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 appellant was accused of raping a woman on the false pretext of marriage and threatening her when she tried to report the matter to police. The trial court acquitted him of all charges, giving him the benefit of doubt. On the State's appeal, the High Court of Himachal Pradesh upheld his acquittal on the rape charge but convicted him instead for cheating and criminal intimidation, releasing him on probation rather than imposing a sentence. The appellant then appealed that conviction to the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court examined the evidence and found the prosecutrix's account unrealistic given that she was roughly 40 years old, had been in an ongoing relationship with the appellant for two years, and had allowed him to stay overnight, indicating the sexual relationship was consensual rather than induced by deception. The Court held that the essential ingredients of cheating under Section 415/417 IPC and criminal intimidation under Section 503/506 IPC were not proved beyond reasonable doubt, since there was no reliable evidence of fraudulent inducement or a credible threat. It therefore allowed the appeal, set aside the High Court's conviction and sentence, and fully acquitted the appellant of all charges.
A criminal conviction cannot rest on an account that is itself inherently implausible: courts will scrutinize whether the relationship and circumstances between the parties genuinely support an inference of deception or coercion, rather than accepting allegations at face value.
