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 moreRajendra Prasad, a 25-year-old bus passenger, died when a speeding truck collided with the bus he was travelling in. His widow and two minor children filed a compensation claim against the insurance company, truck driver, and owner, but the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal dismissed the claim, holding the family had failed to prove the accident because the supporting documents (FIR, charge sheet, etc.) had not been formally "exhibited" in evidence. The High Court of Rajasthan affirmed that dismissal without giving reasons.
The Supreme Court held that both the Tribunal and High Court were wrong to reject the claim on a mere procedural technicality, since the family had filed the FIR, charge sheet, post-mortem report, and other documents, examined three witnesses, and the truck driver/owner never contested the case while the insurer led no rebuttal evidence. The Court reiterated that the Motor Vehicles Act is a beneficial law meant to ease the burden on accident victims, not trap them in rigid procedural rules. It set aside the dismissal, allowed the claim, and itself computed compensation (notional income, loss of future prospects, multiplier method, plus funeral expenses, loss of estate, and loss of consortium) totalling Rs. 11,27,920 with 6% interest, to be deposited by the insurer within three months.
Courts deciding motor accident compensation claims must look at the substance of the evidence rather than dismissing genuine claims over technical lapses like documents not being formally "exhibited": the law is meant to help victims' families, not create obstacles for them.
