Contrat Short Notes
Contrat Short Notes
1. Indian contract Act, 1872 came into force on 1st September, 1872.
2. It applies to whole of India except the state of J & K.
3. The provisions related to contracts are contained in Indian Contract Act, 1872.
4. The provisions related to sale of goods wee originally contained in Indian contract act, 1872.
5. The provision related to sale of goods are contained in the Sale of Goods Act, 1930.
6. The Sale of Goods Act came into force on 1st July, 1930.
7. Indian Partnership Act come into force on 1st October, 1932.
8. The provisions related to partnership are contained in Indian partnership Act, 1932.
9. Contract [Sec.2(h)] An agreement enforceable by law.
10. Agreement [Sec 2(e)] Every promise & every set of premises forming consideration for each other.
11. Promise, [Sec2 (b)] A proposal when accepted becomes a promise.
12. An agreement is an accepted proposal.
13. Consideration, Quid pro quo i.e., something in return.
14. Enforceability by law Agreements which creates legal obligation on the part of parties.
[Balfour Vs. Balfour]
15. Essential elements of a valid contract [Section 10]
(1) All agreements are contracts if they are made by
(2) Free consent of the parties
(3) Competent to the contract for
(4) A lawful consideration & with
(5) A lawful object & are
(6) Not hereby expressly declared to be void.
(7) Intention to create legal relationship
(8) Certainty of meaning (e.g. Oil)
(9) Possibility of performance
(10) Legal formalities.
Implied
Express
Implied by law
Implied by action
Oral
Written
19. In commercial & Business Agreements, the intention of parties to create legal relationship is presumed
to exist.
(4) Counter offer – Qualified acceptance to the offer & counter offer amounts to rejection of the
original offer.
(5) Standing / open / continuing offer – An offer which is allowed to remain open over a period
of time.
• Tender for supply of goods is an example of General offer & standing offer.
(4)
(5)
Time for
7. Acceptance
8. • An acceptance is to offer what is a lighted match is to a train of gunpowder
[Sir William Anson]
Meaning of Terms
• Offeror – The person who makes the offer.
• Offeree – The person to whom offer is made.
• Promisor – The person who makes the promise.
• Promisee – The person to whom promise is made.
CHAPTER -3 : CONSIDERATION
1. Consideration [Sec 2(d)] - When at the desire of the promissee, the promise or any other person
has done or abstained from doing or, does or abstains from doing or promise to do or to abstain
from doing something. Such an act or abstinence or promise is called consideration for the promise.
Technical word “Quid pro quo” ie., something in return.
2. Legal rules regarding consideration
1. Consideration must move at the desire of the promisor.
2. Consideration may move from the promissee or any other person
3. Executed Consideration ^ Consideration which has been given
4. Executory Consideration ^ Consideration to be moved in future.
5. Consideration may be past, present or future.
6. Consideration should be real & not illusory.
7. Consideration need not be adequate.
8. The performance of an act what one is legally found to perform is not consideration for the
contract.
9. Consideration must not be unlawful immoral or opposed to the public policy.
10. There can be a stranger to a consideration but there cannot be a stranger to a contract.
9.
4. Undue influence [Sec.16] – A contract is said to be induced by undue influence where the relation
subsisting between the parties are such that one of the parties is in a position to dominate the will of
another and uses that position of obtain an unfair advantage over the other.
• A person is in a position to dominate the will of another where he holds real or apparent
authority over the other or stands in fiduciary relation to the other.
6. Misrepresentation – Where a person asserts something which is not true though he believe it to be
true. • A contract induced by Coercion, undue influence, fraud or misrepresentation is voidable.
7. Mistake
Mistake
Mistake of fact
Mistake of Law
Unilateral
Bilateral
Indian Law
Foreign Law
Contract is inseparable
4.
Contract is
5. altogether void
Wagering Agreement – It is an agreement involving
payment of a sum of money upon the determination of
uncertain event.
Other Important points
• Compromise of public offence is illegal
• Maintenance - Promotion of litigation in which one has no interest.
• Champerity – It is a bargain whereby one party agrees to assist another in recovering
property, with a view to sharing the profits of litigation.
• All agreements on account of champerity and maintenance are neither void nor valid. Some of
them may be void, some of them are valid.
• An agreement which provides for a reference to arbitration instead of court of law is valid
even if it is in restraint of legal preceding.
7.
Time essential — Late performance — Contract becomes voidable
► ►
at the option of promisee
9.
10. No
11.
12. If debt to be discharged is not indicated by the Debtor, then creditor may apply it in discharge of debt
in order of time, whether time barred or not.
13 Novation – Old contract is cancelled & new contract is formed.
. Recession – Old contract is cancelled, no new contract is formed.
14
.
15
.
16
.
17
.
18
.
19
.
Alterat sation for it.
ion – Discharge of contract by
Changi • Actual or attempted performance
ng in • Mutual agreement – Novation, Alternation, Remission, Recession.
the • Impossibility of performance.
terms
of
original
contract
parties
must
remain
same.
Remiss
ion –
To
remit or
waive
off the
perform
ance by
promise
.
In case
of
voidabl
e
contract
, if
aggriev
ed
party
rescind
the
contract
, it
must
return
the
benefit
receive
d there
under.
Void
Contra
ct /
Agree
ment -
Either
restore
back
the
advanta
ge
receive
d or
pay
compen
• Lapse of time eg. Time barred debt.
• Operation of law such as death or insolvency.
• Actual or anticipatory Breach.
20. Where the performance of promise by one party depends upon the prior performance of promise by the
other party, such promises are mutual & dependent.
Anticipatory Breach - Breach of contract before time of performance has arrived ie., before due date of
performance.
5. Remote Damage - Indirect loss from breach of contract. Remote Damages are not recoverable.
6. Damages for deterioration coursed due to delay Deterioration - Not only implies physical damages
to goods but also loss of special opportunity for sale damages can be recovered from carrier even
without notice.
7. Calculation of Damage
• Breach by buyer ^ Damage = Contract Price - Market price in date of Breach.
• Breach by seller -* Damage = Market price on date of Breach - Contract price
Other points :-
• A contract is not frustrated by commercial impossibility
• In case of anticipatory breach, the aggrieved party may treat the contract
(a) As discharged and bring an immediate action for damages
(b) As operative and wait till the time of performance arrives.
• A party entitled to rescind the contract, loses the remedy where
(a) He has ratified the contract
(b) The third party acquired the right in good faith
(c) Contract is not separable and recession is sought of one part only.
•
Contract
Contingent
1
An Event
“Happening”
I I
Valid Void
Contract
Contingent
I
An event not
“Happening”
• The basis of “quasi contractual relations” is the prevention of unjust enrichment at the expense of
others.
Happening of an
event becomes Void
impossible within
An event time
“happening”
Within Fixed Time
•
Happening of an
event becomes
impossible within
time
•
Contract Contingent — Happening of — Void
► ►
Impossible an event
• QUASI CONTRACT
•
• Right in rem – Right against the entire world.
• Right in personam – Right against a particular personam.
Quasi contractual right is a right in personam.
Quasi contracts are implied by law.
14. Partnership arises by agreement whereas Co-ownership may arise by agreement or operation of law
15. Minor’s position in partnership
• A minor cannot become a partner in a firm, but he can be admitted to the benefits of
partnership with the consent of all partners
• He can access copy & inspect the accounts of the firm and not books of the firm.
•
On attaining majority or obtaining
knowledge of the fact that he is a partner
in a firm
I
Within 6 months
I
Public notice
16.
T
Elect
to
Minor has right to sue partners for accounts for payment of his share but only when severing his
connection with the firm.
6. If any money received on behalf of the firm is misapplied by any partner, then all the partners as well as
firm are liable to third parties.
7. A partner can be expelled from the firm provided:-
a) Power of expulsion existed is a contract between part.
b) Power has been exercised by a big majority of partners &
c) Power has been exercised in good faith which means:-
i. Expulsion must be in the interest of partnership. ii.
Notice is served to the partner. iii. Opportunity of being
heard is given.
Dissolution by court
• Partner becoming of unsound mind.
• Permanent incapacity of a partner
• Misconduct of a partner affecting business.
• Willful or persistent breaches of agreement by a partner
• Transfer or sale of whole interest by a partner
• Improbability of business being carried on save at loss
• On other equitable ground as court satisfies
Consequences of Dissolution
• Partners continue to liable until public notice is given.
• A partner can find the firm for acts done after dissolution of firm which are related to winding up or to
complete unfinished transactions.
• Partners are liable to repay to new partner reasonable amount of premium.