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 was convicted under Section 326 IPC (voluntarily causing grievous hurt with a dangerous weapon) by a Sessions Court in Punjab for attacking the deceased, Harbans Singh, near a tube well in 2002, and his conviction was upheld by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2008. The High Court, noting he had already served over five years in prison, held that sentence sufficient and also imposed Rs. 20,000 compensation. The appellant challenged his conviction before the Supreme Court, arguing he was not named in the original FIR.
The Supreme Court held that although the appellant was not named in the initial FIR, he was specifically named in a later statement as having been armed with a kirpan and having assaulted the deceased, and this was corroborated by two injured eyewitnesses (PW-3 and PW-4) whose testimony the Trial Court and High Court had relied upon. Finding no error in how the lower courts appreciated this evidence, the Supreme Court held the conviction and sentence were properly arrived at and saw no reason to interfere. The appeal was accordingly dismissed.
A person's absence from the initial FIR does not automatically invalidate a later conviction if credible eyewitness testimony during trial specifically and consistently identifies them in the crime.
