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.
14543 more judgements for members
You're seeing the newest cases. Log in — it's free — to keep scrolling, search by name or judge, and filter by court or legal area.
Log in to see moreA school peon died after his motorcycle was hit by a speeding vehicle. His wife and three minor children were awarded about Rs. 46.29 lakh in compensation by the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal. On appeal by the insurance company, the High Court set aside the award, doubting that the identified offending vehicle was really involved: largely because the FIR was registered three months after the accident and an eyewitness could not recall exact details like the vehicle's colour or number plate style.
The Supreme Court found the High Court's reasoning unconvincing. A hospital "Murg" report (a police record made when an unnatural death is reported) was filed on the very day of the accident, confirming the incident occurred as described, and the subsequent police investigation, triggered by that report, was what led to the eyewitness being identified and the FIR eventually being registered. The Court held that minor inconsistencies in an eyewitness's memory of vehicle details, and a delay in filing the FIR that was explained by the investigation timeline, were not sufficient grounds to disbelieve the claim, especially since the insurance company never bothered to examine the investigating officer to challenge the FIR's authenticity. The Tribunal's compensation award was restored in full.
Courts should not let minor gaps in an eyewitness's memory or a reasonably explained delay in filing an FIR defeat a genuine compensation claim for an accident victim's family, especially where independent evidence like a hospital report corroborates that the accident occurred as described.
