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 moreThis is an interim order, not a final judgment. A fire at a consumer fair in Victoria Park, Meerut, in April 2006 killed 64 people and injured more than a hundred. Victims sought compensation and accountability, while the fair organisers challenged an inquiry report that blamed them. They had been summoned as witnesses but had not received the notice or opportunity to cross-examine witnesses required before findings damaging their reputation were made.
This is an interim order, not a final judgment. The Supreme Court set aside the earlier inquiry report and appointed former Supreme Court judge S. B. Sinha to conduct a fresh inquiry with proper notice and opportunities to challenge the evidence. It ordered the State to pay additional interim compensation of Rs. 5 lakh to the legal heirs of each deceased person, Rs. 2 lakh to each seriously injured person and Rs. 75,000 to each person with minor injuries. The money was to be deposited with the District Judge within two months and distributed within the following month, using records supplied by the Collector. The organiser respondents were also directed to deposit Rs. 30 lakh with the Court. Final compensation, the allocation of responsibility and the maintainability of the writ petition remained open pending the fresh report.
Victims of a public disaster may receive interim financial relief while responsibility is still being investigated. An inquiry must also give people facing adverse findings a fair chance to answer the allegations and challenge the evidence.
