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court held that the High Court's acquittal was unsustainable and based on speculative reasoning. It reiterated that "common intention" is a state of mind that need not be proven by direct evidence: it can be inferred from the accused's conduct before, during, and after the crime. The evidence showed the four accused arrived together, the respondent moved toward the deceased alongside the shooter, exhorted the attack, and fled together afterward, all indicating a shared, pre-planned intention even though he himself was unarmed and did not fire the fatal shot. The Court also noted the respondent's false alibi defence (rejected by both lower courts) as an aggravating factor. It set aside the acquittal, restored his conviction and life sentence, and directed him to surrender to serve the remaining sentence.
A person can be convicted for a crime committed by someone else if the evidence shows a shared "common intention": simply not personally wielding the weapon or striking the blow is not a defence if your presence, actions, and conduct show you were part of a planned joint attack.
