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 moreIn 1992, a tractor carrying a family was allegedly blocked by a bullock cart near Nanakmatta, and the accused persons allegedly attacked the occupants with firearms and sharp weapons, killing the complainant's father. The trial court convicted several accused including Darshan Singh for murder and rioting, but the High Court acquitted them on appeal. The State of Uttarakhand then appealed to the Supreme Court against the acquittal.
The Supreme Court examined the eyewitness testimony closely and found serious inconsistencies, including contradictions about where the body was found, failure of the original FIR to attribute specific acts to two of the accused even though witnesses later did so at trial, and irregularities in how the recovery of weapons was documented by the police. The Court reiterated that in an appeal against acquittal, interference is warranted only if the prosecution's case is clearly established, and that mere suspicion of guilt is not enough: the prosecution must affirmatively prove its case. Finding the evidence too weak and inconsistent to disturb the acquittal, the Court dismissed the State's appeals.
When a court has already acquitted an accused, a higher court will not re-convict merely because the accused might plausibly be guilty: the prosecution's evidence must be clear, consistent, and convincing, especially regarding how physical evidence (like weapons) was recovered and documented.
