Indian Contract Act-Legal Aspects of Business

ASSIGNMENT
ON
LEGAL ASPECTS OF BUSINESS
OF
“INDIAN CONTRACT ACT 1872”
SUBMITTED
TO
MR. MOHAMMAD IMRAN SHAIKH
SUBMITTED BY
SR NO.

ENROLLMENT NO

NAME

1
2
3

128050592001
128050592004
128050592013

AMBER THAKUR
PRIYANKA BACHKANIWALA
RAKSHIT BHAVSAR

4
5
6

128050592024
128050592051
128050592060

KOSHA DOSHI
SONAM LALWANI
VINAY MODI

 OFFER - According to Sec.2(a), when a
person made a proposal, when he signifies
to another his willingness to do or to

abstain from doing something.
AGREEMENT = OFFER + ACCEPTANCE
CONSENSUS - AD – IDEMAccording to Sec.13, meeting of minds or
identity of minds or receiving the same
thing in same sense at same time

Agreement

Legal Obligation
Contract

“All agreements are contracts but all
contracts are not agreements.”

CONTRACT = AGREEMENT +
ENFORCIBILITY BEFORE LAW

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF A
VALID CONTRACT (Sec.10)
1.Offer & acceptance.
2.Intention to create legal relationship.
3.Consensus - ad - idem.
4.Consideration.
5.Capacity to contract.
6.Free consent.
7.Legality of object.
8.Possibility of performance.
9.Writing & registration.

TYPES OF CONTRACTS
VALID CONTRACTS
 Absolute contract
 Contingent contract(Sec. 31-36)
 Express contract
 Implied/Quasi contract(Sec.68- 72)

Valid contract - If all the condition are
fulfilled it is called as a valid contract.
Contingent contract - In a contract to do
or not to do something, if an event is
collateral, does or doesn't happen.
Express contract - When contracts are
either in writing or in oral.
Implied contract - When contracts are
neither in writing nor in oral.
Absolute contract - A contract which is
not dependent on fulfillment of any
condition.

INVALID CONTRACTS
Void contract

Is void(Void - ab - initio)
Becomes void
Voidable contract
Illegal contract
Unenforceable contract

Invalid contract - In a contact if any one
condition is not fulfilled.
Is void (Void-ab-initio) - An agreement
which is not valid from the beginning.
Becomes void - An agreement which is
valid in the beginning but due to some
supervening impossibility the contract
becomes void.
Voidable contract - A contract which is
valid unless until avoided by either the
party.

Illegal contract - An agreement
forbidden by law.
Unenforceable contract - It is valid but
due to some technical defect the
contract becomes void. In case defects
are removed the contract is
enforceable.(lack of registration, lack of
signature etc.,)

OTHER TYPES OF CONTRACTS

•Executed contract
•Executory contract
•Unilateral contract
•Bilateral contract

Executed contract - In a contract where both
the parties have performed their obligation,
there is remaining nothing to perform.
Executory contract - In a contract where both
the parties are yet to perform their obligation.
Unilateral contract - In a contract one party
has performed his obligation and other
person is yet to perform his obligation.
Bilateral contract - In a contract where both
the parties have performed their obligation.
Bilateral & Executory are same and inter changeable.

According to Sec.2(a), when a
person made a
proposal, when he signifies
to another his willingness to
do or to abstain from doing
something.

TYPES OF OFFER








Express offer
Implied offer
Specific offer
General offer
Cross offer
Counter offer
Standing offer

Express offer - When offer is given to
another person either in writing or in oral.
Implied offer - When offer is given to
another person neither in writing nor in
oral.
Specific offer - When offer is given to a
specific person.
General offer - When offer is given to
entire world at a large.(Carlill Vs. Carbolic
smoke ball Co.,)

Cross offer - When both the persons are
making identical offers to each other in
ignorance of other‟s offer.
Counter offer - When both the persons are
making offers to each other which a re not
identical in ignorance of other‟s offer.
Standing offer -An offer which remains
continuously enforceable for a certain
period of time.

LEGAL RULES FOR OFFER
 Offer must be given with an intention

to create a legal relationship.(Balfour
Vs. Balfour)
 Offer must be definite.(Taylor Vs.

Portington)
 There is a clear cut difference between

offer, invitation to offer, invitation to
sale. (Harris Vs. Nickerson)

Offer must be communicated. (Fitch Vs.
Snedkar)
Mere statement of price of price is not an
offer.(Harvey Vs. Facey)

According to sec.2(b), when
a person made a proposal to
another to whom proposal is
made, if proposal is assented
there to, it is called
acceptance.

LEGAL RULES FOR ACCEPTANCE
• Acceptance must be given as per the
mode prescribed by the offerer.
• Acceptance must be given before the
lapse of time or within reasonable time.

• Acceptance must be unconditional.
• Acceptance may be given by any person in
case of general offer.

• Acceptance may be given by any specific
person in case of specific offer.
• Acceptance must be communicated.
(Bordgon Vs. Metropolitan Rly. Co.)
• Mental acceptance is no acceptance or
acceptance must not be derived from
silence.
• Acceptance must not be precedent to offer.

According to sec 2(d) consideration is
defined as “when at the desire of the
promisor , or promisee or any other
person has done or abstained from
doing or does or abstains from doing
,or promises to do or to abstain from
doing , something , such an act or
abstinence or promise is called a
consideration for the promise .

When a party to an agreement promises to
do something he must get “something” in
return .This “something” is defined as
consideration.
LEGAL RULES AS TO CONSIDERATION
1)It must move at the desire of the promisor.
[Durga Prasad v. Baldeo ]
2)It may move by the promisee .
[Chinnaya v. Ramayya ]
3)It must be past ,present or future .
4)It need not be adequate .
5)It must be real .
6)It must not be illegal , immoral or opposed
to public policy .

STRANGER TO CONTRACT
It is general rule of contract that only
parties to contract can sue & be sued on
that contract . This rule is known as
‘Doctrine of privity’ i.e. relationship
between the parties to contract .
Exceptions
1)A trust or a charge .
2)Marriage settlement , partition or other
family arrangements .
3)Estoppel
4)Assignment of contract .
5)Contract with agent .
6)Covenants running with land .

Contract without consideration is
void – Exceptions









Love & affection .
[Venkataswamy v. Rangaswamy]
Compensation for voluntary service
Promise to pay a time – barred
debt .
Completed gift .
Agency sec (185) .
Charity .
Contract of bailment sec(148 ) .

No consideration no contract
 [Abdul Aziz v. Masum Ali]
 [Kedarnath v. Gauri Mohamed ]

Capacity to contract
Following are the condition for a person
to enter into contract
 He must be major
 He must be sound mind
 He must not be disqualified by any
other law.

Disqualified persons to enter
into a contract
a) Minor
b) unsound person
c)others
i.e. alien enemy,
insolvent,
convict,
company/corporation against
MOA / AOA .

Minor
According to Indian majority act
sec(3) minor is defined as any
person under the age of 18 years .
In the following cases a person is
said to be minor if he does not
complete the age of 21 years
a) any person under the guardian &
wards act ,1890
b)any person which comes under
superintendence of law/legal
representative

Rules governing minors
agreement

 Rule 1 : judges are counselors ,

jury is the servant ,
law is the guardian .
 Rule 2:in case minor entered into a
contract which is unlawful , illegal
, immoral he is also prosecutable &
punishable under the relevant law.

Legal rules
 An agreement with minor is void

ab initio
 Minor can be promisee
 Minor cannot ratify his agreement

on attaining the age of majority










Minor as a shareholder ,
Minor as a partner,
Minor as a agent ,
Minor as a member of trade
union ,
No estoppel against minor ,
He can plead his minority ,
He can enter into contract for
his necessary
On behalf of minor his parents
, guardian or any other person
can enter into void contract to
acquire movable property.

Unsound person
 According to sec(12) a person

generally sound , occasionally
unsound can enter into a contract
when he of sound mind
 A person generally unsound
occasionally sound can enter onto
contract when he is sound mind .

Persons of unsound
mind
1)Lunatic ,
2)Idiots ,
3)Drunken or intoxicated persons .



According to Sec 10 of the Indian
Contract Act one of the essentials
of a valid contract is “Free
Consent”
 Sec 13 defines “consent” as “Two
or more persons are said to consent
when they agree upon the same
thing in the same sense". According
to Sec 14, consent is said to be free
when it is not caused by:
1.Coercion
2.Undue influence
3.Fraud
4.Misrepresentation
5.Mistake

COERCION
According to Sec 15 coercion means
“Committing or threaten to commit any
act forbidden by Indian Penal Code 1860
or unlawful detaining or threatening to
detaining any other persons property with
a view to enter into an agreement. It is
immaterial whether the IPC is or is not in
force where the coercion is employed”

The threat amounting to coercion need
not necessarily be from a party to
contract , it may also proceed from a
stranger to the contract.

Consent is said to be caused by coercion when
obtained by:
1.The committing or threatening to commit any
act forbidden by the Indian Penal Code
2.The unlawful detaining or threatening to detain
any property
It is not important whether the IPC is or not in
force where the coercion is taking place.
For example A and B , both Indians are on a
voyage trip to America when the ship is on the
Atlantic ocean; B threatens A that if he doesn‟t
transfer his property to B‟s name then he will
push him into the water. Now though the IPC is
not in force on the Atlantic ocean it is still
considered a coercion.

Contingent Contract(sec 31)
A contingent contract is a contract to
do or not to do something, if some
event, collateral to such contract, does
or does not happen. It is also called a
conditional contract.

Example:
 A contracts to pay B

Rs.10,000 if B‟s house is
burnt. This is a
contingent contract.

DISCHARGE OF A
CONTRACT
DISCHARGE BY PERFORMANCE
DISCHARGE BY AGREEMENT OR
CONSENT
DISCHARGE BY IMPOSSIBILITY OF
PERFORMANCE
DISCHARGE BY LAPSE OF TIME
DISCHARGE BY OPERATION OF LAW
DISHARGE BY BREACH OF CONTRACT

DISCHARGE BY PERFORMANCE
 ACTUAL PERFORMANCE

When both parties perform their promises
& there is nothing remaining to perform

 ATTEMPTED PERFORMANCE
When the promisor offers to perform his
obligation ,but promisee refuses to accept
the performance. It is also known as tender

DISCHARGE BY
AGREEMENT OR CONSENT
 NOVATION (Sec 62): New contract substituted for old









contract with the same or different parties
RESCISSION (Sec 62) : When some or all terms of a
contract are cancelled
ALTERATION (Sec 62):When one or more terms of
a contract is/are altered by the mutual consent of the
parties to the contract
REMISSION (Sec 63) :Acceptance of a lesser
fulfillment of the promise made.
WAIVER :Mutual abandonment of the right by the
parties to contract
MERGER :When an inferior right accruing to a party
to contract merges into a superior right accruing to
the same party

DISCHARGE BY IMPOSSIBILITY
OF PERFORMANCE





KNOWN TO PARTIES
UNKNOWN TO PARTIES
SUBSEQUENT IMPOSSIBILITY
SUPERVENNING IMPOSSIBILITY (Sec 56)
Destruction of subject matter
Non-existence of state of things
Death or incapacity of personal
services
Change of law
Outbreak of war

DISCHARGE BY
LAPSE OF TIME
 THE LIMITATION ACT

1963, CLEARLY STATES THAT A
CONTRACT SHOULD BE
PERFORMED WITHIN A
SPECIFIED TIME CALLED PERIOD
OF LIMITATION
 IF IT IS NOT PERFORMED AND IF
THE PROMISEE TAKES NO
ACTION WITHIN THE LIMITATION
TIME, THEN HE IS DEPRIVED OF
HIS REMEDY AT LAW

DISCHARGE BY OPERATION OF LAW
DEATH
MERGER
INSOLVENCY
UNAUTHORISED ALTERATION OF

THE TERMS OF A WRITTEN
AGREEMENT
RIGHTS & LIABILITIES VESTING IN
THE SAME PERSON

DISCHARGE BY BREACH OF
CONTRACT
ACTUAL BREACH :

At the time of performance

During the performance

ANTICIPATORY BREACH

By the act of promisor


(implied repudiation)
By renunciation of obligation
(express repudiation)

REMEDIES FOR
BREACH OF
CONTRACT

Remedies for breach of contract
A remedy is the means given by law for
the enforcement of a right. When there is
a
breach
of
contract
by
one
party, following remedies are available to
the injured party:
1. Rescission
2. Suit for Damages
3. Suit upon Quantum Meruit
4. Specific Performance of Contract
5. Injunction

M.C. Chacko v. State Bank of
Travancore
1970 AIR 500
[Section 25(1) of Indian Contract Act, Privity Of
Contract, Exceptions, Section 40]

FACTS:
 H bank had an overdraft account with

State Bank. MC Chacko was the manager
of H bank and his father K had
guaranteed the repayment of debt. K
gifted his properties to members of his
family. The gift deed provided that liability
if any under the said guarantee should be
met either by MC personally or through
property gifted to him under the said
deed. State Bank sued all the heirs under
the deed along with MC; albeit limitation
period to sue on letter of guarantee had
already passed.

ISSUES:
1) Whether a „charge‟ was created in
favor of State Bank under the said
deed to satisfy the debt under the
letter of guarantee?
2) Whether the charge, assuming
that a charge exists, is enforceable
by bank when it is not a party to the
deed?

HELD:
A ‘charge’ may be created on immovable property
when either through express words or implied
from deed, it is clear that party intended to make
a specified property or fund, belonging to
him, liable for debt due by him.
In present case, no such charge was created in
favour of State Bank—the deed merely set out an
internal arrangement between the donor and
members of family which conferred a right of
indemnity upon them against M.C. Chacko and
his inherited property—however, no intention to
convert a personal debt into a secured debt in
favour of the bank could not be inferred.

MEANINGS
 COERCION

-A

defense asserted in a criminal prosecution that a person
who committed a crime did not do so of his or her own free will, but only
because the individual was compelled by another through the use of
physical force or threat of immediate serious bodily injury or death.

 ALBEIT - Even though; although; notwithstanding
 ESTOPPEL - A legal principle that bars a party from denying or alleging
a certain fact owing to that party's previous conduct, allegation, or denial.

 COVENANT - An agreement, contract, or written promise between two
individuals that frequently constitutes a pledge to do or refrain from doing
something.

 RESCISSION - The abrogation of a contract, effective from its
inception, thereby restoring the parties to the positions they would have
occupied if no contract had ever been formed.

 PRIVITY - A close, direct, or successive relationship; having a mutual
interest or right.

Indian Contract Act-Legal Aspects of Business

Indian Contract Act-Legal Aspects of Business

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