Indian Contract Act 1872 is the main source of law regulating contracts in Indian law. It determines the circumstances in which promise made by the parties to a contract shall be legally binding on them. All of us enter into a number of contracts everyday knowingly or unknowingly. Each contract creates some right and duties upon the contracting parties. Indian contract deals with the enforcement of these rights and duties upon the parties. The Indian Contract Act 1872 sections 1-75 came into force on 1 September 1872. It applies to the whole of India except the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It is not a complete and exhaustive law on all types of contracts. Indian Contract Act really codifies the way we enter into a contract, execute a contract, implement provisions of a contract and effects of breach of a contract. Basically, a person is free to contract on any terms he chooses. The Contract Act consists of limiting factors subject to which contract may be entered into, executed and breach enforced. It only provides a framework of rules and regulations which govern formation and performance of contract. The rights and duties of parties and terms of agreement are decided by the contracting parties themselves.
Contract Act provides that any usage or custom or trade or any incident of contract is not affected as long as it is not inconsistent with provisions of the Act. In other words, provision of Contract Act will prevail over any usage or custom or trade. However, any usage, custom or trade will be valid as long as it is not inconsistent with provisions of Contract Act.
The motive behind any new introduction should always be for the welfare of the ordinary citizen of the country. From this study, we see that the time for the formulation of a solid base in India has come and the same shall help in preservation of justice in the nation.
PREFACE
Whereas it is expedient to define and