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Business Law
Q1. Define a contract and explain the essential elements of a valid contract.
Ans. The word "contract" derives from Latin words meaning "to draw together."
Essentially, a contract does just that--it draws together the essential elements of an
oral or written agreement. Unlike a gratuitous promise or a non-binding agreement, a
valid contract is recognized at law and a party can be sued for not fulfilling the terms
of the contract. As a result, contracts can just as easily draw people together into the
courtroom.
The very fact that the word "contract" comes from Latin reflects that people have
been negotiating for a very long time. As a result, the study of contracts is quite
detailed. Law students often spend two years studying the principles of contracts.
Some lawyers devote their practices to the interpretation, enforcement, and
dissolution of contracts. Although a short article can hardly explore the intricacies of
contracts, some generalities about contracts can be outlined.
Essentials of Valid Contracts
In determining whether or not a valid contract exists, courts usually look to three
factors:
1. Was there an offer and an acceptance?
2. Was there consideration for the contract?
3. Are there any defenses to the contract?
Offer and Acceptance
An offer from a person reflects a willingness to enter into a contract on the basis of
the offered terms (such as, "I will sell you this book for $4.00"). The more definite and
certain a statement is, the more likely that a court will consider it an offer, rather
than just negotiations that may lead to an offer ("Can I buy this painting for $50"
versus "What's the lowest amount you will take for this painting?").
An acceptance is another party's agreement to the terms of the offer. Like an offer,
an acceptance should be definite and can be as simple as the word "yes." In addition,
the method of acceptance must usually be in the same manner of the offer or in an
agreed upon manner. For example, a person offering ties for sale on the street would
not expect an acceptance by telegram several days later.
Once a person receives notice that an offer is no longer valid, it is usually too late to
accept the offer. A common example is when an item for sale is sold out. However,
many lawsuits hinge on whether an offer was revoked timely and properly.
Consideration
Consideration simply means that each party to the contract is giving up something in
return for obtaining something else. For example, if a new car part costs $80, one
person is giving up $80 while gaining the car part and the other person is giving up
the car part to obtain $80. Consideration is often referred to as a "bargained-forexchange" and is essential to a valid contract.
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A mortgage.
Just because an agreement falls under the Statute of Frauds does not mean that a
lengthy and complicated contract is required in all situations. The statute only
requires that every "essential term" be in some written form. This language has
usually been interpreted to require at least the following information:
(1) The identity of the parties;
(2) The subject matter of the contract;
(3) The terms and conditions of the agreement;
(4) The consideration given and received;
(5) The signature of the parties.
As long as some document, note, or combination of papers contain this essential
information, a court will enforce the contract. A related rule states that if there is
a writing no oral agreement will be entertained to contradict the written
agreement.
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Signatures of parties
Q3. What do you mean by discharge of contract? What are the various ways
in which a contract may be discharged?
Ans. A contract is deemed to be discharged, that is, completed and no longer
binding, in the following circumstances.
Performance. That is, all parties have satisfied the requirements of the
contract to the satisfaction of the other parties. The overwhelming majority of
contracts are discharged this way. However, it not always clear when a
contract has been performed, or what should happen in the event of part
performance of contract.
Agreement. If the contract is still wholly executory (in progress) then there is
no problem here, as neither party is set to lose out. However, if one party has
fulfilled his obligation and the other has not, then the agreement to discharge
must be supported by fresh consideration. For example, suppose I hire
someone to paint my house, with an agreement to pay on completion. The
painter does not turn up to do the job. If the painter and I agree to abandon
the work, then the contract is discharged. However, suppose I pay in advance,
and the painter does not turn up. I may decide that it is not worth my while to
compel the painter to work, or to take legal action, and agree to write off the
payment and discharge the contract. If I later decide to take legal action
against the painter, the agreement to discharge will not be binding, because
the painter offered no consideration
Legal reasons for discharge without performance. There are few of these; the
most common is frustration of contract; if a contract is frustrated (i.e.,
impossible to perform) then it may be considered discharged without legal
consequences.
Breach. A breach of contract is a refusal by one party to abide by its terms,
without legal excuse (e.g., frustration).
Contracts may be discharged by:
1. Payment.
2. Accord and satisfaction.
3. Release.
4. Set off.
5. The rescission of the contracts.
6. Extinguishment.
7. Confusion, where the duty to pay and the right to receive unite in the same
person.
8. Extinction, or the loss of the subject matter of the contract.
9. Defeasance.
10. The inability of one of the parties to fulfill his part.
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Besides the personal remedies that an agent has to enforce his claims against his
principal for his commissions and, advancements, he has a lien upon the property
of the principal in his hand.
The liabilities of agents to their principals - arise from a violation of their duties
and obligations to the principal, by exceeding their authority, by misconduct, or by
any negligence or omission, or act by which the principal sustains a loss. Agents may
become liable for damages and loss under a special contract, contrary to the general
usages of trade.
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d)
Duty to provide full information: - It is the duty of every partner to provide full
information of various transactions, dealing etc.
2) Duty to indemnify for loss caused by fraud: - According to section 10, "Every
partner shall indemnify the firm any loss caused to it by his fraud in the conduct of
the business of the firm.
3) Duty to attend diligently to his duties: - Section 12(b) states that " subject to
contract between the partners, every partner is bound to attend diligently to his
duties in the conduct of the business.
4)
Duty to work without remuneration: - subject to contract between
the partners, a partners is not entitled to receive any remuneration for taking part
in the conduct and management of the partnership business .
5)
Duty to contribute to the losses: - According to the section 31(b), the partners
are entitled to share equally in the profits earned and shall contribute equally to the
losses sustained by the firm.
6) Duty not to complete with the business or the partnership firm: - subject to
contract between the partners not to carry on any business which is of similar
nature or which is likely to compete with the business of his partnership firm.
7) Duty of partner not to assign his rights: - It is the duty and the responsibility of a
partner not to assign his rights and interests in the firm to any outsider so as to
constitute such outsider the partner of the firm.
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Q 7) What is the nature and extent of partner's authority to bind the firm by
his acts?
Ans.: - An act or instrument done or executed by a partner or other person on behalf
of the firm shall be done or executed in the firm name, or in any other manner
expressing or implying intention to bind the firm.
Important points from the above provision of section 19 (1) and 22.
a)
The authority of a partner to bind the firm conferred by section 19(1) is called
the implied authority of a partner.
b)
In other to bind the firm, an act done by a partner should be done in the name
of the firm or in any manner implying the intention to bind the firm.
c)
In order to bind the firm such acts should be done to carry on, in
the usual way, business of the kind carried as by the firm. The implied authority of
a partner cannot extend to his acts done beyond the scope of the partnership
business.
A partner has implied authority to bind his firm by all his acts performed by him in all
matters and transaction concerned with the business of a partnership and if such
acts are done in the usual way and in no way beyond the scope of partnership.
In absence of usage or custom of trade to the contrary, the implied authority of a
partner does not empower him to: a) Submit a dispute relating to the business of the firm to arbitration.
b) Open a banking account on behalf of the firm in his own name.
c) Compromise or relinquish any claim or portion of a claim by the
firm,
d) Withdraw a suit or proceeding filed on behalf of the firm.
e) Admit any liability in a suit or proceeding against the firm.
f) Acquire immovable property on behalf of the firm.
g) Transfer immovable property belonging to the firm,or
h) Enter into partnership on behalf of the firm.
All partners of a partnership firm, however can ratify an act or various acts of any of
the partners, which the partners has done in the excess of implied or express
authority provided such act or acts should be as could be legally done. Not with any
standing such restriction, any act done by a partners on behalf of the firm which
falls within his implied authority binds the firm unless the person with whom he is
dealing knows of the restriction or does not know or believe that partner to be a
partner.
Effect of admission by a partner: - An admission or representation made by a partner
concerning the affairs of the firm is evidence against the firm, if it is made in the
ordinary course of the business. Thus if a partner makes any admission concerning
the business of the firm in the ordinary course of business is considering as the
sufficient evidence against the firm and that binds the firm.
Effects of notice given to an acting partner by third parties: - Notices to a partner who
habitually acts in the business of the firm of any matter relating to the affairs of the
firm operates as notice to the firm except in the case of a fraud on the firm
committed by or with the consent of that partner.
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Q 9) Define the term 'Negotiable instrument ' and explain its types and
various parties of the types of negotiable instruments.
Ans.: - Negotiable instruments literally mean written documents, which creates a
right in favor of somebody and is freely transferable. Free negotiable is an
important characteristics of a negotiable instrument.
Types of negotiable instruments.
a)
Negotiable instruments recognized by state: - Bills of exchange,
cheques and promissory notes. The negotiable instruments Act 1881
mentions in section 13, these three kinds of negotiable instruments.
b)
Negotiable instruments recognized by usage or custom of trade: Banknotes, exchequer bills, share warrants, bearer debentures, divided
warrants, share certificates attached with them blank transfer deeds etc.
i) Bill of Exchange: - A bill of exchange is an instruments in writing
containing and unconditional order, signed by the makers, directing a
certain person to pay a certain sum of money only to, the bearer of
instrument [section 5].
Important essential characteristics of a bill of exchange.
1)
It must be in writing.
2)
It must contain an order to pay and not request.
3)
The order must be unconditional.
4)
The parties to the Bill of Exchange.
5)
Bill of exchange must be signed by the drawer and accepted by
the drawer.
6)
The sum payable must be certain.
7)
Bill of exchange must be containing an order to pay money only.
8)
Bill of exchange must be stamped properly.
9)
Bill of exchange originally drawn cannot be made payable to
bearer.
ii) Promissory notes: - A promissory note is an instrument in writing
containing
An unconditional undertaking, signed by the maker; to pay a certain sum of
Money only to or to the order of a certain person or the bearer of the instrument
[section 4].
Essential characteristics of a promissory note: 1)
Promissory note is a negotiable instrument.
2)
It must be in writing.
3)
It is a promise to pay money only.
4)
It must be definite. The promise to pay must definite.
5)
It must be signed by maker.
6)
It must be unconditional.
7)
The maker of the promissory note must be a certain person and the
payee must also be certain.
8)
Amount of the promissory note must be certain.
iii)
Cheque: - Section 6 of the negotiable instrument Act defines
that a Cheque as a bill of exchange drawn on a specified banker and not expressed
to be payable otherwise that on demand.
Essential characteristics: 1)
A Cheque is a negotiable instrument.
2)
It is a Bill of Exchange.
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3)
It is always drawn on specified bankers.
4)
It is always payable on demand.
5)
A Cheque can be bearer, order or crossed.
6)
A Cheque requires no acceptance in the ordinary course of
business as it is intended for immediate payment.
7)
In the case of a Cheque, a drawee is always a specified
bank.
iv)
Trade bill and Accommodation bill: - A bill when drawn and
accepted for a genuine trade transaction is termed as trade bill, while a bill drawn
and accepted not for a genuine trade transaction but only to provide financial help
or assistance to some party is termed as a accommodation bill.
v)
Fictitious bill: - when the name of the payee or drawer or both is
fictitious on a bill, such bill is called a fictitious bill.
vi)
Documentary or clean bills: - when documentary of a title to
goods and other necessary documents like invoice, insurance policy etc. such a bill
is called a documentary bills. But no documents relating the goods represented by
the bill are annexed to it. Such a bill is called as clean bill.
vii)
Inchoate instrument: - An inchoate instrument is an incomplete
instrument in some respect. For example; a bill is drawn payable to or order ". A
holder may write his name as a payee in the blank space and sue upon the
instrument. The principal behind an inchoate instrument is essentially one of
estoppel.
viii)
Ambiguous instruments: - where an instrument owing to its
faulty drafting may be interpreted either as a bill of exchange or a promissory note,
is called an ambiguous instrument.
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Q 10) Explain the object of the consumer protection act and state and
explain the following terms as used in the consumer protection act, 1986.
A consumer, b) A dispute c) Deficiency d) Restrictive trade practice and
unfair trade practice.
Ans.: - Many time consumers cheated and therefore they need some sort of legal
protection. For that purpose certain acts have been passed and the consumer
protection act of 1986 is one of them.
i) Consumer: - consumer is any person who buys and goods for a consideration
which has been paid or promised to pay or party paid and partly promised to
pay or under any system of deferred payment.
ii) A dispute: - A consumer dispute is very important from the view point of
consumer protection act. If there is any dispute between the consumer and
manufacturer or the trader as the case may be the consumer gets the right to
seek remedy or filling the complaint under the act.
iii) Restrictive trade practices [section 2(1) (nn)]: A consumer must be free to
purchase any kind of goods considering his needs so that he can get maximum
satisfaction from the consumption of the such goods. There should a trader to
buy impose no compulsion in any way on a consumer, hire or wail of any goods
as a condition precedent for buying, hiring or availing of other goods or
services.
iv) Unfair trade practice [section 2(1) ( r)]: "Unfair trade practice means a trade
practice which for the purpose of promoting the sale, use or supply of any goods
or the provision of any service, adopts any unfair method or unfair or deceptive
practice including any of the following practices, namely,
1)
The practice of making any statement, whether orally or in
writing or by visible representation.
2)
Permits the publication of any advertisement whether in any
newspaper or otherwise for the sale or supply at a bargaining price of goods or
services that are not intended to be offered for a sale or supply at the bargain price.
3)
Permits: - a) The offering of gifts, prices or other items with the
intention of not providing them as offered or creating impression that something is
being given or offered free of charge.
a)
The conduct of any contest, lottery, game of chance or skill, for the
purpose of promoting, directly or indirectly; the sale, use of supply of any product
or any business interest.
4)
Permits the sale or supply of goods intended to be used or are
of a kind likely to be used, by consumer, knowing or having reason to believe that
the goods do not comply with standard prescribed by competent authority relating
to performance, composition etc.
Deficiency [section 2(1) (g)]: So far as defects in goods are concerned, a
complainant has to established that the goods mentioned in his complaint suffer
from any or more of the defects which are mentioned in the definition. Under
section 2(1) (f) " Deficiency means any fault imperfection, short coming or in
adequacy in quality, nature and manner of performance which is required to be
maintained by or under any law for the time being in force or has been undertaken
to be performed by a person in pursuance of a contract or otherwise in relation to
any service."
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Q 11) how is a company formed under the companies Act of 1956? What are
the documents to be filled with the registrar of companies?
Ans.: - Registered companies are those companies, which are registered or
incorporated with the registrar of a company Act. In India, almost all companies are
registered under the companies Act 1956.
Documents to be filled with the registrar of companies: - 1) Mode of forming
incorporated company.
2) Registration of Memorandum and Articles.
3
i) Memorandum
4
ii) Articles of Association.
5
iii) A letter of Approval
6
iv) Declaration
7
v) List of Directors
8
vi) Sanction of the controller of capital issues.
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vii) Challan
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1) Mode of forming incorporated company: - Any seven or more person or where
the company to be formed will be a private company, any two or more persons
associated for any lawful purpose may, by subscribing their names to a
memorandum of association and otherwise complying with the requirements of
this Act in respect of registration, form an incorporated company, with or without
limited liability. Thus any seven person for forming a public company or any two
persons for forming a private company may come together and apply to the
registration by giving necessary information in the prescribed form.
2) Registration of Memorandum and Articles: - According to section 33(1) "there
shall be presented for registration, to the registered office of the state in which
the registered office of the company is stated by the memorandum to be situated.
i) The memorandum of the company.
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ii) Its articles, if any, and
12
iii) The agreement; if any which the company proposes to enter into with
any
13
Individual for appointment as its managing or whole- time director or
manager.
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a) Memorandum: - The memorandum of association of a company is very
important and fundamental document of the company. Memorandum contains the
following clauses.
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i) The name
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ii) The registered office clause
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iii) The object clause
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iv) The capital clause
19
v) The liability clause
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vi) The association clause.
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No Company can be registered unless the memorandum of association is
submitted to the registrar.
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b) Articles of Association: - Articles of association contains the rules,
regulation bylaws etc. The following types of companies are required their own
articles.
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i) Unlimited companies.
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ii) Companies limited by guarantee.
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iii) Private companies limited by ahares.
b)
A letter of Approval: - An application for availability of name under which the
company proposes to be incorporated is required to be submitted to the registrar of
the companies in prescribed form in the state where the registered office of the
company to be situated.
c)
Declaration: - A declaration as per the provision of section 33(2), making clear
that all the requirements of the companies Act of 1956 relating to the registration
have been complied with.
d)
List of Directors: - A list of person duly signed by them along with their consent
to act as directors. Such consent must be in writing and accompanied with the
signed agreement with every such director to take the number of shaves required
qualifying himself a director.
e)
Sanction of the controller of capital issues: - The sanction of the controller of
the capital issues is required if the capital exceeds RS one crore.
f)Challan: - A Challan showing that the registration fees filing fee have been duly paid
as per the provisions of the companies act of 1956.
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vi) Statutory duties: - Directors are bound to perform certain duties as prescribed by
the companies Act of 1956.
Disqualification of directors: - According to section 274(1)," A person shall not be
capable of being appointed director of a company if
a)
He has been found to be of unsound mind by a court of competent
jurisdiction and the finding is in force.
b) He is an undischarge insolvent.
c)
He has applied to adjudicated as an insolvent and his application is
pending.
d) He has been convicted by a court of any offence involving moral turpitude
and sentenced in respect there of to imprison sentenced in respect there of to
imprisonment for not less than six months, and a period of five years has not
elapsed from the date of expiry of the sentence.
e)
He has not paid any call in respect of shares of the company held
by him, whether along or jointly with others.
f)An order disqualifying him for appointment as directors has been passed by a
court in pursuance of section 203 and is in force.
A private company which is not a subsidiary of a public company, may by its
articles, provide that a person shall be disqualified for appointment as a
directors or any grounds in addition to those specified in sub-section (1)
[section 274(3)].
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