Law of Contract By Prof. (Dr) Rajni Malhotra Dhingra 1st Edition Nov 25
Law of Contract By Prof. (Dr) Rajni Malhotra Dhingra 1st Edition Nov 25
Content
The Present Publication is the 2nd Edition, authored by Prof. (Dr) Rajni Malhotra Dhingra, with the following noteworthy features:
- [Doctrinal Precision with Rationale] Provisions are explained alongside their underlying policy and leading judicial treatments
- [Illustration-led Learning] Classroom-tested hypotheticals, flowcharts, and comparison tables translate rules into outcomes
- [Case-law Integration] Concise case notes and principle statements aid recall without sacrificing analytical depth
- [Assessment Support] End-of-chapter MCQs, short notes, and problem questions with answer pointers
- [Remedies Made Practical] Stepwise coverage of specific performance, substituted performance, injunctions, declaratory relief, rectification, rescission, and cancellation
- [Contemporary Relevance] Treatment of e-contracts, electronic signatures, standard-form terms, unconscionability, and restitution
- [Aligned to BCI Syllabi] Sequencing, depth, and assessment elements are designed to support semester teaching and examinations
- [Author Expertise] Prof. (Dr) Rajni Malhotra Dhingra has over two decades of experience in teaching and academic leadership. Her work spans Family Law, Contract and Property, with multiple books and articles held in national and international libraries, including the Parliament Library. She also edits reputed legal journals (LCJLS; Indian Affirmative Law Journal)
- [Teaching & Practice Bridge] The text blends doctrinal clarity with courtroom relevance—ideal for seminars, internal assessments, moot preparation and first-response research in chambers
- [Contextual Integration] Notes the historical evolution of contract law in India, its interface with property and commercial statutes, and contemporary themes (IT, IP, online contracting)
- [Pedagogical integrity] Emphasises reasoning, not rote; promotes ethical and professional problem-solving
The coverage of the book is as follows:
- Part I — Indian Contract Act 1872 (General and Special Contracts)
- Foundations – Nature of contractual obligation; scheme of the ICA; classification of agreements and contracts
- Formation of Contract – Proposal, acceptance, revocation; communication rules; postal/instantaneous and electronic contracting
- Consideration and Privity – Essentials, exceptions, past and voluntary acts; privity and its recognised relaxations
- Capacity to Contract – Minors and persons of unsound mind; necessaries; contracts with disqualified persons
- Free Consent – Coercion, undue influence, fraud, misrepresentation, and mistake; consequences and election
- Legality of Object and Consideration – Unlawful objects; public policy; restraints of trade, marriage, and legal proceedings; wagering and uncertainty
- Contingent and Quasi-contracts – Enforcement of contingent agreements; restitution and unjust enrichment
- Performance and Discharge – Tender, reciprocal promises, time stipulations, novation, alteration, rescission, impossibility/frustration, and breach
- Damages and Remedies (ICA) – Remoteness, mitigation, expectation/reliance measures; liquidated damages and penalties; restitutionary responses
- Special Contracts
- Indemnity and Guarantee – Rights and liabilities, continuing guarantees, discharge
- Bailment and Pledge – Duties, lien, pledge by non-owners
- Agency – Creation and authority (actual/apparent), ratification, principal–agent–third party relations, termination
- Part II — Specific Relief Act 1963
- Remedial Framework – Nature, scope, and interface with ICA and CPC
- Specific Performance – Grant and refusal; substituted performance; readiness and willingness; non-enforceable agreements; defences and equitable considerations
- Injunctions – Perpetual and mandatory injunctions; negative covenants; interim and final reliefs; interactions with special statutes
- Declaratory Relief – Parties entitled, procedural posture, and strategic utility
- Rectification, Rescission, and Cancellation – Grounds, procedure, and effects; relationship with limitation and pleadings
- Contemporary Themes Interwoven Across Chapters
- Standard-form contracts and unfair terms.
- Consumer-law intersections and sectoral frameworks.
- Digital formation, attribution, and evidentiary nuances.
- Drafting cautions and identifying litigation pitfalls; quantifying damages and restitution.
About the author
Prof. (Dr) Rajni Malhotra Dhingra is an accomplished academician with over two decades of experience in legal education. She currently serves as the Director of the Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Management Studies in New Delhi. Her areas of specialisation include Family Law, Law of Contract, and Property Law.
Dr Dhingra has authored and co-authored several books and research papers published in reputed national and international journals. Her notable works include NGOs and Protection of Human Rights, Transfer of Property Act and Indian Easement Act, 1882, Law of Contract, Specific Contracts, Family Law–I, Marginalised Groups in India: Legal Mechanism to Combat Inequalities, and Legal Protection to Marginalised Groups and Contemporary India. Many of her publications are housed in prestigious institutions, including the Library of the Indian Parliament.
She also serves as the Editor of leading online journals, including the Law Colloquy Journal of Legal Studies (LCJLS) and the Indian Affirmative Law Journal, reflecting her continued commitment to advancing research, scholarship, and accessible legal education.