Delhi Higher Judicial Service (DHJS) Law of Torts & Constitutional Torts Syllabus

Delhi Higher Judicial Service (DHJS) Law of Torts & Constitutional Torts: topic-wise syllabus

1. 1

   General Principles

   ~50 marks

   • Definition (Winfield, Salmond): Civil Wrong Independent of Contract, Unliquidated Damages
   • Ingredients: Wrongful Act, Legal Damage (Damnum sine Injuria, Injuria sine Damnum), Legal Remedy
   • Distinction from Crime, Contract, Breach of Trust — Case Laws: Ashby v White
   • General Defences: Volenti Non Fit Injuria, Act of God, Inevitable Accident, Necessity, Statutory Authority, Private Defence, Plaintiff's Default
2. 2

   Specific Torts

   ~70 marks

   • Trespass: Assault (Apprehension), Battery (Actual Contact), False Imprisonment (Total Restraint — Bird v Jones)
   • Trespass to Land and Goods: Direct Interference, Trespass ab Initio, Trover, Detinue, Conversion
   • Negligence: Duty of Care (Neighbour Principle — Donoghue v Stevenson), Breach (Reasonable Man), Causation (But For Test), Remoteness (Wagon Mound)
   • Contributory Negligence, Res Ipsa Loquitur, Professional Negligence (Medical: Jacob Mathew, Legal)
   • Nuisance: Private (Substantial Interference with Land), Public (Special Damage), Defences
   • Defamation: Libel vs Slander, Defences: Justification, Fair Comment, Privilege, Apology
3. 3

   Strict, Absolute, and Vicarious Liability

   ~40 marks

   • Strict Liability: Rylands v Fletcher — Escape of Dangerous Thing, Non-Natural Use, Exceptions
   • Absolute Liability: M C Mehta v Union of India (1987) — Enterprise Liability, No Defences
   • Vicarious Liability: Master-Servant (Scope of Employment), Principal-Agent, Partners — State Liability (Article 300, Sovereign vs Non-Sovereign)
4. 4

   Constitutional Torts and Remedies

   ~40 marks

   • Constitutional Tort: Article 21 Violation by State — Compensation for Custodial Death (Nilabati Behera, DK Basu)
   • Public Interest Litigation: Evolution, Locus Standi, Guidelines (Bandhua Mukti Morcha), Abuse of PIL
   • Remedies Under Article 32 and 226: Writs (Habeas Corpus, Mandamus, Prohibition, Certiorari, Quo Warranto), Difference Between Art 32 and 226