LAW OF TORTS-I
(The entire syllabus is divided into five units. Ten questions shall be set in all with two questions
from each unit. The candidate shall be required to answer five questions in all
selecting one from each unit.)
UNIT- I
(GENERAL PRINCIPLES, EVOLUTION, MEANING AND SCOPE OF TORTS)
Introduction: Importance and Significance of Law of Torts; Evolution of Law of Torts in
England and India: Application of the Principles of Equity, Justice and Good Conscience;
Nature of Torts: History-Definition of Torts-Distinction between Torts and Crime, Breach of
Trust & Contract
General Principles: Constituents of torts, damnum sine injuria, injuria sine damno, ubi jus
ibi remedium; General Elements in Torts: Act and Omission, Voluntary Act; Requirement of
Mental Element: Malice Intention or Negligence and Recklessness, Fault, Motive, Malfeasance,
Misfeasance and Non-Feasance as Conditions of Liability; Foundation of Tortious liability:
Pigeon-Hole and General Principle of Liability Theories-Critical Evaluation; Personal
Capacity: Convict-Alien Enemy-Husband and Wife-Corporation-Trade Unions-Insolvent-State
and its Subordinates-Minor-Lunatic- Foreign Sovereigns.
New & Emergent Torts: Strict Liability/ No Fault liability - Statutory Liability, Vicarious
Liability, Doctrine of Sovereign Immunity.
UNIT- II (JUSTIFICATION IN TORT)
General Defences
Consent as Defence-Leave and Licence- Volenti non fit injuria-Necessity-Mistake-
Plaintiffs default; Act of God-Force Majeureor Vis Major-1nevitab 1 e Accident-Private
Defence; Act of State-Statutory Authority; Judicial Acts-Judicial & Quasi-Parental
Authority.
Extinguishment of Liability: Discharge of Torts-Death-Waiver-Acquiescence-Release-
Accord and Satisfaction-Limitation.
UNIT- III (NEGLIGENCE)
Basic Concepts of Negligence: Meaning and Definition of Negligence-Essentials of
Negligence: Standard of Care-Duty to Take Care-Breach of Duty, Damage Burden of Proof:
Doctrine of Contributory Negligence-ftes Ipsa Loquitur-Nervous Shock and Psychiatric
Suffering
Professional Liability Due to Negligence: Liability of Manufacturers & Business Houses.
UNIT- IV (NO FAULT LIABILITY)
Strict Liability: Meaning and Essentials-Scope of the Rule in Ryland v. Fletcher-
Exceptions to the Rule
Application of Rule in India: Absolute Liability-Rule in M.C. Mehta v. UOI Bhopal
Catastrophe: Liability of MNCs and National Government for Mass Torts-Toxic Torts and
Protection of Environment-Development of Statutory Torts in U.K., USA and India
UNIT- V (VICARIOUS LIABILITY)
Vicarious Liability: Its Basis & Reasons-Liability by Ratification-Liability by Special
Relationship and Abetment
• Doctrine of Sovereign Immunity: Liability of the State-Sovereign and Non-Sovereign
Functions-the Crown Proceedings Act 1947, the Federal Torts Claims Act 1946 and Article
300 of the Indian Constitution
• Joint Tortfeasors: Distinction between Joint and Several Liability-Contribution between
Tortfeasors
Suggested Readings:
1. Avtar Singh: P. S. A. Pillai’s Law of Tort, Eastern Book Company, Lucknow.
2. J. N. Pandey: Law of Torts, Central Law Publications, Allahabad.
3. Kumud Desai: Law of Torts (An Outline with Cases), N.M. Tripathi, Bombay.
4. R. F. V. Heuston & R. A. Buckley: Salmond & Heuston on the Law of Torts, Sweet &
Maxwell, London.
5. R. K. Bangia: A Handbook of Consumer Protection Laws & Procedure for the Lawman &
the Layman, Asian Offset Press, Faridabad.
6. R. K. Bangia: Law of Torts (Including Compensation under The Motor Vehicles Act and
Consumer Protection Laws), Allahabad Law Agency, Allahabad.
7. Ratanlal & Dhirajlal (Revised by Akshay Sapre): Ratanlal and Dhirajlal’s The Law of Torts,
LexisNexis, Gurgaon.
8. S. K. Kapoor: Law of Torts, Central Law Agency, Allahabad.
9. W. V. H. Rogers: Winfield and Jolowicz on Tort, Sweet & Maxwell, London.
Relevant Cases:
1. Allen v. Flood, (1898) AC 1.
2. Ashby v. White, (1703) 2 LR 930.
3. Henderson v. Merrett Syndicate Ltd., (1994) 3 ALLER 506.
4. Gloucester Grammar School Case (1410).
5. Acton v. Blundell, (1848) 12 M&W 324.
6. Bradford Corporation v. Pickles, (1865) AC 587.
7. Town Area Committee v. Prabhu Dayal, AIR 1975 All 132.
8. Khorasandjian v. Bush, (1993) 3 ALL ER 669.
9. Wilkinson v. Downton, (1897) 2 Q.B. 57
10. Hall v. Brooklands Auto-Racing Club, (1993) 1 KB 205.
11. T.C. Balakrishnan v. T.R. Subramanian, AIR 1968 Ker 151.
12. South Indian Industries Ltd., Madras v. Alameh Animal, AIR 1923 Mad 565.
13. Haynes v. Harwood, (1932) 1 KB 146.
14. Cutler v. United Dairies, (1933) 2 KB 297.
15. Baker v. T. E. Hopkins & Son, (1959) 1 WLR 968.
16. Padmavati v. Dugganika, (1975) 1 Karn LJ 93.
17. Dann v. Hamilton, (1939) 1 KB 509.
18. Smith v. Baker, (1891) AC 325.
19. Vaughan v. Toff Vale Railways Co., (1860) 5 H&N 679.
20. Smith v. London & South Western Railway Co. (1870) LR 6 CP 14
21. Ramchandra Ram Ngar am Rice & Oil Mills Ltd., Gaya v. The Municipal Commissioner of
the Purulia Municipality, (1943) 22 Pat 359.
22. Manindra NathMukherjee v. Mathuradass Chaturbhuj, AIR 1946 Cal 175.
23. Nicholas v. Marshland, (1876) 2 Ex. D. 1.
24. Kallulal v. Hem Chand, AIR 1958 MP 48.
25. Donogue v. Stevenson, (1932) AC 562.
26. White v. Jones, (1995) 1 ALL ER 691.
27. Rural Transport v. Bezlum Bibi, AIR 1950 Cal 165.
28. Municipal Corporation of Delhi v. Sushi la Devi, (1999) 4 SEE 317.
29. P. A. Kulkarni v. State of Karnataka, (1999) Kent 284.
30. Chairman, Grid Corporation of Orissa Ltd. v. Sukamani Das, (1999) 7 SEE 37.
31. Pashchim Banga Khet Mazdoor Society v. State of West Bengal, (1996) 4 SEE 37.
32. Pushpaleela v. State of Karnataka, AIR 1999 Kant 119.
33. Cates v. MonginiBros, (1917) 19 Born LR 778.
34. Hedley Byrne & Co. v. Heller & Partners Ltd., (1963) 2 All ER 575.
35. M.C.D. v. Subhagwanti, AIR 1966 SC 1750.
36. State of Punjab v. Modern Cultivators, AIR 1965 SC 17.
37. Shyam Sunder v. State of Rajasthan, (1974) 1 SEE 690.
38. Rylands v. Fletcher, (1868) LR 1 Ex 265.
39. Madras Railways Co. v. Zamindar of Carvatenagram, (1874) I. A. 364.
40. M.C. Mehta v. Union of India, AIR 1987 SC 1086.
41. (ICC v. Union of India, 1992 AIR 248, 1991 SCR Supl. (1)251.
42. UCC v. Union of India (Order of Settlement), 1989 3 SEE 38.
43. UCC v. Union of India (Reasons for Settlement), 1989 3 SEE 38.
44. Charanlal Sahu v. Union of India (Validity of 1985 Act) (1990) 1 SEE 613.
45. Consumer Education & Research Centre v. Union of India, (1995) 3 SEE 42.
46. Bakshi Amrik Singh v. Union of India, (1974) SCJ 105.
47. State of Rajasthan v. Ms. Vidyawati, AIR 1962 SC 933.
48. Kasturilal v. State ofU.P., AIR 1965 SC 1039.
49. Lucknow Development Authority v. M.K. Gupta, AIR 1994 SC 787.
50. Rudal Shah v. State of Bihar, AIR 1983 SC 1086.
51. Jay Laxmi Salt Works (P) Ltd. v. State of Andhra Pradesh, (1994) 4 SEE 1.
52. N. Nagendra Ram & Co. v. State of Andhra Pradesh, (1994) 6 SEE 205.
53. Jasbir Kaur v. State of Punjab, AIR 1995 P&H 278.
54. Tabassum Sultana v. State of UP, AIR 1997 All 177.
