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 moreRakesh and his brother Dalbir were convicted by a Trial Court, and that conviction was later upheld by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, for attacking Raj Kishan in April 2000 amid a long-running family feud (triggered by an earlier alleged abduction). Rakesh struck Raj Kishan on the head with a wooden stick ("dang"), while Dalbir shot him in the neck; Dalbir was also convicted separately under the Arms Act for the firearm. Both appellants were sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for attempt to murder, and they appealed to the Supreme Court seeking either a lesser conviction (under Section 325 IPC, for causing grievous hurt, instead of attempt to murder) or a reduced sentence.
The Supreme Court held that, given the medical evidence (the firearm injury was potentially fatal) and the eyewitness testimony of the injured victim, the conviction under Section 307 IPC for attempt to murder was fully justified and declined to downgrade it to Section 325 IPC. However, considering that the incident occurred in 2000 and that the appellants were only 24 and 26 years old at the time, the Court exercised leniency on sentencing and reduced their term of imprisonment from seven years to five years, while leaving the conviction itself undisturbed.
Courts can uphold a serious conviction (like attempt to murder) based on strong medical and eyewitness evidence while still moderating the sentence length in light of mitigating factors such as the offenders' young age at the time and the long passage of time since the offence.
