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 moreA dispute arose over House No. 7/89 in Kanpur, which was bought in 1961 in the name of a stepmother, Rama Vidyarthi. The son from the first wife sued for partition, arguing it was bought from joint family money, including insurance money. The trial court dismissed the suit, but the High Court reversed that and gave the son a three-quarter share. The appellant, who was a defendant and a legatee, challenged that order, arguing she had not been properly represented.
The Supreme Court dismissed the appeals. It held the appellant had participated through counsel at every stage, so the High Court's order was not ex parte and there was no reason to send the matter back. On the merits it upheld the finding that a joint family existed, based on the family's shared living and the absence of any disclaimer. It held that a mere nomination for insurance money does not give the nominee ownership, since the money belongs to the legal heirs. It also held that a Hindu widow cannot be the Karta of a joint family but can act as manager and guardian for a minor coparcener, and that earlier dismissed suits did not bar the present suit.
Being named as the recipient of insurance money does not mean you own it; the money still belongs to the legal heirs. Property bought from family funds can remain joint family property even if it is registered in one person's name, and courts look at how the family lived over the years to decide this. Hiring a lawyer to represent you in a case means you cannot later say you were never heard.
