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 victim, a 23-year-old man running a flour mill, died in 1987 after being struck from behind by a bus. His widow, parents, and sisters claimed compensation before the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal, which assessed his income conservatively and awarded Rs. 3,00,000. The Gujarat High Court dismissed the claimants' appeal for enhancement, finding the Tribunal's income estimate already generous. The Supreme Court later granted limited leave specifically to examine whether future prospects had been properly added to the compensation, in light of its Constitution Bench ruling in National Insurance Co. Ltd. v. Pranay Sethi.
The Court held that both the Tribunal and the High Court had approached the assessment of compensation in an overly uncertain and restrictive manner. Applying the Pranay Sethi principles, since the deceased was self-employed and 23 years old, the Court added 40% of his established income towards future prospects, adjusted the multiplier to 18 and the deduction for personal expenses to one-fourth (given four dependents), and recalculated the loss of dependency. This resulted in an additional Rs. 1,20,240 being awarded on top of the original amount, apportioned between the widow (50%) and the two sisters (25% each), with directions on the interest payable if not deposited within 30 days.
When a victim of a fatal accident was young and self-employed, compensation calculations must include an addition for "future prospects", the income increase they would likely have seen over their career, and courts applying outdated or overly conservative formulas can have their awards corrected on appeal using standardized Supreme Court guidelines.
