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 respondent, a doctor, was convicted by the trial court of murdering his wife (also a doctor, who was pregnant) by administering poison, after a night of alleged domestic violence and the discovery of poison-related evidence and symptoms. The High Court reversed the conviction and acquitted him, prompting the State of Himachal Pradesh to appeal to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court reviewed the chain of circumstantial evidence, the smell of poison in the room, the victim's injuries and her gesture of pointing toward her husband, his delay in seeking medical help, and independent testimony that he had purchased the poison "Nuvan" shortly before the incident, and held that the High Court had wrongly discarded credible evidence without good reason. Applying the established test from Sharad Birdhichand Sarda for poisoning cases (motive, cause of death, possession of poison, and opportunity), the Court found all elements satisfied beyond reasonable doubt and rejected the suggestion of leniency based on the couple's child now living with the accused. The High Court's acquittal was set aside, the trial court's conviction and life sentence were restored, and the respondent was directed to surrender.
In circumstantial-evidence murder cases, appellate courts must weigh the complete chain of circumstances together rather than discarding individual pieces of credible evidence in isolation, and personal circumstances like a dependent child are not grounds for leniency in a grave offence like murder.
