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 workman died from injuries sustained in a road accident while driving a vehicle in the course of his employment, leaving behind his wife, child, and aged parents. His family claimed compensation before the Commissioner for Workmen's Compensation, who assessed his income at Rs. 4,000/month and awarded about Rs. 3.94 lakh. On appeal, the High Court of Karnataka raised the assessed income to Rs. 5,500/month and enhanced the award to about Rs. 5.46 lakh. The family appealed further to the Supreme Court, arguing the deceased's actual income was higher.
The Supreme Court held that the evidence on record showed the deceased was actually earning Rs. 6,000/month (plus a daily allowance that would typically be spent on personal needs and so was not counted), and that the High Court had reduced this figure without adequate reason. Applying the statutory formula in Section 4 of the Act, 50% of monthly wages multiplied by the age-based "relevant factor" (here 197.06), plus a fixed Rs. 5,000 funeral expense addition, the Court recalculated the compensation at Rs. 5,96,180, with 12% annual interest from one month after the date of death. It rejected the argument that the mandatory 50%-of-wages deduction should not apply, noting the statute requires it. The Court directed that Rs. 1,00,000 of the enhanced amount be set aside in the name of the deceased's minor daughter until she attains majority, with the balance shared among the other claimants.
Compensation under the Employee's Compensation Act follows a fixed statutory formula (50% of actual monthly wages × an age-based multiplier), and claimants should ensure courts use their true, properly evidenced income, even the Supreme Court will revise an award upward if the lower forums understated it.
