Contract QA
Contract QA
Contract QA
In a pledge pawne acquires a special interest in the Right to lien gives only a r
property pledged. matter of the lien until
transferable to a third person
Pledge is deliver of goods to the creditor as security for Lien is a right of a creditor
the debt. his debt is paid or satisfied
UNIT- III
11. Explain various ways in which an agency relationship is created. Also
describe about the different kinds of Agent?
INTRODUCTION:- An agent is a person employed to do any act for another or to
represent another in dealing with third parties. The person for whom such act is
done or who is so represented is called the principal. Where one person mere gives
advice to another in matter of business agency does not arise because of such
advice only does not create an Agency. Sayed Abdul Khader v/s Rami
Reddy,1979.
The following are the various ways in which a relationship of agency is created:-
WHO MAY EMPLOY AGENT:- No person can employ an agent if he does not
possess capacity to contract. So a minor or person of unsound mind cannot become
the principal under section 183 of the Indian Contract Act.
WHO MAY BE AN AGENT:- According to section 184 of the Act any person
can be appointed as an agent but a person who is not of age of majority and of
sound mind cannot be made personally liable for the act done on behalf of the
principal. Minor can create contractual relation but a minor agent cannot be made
personally liable to the principal for the misconduct like an adult agent.
CONSIDERATION: No consideration is required for the creation of an Agency
under section 185 of the Act. A case of Digvijay Cement Co.Ltd. v/s State
Trading Corpn., 2006.
KINDS OF AGENT:- On the basis of provisions available in the Contract Act the
following are kinds of Agent in the business of Agency:-
1. Del-Credere Agent:- Such type of Agent who for extra remuneration undertakes
the liability of guarantee the due performance of the contract by the other party. He
is also responsible for the solvency and performance of their contracts by the other
parties.
2. COMMISSION AGENT:- A commission agent is person who purchases and sells
goods in the market on behalf of his employer on the best possible terms and who
gets commission for his labor.
3. FACTOR:- He is such type of agent who is given the possession of the goods for
the purpose of selling them. He is entitled to sell the goods in his own name. A
factor has a right to retain the goods for a general balance of accounts.
4. BROKER:- He is also to be known in the name of Mercantile Agent employed for
the purpose of sale and sale of goods. The main duty of a broker is to establish
privity between two parties for a transaction and he gets commission for his labour.
He is not entrusted with the possession of the goods. He merely brings two parties
together and if the deal is materialized he becomes entitled to the commission.
5. CO-AGENT:- Where several persons are expressly authorized with no stipulation
that anyone or more of them shall be authorized to act in name of the whole body.
They have a joint authority and they are called co-Agents.
6. Sub-Agent:- The sub-agents are usually appointed by the original Agent in the
business of Agency. He works under the control of original Agent.
7. PACCA- AARTIA:- He is also known by this name only and he works in the
open market to sell the goods on commission basis. He only sells the goods.
CONCLUSION:- As regards to determine whether relationship is that of Agent
and Principal or that of Master and servant. Agent has to remain faithful to his
principal and has work in good faith in the business of Agency. There must be
relation in between principal and the agent. Merely giving advice to another person
in the matter of business does not arise any business of agency. The main object of
the agency business that the agent makes the principal answerable to third person.
13. Discuss fully the extent of Principals liabilities to third parties for the Act
of the Agent.
INTRODUCTION:- Agent is a person employed to do any act for another or to
represent another in dealing with third persons. There one of the most essential
characteristics of Agency is that the agent makes the principal answerable to third
persons. Principal is held bound by the obligations incurred on his behalf by his
agent. Section 226 to 228 of the Act deals with the law regarding the obligations
of principal for the contract of his Agent.
We will find from the following provisions and illustrations that how the
Principal’s liabilities and is bound answerable to the third parties for the acts done
by his agent:-
1. Principal’s obligation for acts of Agents:- Section 226 of the Indian Contract
Act provides that contract entered into through an Agent and obligations arising
from acts done by an Agent and will have the same legal consequences as if the
contract has been entered into and the acts done by the principal in person. This
section is based on the principle act as in Maxim which means that the act of an
Agent is the act of the principal.
ILLUSTRATION:- A being B’s Agent with the authority to receive money on his
behalf receives from C a sum of money due to B. C is discharged of his obligation
to pay the sum in question to B.
2. When an agent does more than he is authorized to do and when the part of what he
does, which is within his authority, can be separated from the part which is beyond
his authority the principal is liable only for so much part of what he does as is
within Agent’s authority as provided in Section 227 of the Act.
ILLUSTRATION:- A being the owner of a ship and cargo authorizes B to procure
an insurance for Rs.4000/- on the ship. B procures a policy for Rs.4000/- on the
ship and another for the like sum on the cargo. A is bound to pay the premium for
the policy on the ship but not the premium for the policy on the cargo.
3. An agent does more than he is authorized to do and what he does beyond the scope
of his authority is not separable from what is within it the principal is not liable for
the transaction as provided in the section 228 of the Act.
ILLUSTRATION:- Where A authorizes B to buy 5000 sheep for him and B buys
5000 sheep and 200 lambs for a sum rupees 6000/- . A may repudiate the whole
transaction.
4. OSTENSIBLE AUTHORITY:- Section 237 of the Contract Act embodies the
principle of ostensible authority. The section lays down When an agent has
without authority done acts or incurred obligations to third persons on behalf of his
principal, the principal is bound by such acts or obligations if he has by the words
or conduct induced such third persons to believe that such acts and obligations
were within the scope of the Agent’s authority.”
ILLUSTRATION:- A being B’s agent for the sale of goods induces C to buy
them by misrepresentation which he was not authorized by B to make. The
contract is voidable as between B and C, at the opinion of C. Under section 238 of
the Act misrepresentation or fraud committed by an Agent may be classified into
two categories:-
i) Under his actual or ostensible authority.
ii) Which is not covered within his authority, the principal is liable for the acts which
fall under actual or ostensible authority.
5. A leading case on this subject is of Lloyds v/s Grace Smith in which it was held
that a principal is liable for the fraud of his agent within the scope of his authority
whether the fraud is committed for the benefit of the Principal or for the benefit of
Agent.
CONCLUSION:- On the perusal studies of the above provisions and the
illustrations it is seen that the liabilities of the Principal towards third persons are
based on the acts done by his agents. However in some cases it is also seen and
Principal is not liable for any wrongful act or omission of his Agent while acting
without the principal authority outside the ordinary course of employment or while
not acting nor purporting to act on his principal’s behalf.
14. Define the term Sub-Agent. How for is principal bound by the acts of Sub-
Agents. Distinguish between Sub-Agent and Substituted Agent.
INTRODUCTION:- A rule which based on the principle that Agency is a contract
based on trust and mutual confidence between the parties. A principal may have
the mutual confidence in his Agent but not in the subsequent sub Agent appointed
by the Agent. There is a provision regarding ‘delegates non-protest delegare’
which means of this maximum is that an agent to whom another has delegated his
own authority cannot delegate that authority to a third person.
PROVISIONS MADE IN THE ACT:- Under section 190 of the Contract Act
which deals with delegation of an authority by the Agent describes as under:-
“An agent cannot lawfully employ another to perform acts which he has
expressly or impliedly undertaken to perform personally unless by the ordinary
custom or trade a sub-agent may or from the nature of the agency a sub-agent must
be employed.”
However the general principle is that the agent cannot delegate his authority to a
third person but there are two exceptions to this general rule. These are:-
i) When the ordinary custom of trade permits employment of a sub-agent.
ii) When the nature of agency demands that employment of a su-agent is necessary by
the Agent.
Although there are two exceptional conditions no agent is authorized to
delegate his authority it the nature of his act is purely managerial and he is
supposed to use his personal skill in discharge of his duty or where he is personally
required to perform his duties.
SUB-AGENT:- Sub agent is a person employed by and acting under the control of
the original Agent in the business of Agency under section 191 of the Act.
LEGAL POSITION OF SUB-AGENT PROPERLY APPOINTED:- Sub Agent
may be either properly appointed or improperly appointed. If he is appointed by
the Agent with the authority of his principal he is called sub-agent properly
appointed. If he is appointed without the authority of principal he is improperly
appointed.
When the sub-agent is appointed properly with the consent of the principal, the
principal is bound by his acts and is responsible for his action as if he was an agent
appointed by the principal.
The sub-agent is not responsible for his acts to principal. He is responsible only for
such acts to the original Agent.
But if the sub-agent is guilty of fraud or willful wrong against the principal he
becomes directly responsible to the principal under section 192 of the Act.
Difference between sub-Agent & substitute Agent
SUB-AGENT SUBSTITUTED AGENT
Sub Agent is a person employed by and Substituted agent can be nominated by
acting under the control of the original the original Agent to act for the
agent in the business of agency. principal for a certain part of the
business of agency.
A sub-agent is not generally responsible A substituted agent by his mere
to the principal but he is responsible to appointment becomes immediately
the agent. responsible to his principal.
CONTINUING GUARANTEE:- A guarantee may be an ordinary guarantee or a
continuing guarantee. A continuing guarantee is different from an ordinary
guarantee, as described in a case of Syndicate Bank v/s Channaveerappa Beari-
2006: in this case in ordinary guarantee the surety is liable only in respect of a
single transaction whereas in case of continuing guarantee the liability of the surety
extends to any successive transactions which come within its scope.
DEFININATION:- Section 129 of the Contract Act which provides that, “A
guarantee which extends to a series of transactions is called a “continuing
guarantee.”
Such guarantee may be in respect of a series transactions during a fixed period e.g.
for one year. It has been done in the case of Eastern Bank Ltd., v/s Parts
Services of India Limited-1986:
A in consideration that B will employ C in collecting the rent of B’s zamidari
promises B to be responsible, to the amount of Rs.5000/- for due collection and
payment by C of those rents. This is a continuing guarantee.
A guarantees payment to B, a tea-dealer, to the amount of 100 pounds for any tea
he may from time to time supply to C. B supplies C with tea to the above value of
l00 pounds and C pays B for it. Afterwards B supplies C with a tea to the value of
200 pounds. C fails to pay. The guarantee given by A was a continuing guarantee
and he accordingly liable to pay extent of l00 pounds.
A guarantees payment to B of the price of five sacks of flour to be delivered by B
to C and to be paid for in a month. B delivers five sack to C. C pays for them.
Afterwards B delivers four sacks to C which C did not pay for it. The guarantee
given by A was not a continuing guarantee, and accordingly he is not liable for the
price of the four sacks.
CONCLUSION
No doubts the continuing guarantee is a different from the from an ordinary
guarantee. In continuing guarantee the liability of surety extends to a series of
transactions. In continuing guarantee the surety has been empowered to revoke a
continuing guarantee for future transactions by giving a notice to the creditor as it
has been provided in section 130 of the Act. However his liability in respect of the
transactions which have already been made continues to exists. Whereas his
liabilities for the future transactions comes to an end.
CO-SURITIES
Sometimes there may be conditions in a contract of guarantee that there shall be
a co-surety also. Where a person gives a guarantee upon a contract that the
creditor shall not act upon it until another person has joined in it as co-surety, the
guarantee is not valid if the other person does not join. (It has also been provided in
section 144 of the act.) It means that in such a contract liability of the surety is
dependent on the condition precedent that a co-surety will join. The surety can be
made liable under such a contract only if the co-surety joins, otherwise not. On the
basis of provision under section 128.
LIABILITY OF CO-SURETY
From the above statement it has been noticed that the liability of sureties is co-
extensive with that of the principal debtor. It implies that the creditor can proceed
against the principal debtor or the surety at his discretion unless it is otherwise
provided in the contract.
The same principle is applicable with regard to the rights and liabilities of the co-
sureties. Since the liability of the co-surety is joint and several a co-surety cannot
insist that the creditor should proceed either against the principal debtor or against
any other surety before proceeding against him.
A case in this regard is of State Bank of India v/s G.J.Herman-1998: It was held
that neither the court nor a co-surety can insist that the creditor should first
proceed against another surety before proceeding against him. Such direction
would go against the co-extensiveness.
In the case of Bank of Bihar Ltd. v/s Dr. Damodar Prasad-1969: It was held that
the liability of the surety is immediate and cannot be defended until the creditor
has exhausted all his remedies against the principal debtor.
CONCLUSION
It has already been noted that section 128 declares that the liability of the surety is
co-extensive with that of principal debtor. The word co-extensive denotes that
extent and can relate only to the quantum of the principal debt. However the
liability of the surety does not cease merely because of discharge principal debtor
from liability. Refer a case of Industrial Financial Corp. of India v/s Kannur
Spinning & Weaving Mills Ltd.-2002.
FEATURE OF BAIMENT:- Bailment consists in delivery of goods i.e. movable
property by one person who is generally the owner thereof to another person for
some purpose. The goods are to be returned to their owner after the purpose is
accomplished or they are to dispose of according to the directions of person
delivering the goods.
For example :- When you take a fan on hire or give your suit for dry cleaning or
you give your wrist watch for repairs or give a parcel to a carrier for being
transported to some place there is bailment in each of above
cases. DEFINITION:Section 148 of the Indian Contract Act defines the bailment
as under:-
The bailment is a delivery of goods by one person to another for some
purpose upon a contract that they shall return the goods bailed to him when the
purpose of contract is accomplished or to disposed of the goods as per the
directions of the bailor.
FEATURE OF BAILMENT:-The following are the feature of the bailment:-
1. Delivery of the goods for some purpose:- The delivery to the bailee may be made
by doing anything which has the effect of putting the goods in the possession of the
intended bailee or of any person authorised to hold them on his behalf. Refer a case
of Jagdish Chandra Trikha v/s Punjab National Bank:1998: the plaintiff
deposited the jewellery worth Rs 3,72,000/- the bank as a bailee failed to take due
care of the goods hence bank was held liable to pay a sum of Rs.3,72,000.00 plus
interest @ 12% p.a.
2. There can be bailment without a contract:- In a case of Ram gulam v/s Govt. Of
UP-1950: The property of the plaintiff was stolen and recovered by the bank and
kept in Maalkhana. It was again stolen and could not be traced out. The court in
point of decision in the case that bailment contract cannot arise without a contract.
The law itself recognises the finder of goods as bailee in some subsequent cases so
it was held that the bailment can be there even without a contract.
3. Return of goods after the work is achieved: Section 148 says that the bailee has
to return the goods as and when the purpose is accomplished or to disposed of
them as per the directions of the bailor. Case of Secy. Of State for India in
Council v/s Sheo Singh-1880.
It is very easy to make sure that in the bailment of contract there is a
delivery of the goods by one person to another for some purpose. When the work
or the purpose is accomplished it is the duty of the Bailee to return back the goods
so bailed to the Bailor.
KINDS OF AGENT:- ‘Agent’ is a person employed to do any act for another or
to represent another in dealing with third person. The person for whom such act is
done or who is so represented is called the ‘Principal’. The agent acts on behalf of
the principal depending upon on the authority he has been given. The agent is of
following kinds:-
1. Auctioneers: - Auctioneer is an agent whose business is to sell goods or other
property by auction i.e. by open sale. The authority vested in him is to sell the
goods only and not to give warranties on behalf of the seller.
2. Del credere Agent: - Such type of agent who works for extra remuneration. He
takes the liability to guarantee the due performance of the contract. He is
responsible for the solvency and performance of their contracts by the other parties
and thus indemnifies employer against loss.
3. Commission Agent: Such type of agent who purchases and sells goods in the
market on behalf of his employer on the best possible terms and who paid
commission for the labour of this agent.
4. Factor :- A Factor is an agent who is given the possession of goods for the purpose
of selling them. He entitled to sell the goods in his own name. He has the right to
retain the goods for a general balance of accouts.
5. Broker :- Broker is a mercantile agent employed for the purpose of sale and sale
of goods. The main duty of a broker is to establish privity between two parties for a
transaction and he gets commission for his labour.
6. Co-Agent: Where several persons are expressly authorised with no stipulation that
anyone or more of them shall be authorised to act in the name of whole body. They
have a joint authority and they are called co-agents.
7. Sub-Agent: such type of a person who employed and acting under the control of
original agent in the business of agency.
8. Pacca Artia: He also works on commission basis. He gets the goods from his
principal and sells them in the market.
Keeping in view the above facts we can conclude that an agent is a person
employed to do any act for another or represent another in dealing with third
persons. Where one person mere gives an advice to another in matter of business of
agency does not arise because of such advice agency does not create.
TERMINATION OF AGENCY
INTRODUCTION:- The agency which may be validly created stands terminated
in the event of different situations as the principal revoked his authority, or by the
agent renunciation of business of the agency or the death or unsound mind any of
the i.e. principal or of the agent. Even when the principal being adjudicated in
insolvent.
DEFINATION OF TERMINATION OF AGENCY
On the basis of provisions laid down in the Act under section 20, “That the agency
is terminated by the principal revoking his authority or by the Agent renouncing
the business of the agency being completed or either the principal or agent dying or
becoming of unsound mind or by the principal being adjudicated an insolvent
under the provisions of any act for the time being in force in the relief of insolvent
debtors.”
DIFFERENT MODES OF TERMINATION OF AGENCY
The following are the modes under which an Agency can be terminated:-
1. By Revocation of Agent’s Authority:- The revocation of agent’s authority can be
made by the principal subject to the condition:-
i) Revocation may be express or implied as provided in section 207 of the Act.
2. By the Principal revoking his authority: Provisions have been made in the
section 203 of the Act that Principal may revoke his authority given to his agent.
3. By the Agent renouncing the business of the Agency:- Under section 207 of the
Act, It is mentioned that theAgent should give a reasonable notice to his Principal,
otherwise Agent can be made liable to make good any damage caused to Principal.
4. By the completion of Business of Agency:- When the agency is created for the
fixed time by an express or implied contract and after expiry of the term it
automatically terminates on the expiry of the said term u/s 205 of Act.
5. By either death or Unsound mind of Principal or of Agent:- Section 201 of the
Act laid down that the agency is stands terminated on the death of the Principal or
of the Agent.
6. By the Principal being adjudicated an Insolvent:- Section 201 also says that the
agency can be terminated if principal being adjudicated as an insolvent.
In addition to above as provided in section 210 that all the sub-agencies shall
remain terminated on the termination of original agency.
CONCLUSION:- Agency can be terminated on the above mentioned reasons.