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 appellants were the mother and sibling of a man who died after falling off a tractor-trailer in 2001, allegedly due to the driver's rash and negligent driving while he was returning after unloading foodgrains. The Motor Accident Claims Tribunal awarded them about Rs. 3.2 lakh in compensation, holding the driver's negligence caused the accident, but the Karnataka High Court set aside the award on the insurer's appeal, holding that the deceased had not actually been travelling with the goods on the vehicle at the time and so the insurance company could not be held liable.
The Supreme Court restored the Tribunal's finding that the deceased had indeed been travelling with his goods at the time of the accident, and held that, consequently, the insurer was obliged to satisfy the compensation awarded. The Court declined to revisit the amount of compensation itself, noting that the claimants had never sought enhancement of the award either before the High Court or in this appeal: their only prayer was to have the High Court's reversal set aside. The appeal was allowed only to that extent, restoring the original Tribunal award in full, with costs.
In motor accident claims, insurers can be held liable once the Tribunal's factual findings on negligence and the circumstances of the accident are restored on appeal, but claimants must specifically ask for an enhanced compensation amount if they want courts to revisit the quantum; courts will not enlarge relief beyond what was actually prayed for.
