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 by the trial court in the fodder-scam case (CBI v. Lalu Prasad Yadav & others) for offences including criminal conspiracy, cheating, and forgery, and was sentenced to prison terms along with fines. When he appealed and sought suspension of his sentence, the Jharkhand High Court granted him bail but also directed him to deposit the fine amount imposed by the trial court before the court below. He challenged only this fine-deposit condition, arguing that Section 357(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure automatically stays payment of a fine once an appeal is filed.
The Supreme Court held that Section 357(2) Cr.P.C. only stays the payment of compensation that is directed to be paid out of a fine under Section 357(1) or 357(3): it does not automatically stay a plain fine that forms part of the sentence itself. Since the trial court's order did not direct any part of the fine to be paid as compensation to a victim, Section 357(2) was not attracted, and the High Court's appellate powers under Section 389 Cr.P.C. to impose conditions (such as depositing the fine) while suspending a sentence were unrestricted. The Court distinguished several contrary High Court rulings relied on by the appellant and dismissed the appeal, upholding the fine-deposit condition.
Filing a criminal appeal does not automatically freeze payment of a fine imposed as part of a sentence: that automatic stay under the law applies only to victim-compensation amounts, not to an ordinary fine, and appellate courts retain full discretion to attach conditions like depositing a fine when granting bail pending appeal.
