THE INDIAN CONTRACT ACT, 1872

UNIT 6:- CONTIGENT CONTRACT AND QUASI

CONTRACT
DEFINATION OF CONTIGENT CONTRACT: “A contract to do or not to
do something, if some event, collateral to such contract, does or
does not happen”.
Contract of insurance, indemnity and guarantee fall under this category.
MEANING OF COLLATERAL EVENT: “An event which is neither a
performance directly promised as part of the contract, nor the
whole of the consideration for a promise”.
ESSENTIALS OF A CONTIGENT CONTRACT
 The performance of a contingent contract would depend
upon the happening or non-happening of some event or condition.
 The event referred to is collateral to the contract: the event is not part of the
contract.
 The contingent event should not be a mere ‘will’ of the promisor.
 The event must be uncertain: where the event is certain or bound to happen, the
contract is due to be performed, then it is not contingent contract.
RULES RELATING TO ENFORCEMENT
 ENFORCEMENT OF CONTRACT CONTINGENT ON AN EVENT HAPPENING: Where a
contingent contract is made to do or not to do anything if an uncertain future
event happens, it cannot be enforced by law unless and until that event has
happened. If the event becomes impossible, such contract becomes void.
 ENFORCEMENT OF CONTRACT CONTINGENT ON AN EVENT NOT HAPPENING:
Where a contingent contract is made to do or not do anything if an uncertain
future event does not happen, it can be enforced only when the happening of that
event becomes impossible and not before.
 A CONTRACT WOULD CEASE TO BE ENFORCEABLE IF IT IS CONTINGENT UPON THE
CONDUCT OF A LIVING PERSON WHEN THAT LIVING PERSON DOES SOME THING TO
MAKE THE ‘EVENT’ OR ‘CONDUCT’ AS IMPOSSIBLE OF HAPPENING: If a contract is
contingent upon as to how a person will act at an unspecified time, the event shall
be considered to have become impossible when such person does anything which
renders it impossible that he should so act within any definite time or otherwise
than under further contingencies.
 CONTINGENT ON HAPPENING OF SPECIFIED EVENT WITHIN THE FIXED TIME:
Contingent contracts to do or not to do anything, if a specified uncertain event
happens within a fixed time, becomes void if, at the expiration of time fixed, such
event has not happened, or it, before the time fixed, such event becomes
impossible.
 CONTINGENT ON SPECIFIED EVENT NOT HAPPENING WITHIN FIXED TIME:
Contingent contracts to do or not to do anything, if a specified uncertain event
does not happen within a fixed time, may be enforced by law when the time fixed
has expired, and such event has not happened or before the time fixed has expired,
if it becomes certain that such event will not happen.

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 THE INDIAN CONTRACT ACT, 1872

 CONTINGENT ON AN IMPOSSIBLE EVENT: Contingent contract to do or not to do

anything, if an impossible event happens are void.
DIFFERNCE BETWEEN CONTINGENT CONTRACT AND A WAGERING CONTRACT
BASIS CONTINGENT CONTRACT WAGERING CONTRACT
MEANING Is a contract to do or not to do
Is a promise to give money or
something with reference to a
money’s worth with reference
collateral event happening or not
to an uncertain event
happening. happening or not happening.
RECIPROCAL PROMISE May not contain reciprocal
It consists of reciprocal
promise. promise.
UNCERTAIN EVENT The event is collateral.
The uncertain event is the
core factor.
NATURE OF CONTRACT May not be wagering nature Is essential contingent in
nature
DOCTRINE OF Is not based on doctrine of It is a game, losing and
MUTAILITY OF LOSE mutability of lose and gain. gaining alone matters.
AND GAIN
EFFECT OF CONTRACT Valid Void
QUASI CONTRACTS
Sometimes the law implies a promise obligations on one party and conferring right in
favour of the other even when there is no offer, no acceptance, no genuine consent,
lawful consideration, etc. And in fact neither agreement nor promise. Such cases are not
contracts in the strict sense, but the court recognises them as RELATIONS RESEMBLING
THOSE OF CONTRACTS and enforce them as if they are contracts. Quasi contracts are
based on principles of equity, justice and good conscience. A quasi or constructive
contracts rests upon the maxims, “No man just grow rich out of another person loss”. In
India it is called as “CERTAIN RELATION RESEMBLING THOSE CREATED BY CONTRACTS”.
FEATURES OF QUASI CONTRACTS:
 In the first place, such a right is always a right to money and generally, through not
always, to a liquidated sum of money.
 Secondly, it does not arise from any agreement of the parties concerned, but is
imposed by the law; and
 Thirdly, it is a right which is available not against all the world, but against a
particular person or persons only, so that in this respect it resembles a contractual
right.
CASES DEEMED AS QUASI CONTRACT
 CLAIM FOR NECESSARIES SUPPLIED TO PERSONS INCAPABLE OF CONTRACTING: The
person who has furnished such supplies is entitled to be reimbursed from the
property of such incapable person.

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 THE INDIAN CONTRACT ACT, 1872

 PAYMENT BY AN INTERESTED PERSON: A person who is interested in the payment

of money which another is bound by law to pay, and who therefore pays it, is
entitled to be reimbursed by the other.
 OBLIGATION OF A PERSON ENJOYING BENEFITS OF NON-GRATUITOUS ACT: Where
a person lawfully does anything for another person, or delivers anything to him not
intending to do gratuitously and such other person enjoys the benefits thereof, the
latter is bound to pay compensation to the former in respect of, or to restore, the
things so done or delivered.
 RESPONSIBILITY OF FINDER OF GOODS:
i) To take proper care of the property as man of ordinary prudence would
take.
ii) No right to appropriate the goods and
iii) To restore the goods if the owner is found.
 MONEY PAID BY MISTAKE OR UNDER COERCION: A person to whom money has
been paid or anything delivered by mistake or under coercion, must repay or
return it.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN QUASI CONTRACTS AND CONTRACTS

BASIS QUASI CONTRACT CONTRACT

ESSENTIAL FOR THE Absent Present
VALID CONTRACTS
OBLIGATIONS Imposed by law Created by the consent of the
parties

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