MP JUDICIARY Law of Torts, SRA & Jurisprudence Syllabus

MP JUDICIARY Law of Torts, SRA & Jurisprudence: topic-wise syllabus

1. 1

   General Principles of Transfer (Sections 5-18)

   • Definition: Transfer of Property (Section 5), Immovable Property (Section 3)
   • Competence to Transfer (Section 6): Property That May Be Transferred, Property That Cannot (Spes Successionis, Right of Re-entry, etc.)
   • Operation of Transfer (Sections 8-9): What Passes on Transfer
   • Conditional Transfers (Sections 10-14): Condition Subsequent, Condition Precedent
   • Transfer to Unborn Person (Section 13), Rule Against Perpetuities (Section 14)
   • Vested and Contingent Interests (Sections 19-21)
   • Case Law: State of UP v District Judge (Rule Against Perpetuities); Sopher v Ahmedabad (Unborn Person)
2. 2

   Important Doctrines (Sections 41-53)

   • Doctrine of Lis Pendens (Section 52): Stay of Transfer Pending Suit
   • Doctrine of Fraudulent Transfer (Section 53): Transfers to Defeat Creditors Voidable
   • Doctrine of Part Performance (Section 53A): Possession in Pursuance of Contract
   • Doctrine of Election (Section 35): Person Cannot Accept and Reject Same Instrument
   • Doctrine of Feeding Grant by Estoppel (Section 43): Transfer by Unauthorised Person
   • Case Law: Hamda Ammal v Avadiappa Pathar (Lis Pendens); Shrimati Savitri v FAICT (Part Performance)
3. 3

   Sale of Immovable Property (Sections 54-57)

   • Definition of Sale (Section 54): Transfer of Ownership for a Price, Registration Required
   • Rights and Liabilities of Buyer and Seller (Sections 55): Title, Charge for Price, Encumbrances
   • Marshalling by Buyer (Section 56), Discharge of Encumbrances (Section 57)
4. 4

   Mortgage and Charge (Sections 58-100)

   • Definition of Mortgage (Section 58), Mortgagor, Mortgagee, Mortgage Deed
   • Kinds of Mortgages: Simple (Section 58b), Mortgage by Condition Sale (Section 58c), English Mortgage (Section 58e), Equitable (Section 58f), AnomalousRights of Mortgagor (Sections 60-66): Redemption, Partial Redemption (Section 60), Accession (Section 63), Renewal (Section 64), Implied Contract (Section 65)
   • Right of Redemption (Section 60): Once a Mortgage Always a Mortgage, No Clog on Redemption
   • Foreclosure and Sale (Sections 67-68): Mortgagee's Right
   • Rights of Mortgagee (Sections 69-77): Sale, Receiver, Accounts
   • Priorities: Mortgages (Sections 78-80), Subrogation (Sections 91-96)
   • Charge (Section 100): Definition, Differs from Mortgage, Enforcement
   • Case Law: Pomal Kanji Govindji v Vrajlal Karsandas Purohit (Clog on Redemption); Gappulal v Thakurji (Subrogation)
5. 5

   Lease, Exchange, and Gift (Sections 105-127)

   • Lease of Immovable Property (Section 105): Lessor, Lessee, Premium, Rent, Term
   • Duration, Registration, Determination (Sections 106-117): Lapse, Merger, Surrender, Forfeiture
   • Exchange (Sections 118-121): Mutual Transfer of Ownership
   • Gift (Sections 122-127): Definition, Essentials, Donor-Donee, Acceptance, Gift to Unborn, Onerous Gift
   • Revocation of Gift: Completed vs Incomplete, Conditions, Fraud
6. 6

   Transfers of Actionable Claims (Sections 130-137)

   • Definition of Actionable Claim (Section 3), Transfer (Section 130)
   • Transfer of Insurance Policy (Section 131), Negotiable Instruments (Section 137)
7. 7

   Nature, Elements, and Foundations of Tort

   • Definition (Winfield, Salmond): Civil Wrong Independent of Contract, Remedies in Unliquidated Damages
   • Ingredients: Wrongful Act (Act/Omission), Legal Damage (Damnum sine Injuria, Injuria sine Damnum), Legal Remedy
   • Distinction from Crime: Public vs Private Wrong, Mens Rea, Procedure
   • Distinction from Contract: Duty Fixed by Law vs Voluntarily Assumed, Privity
   • Distinction from Breach of Trust, Quasi-Contract
   • Case Law: Ashby v White (Injuria sine Damnum); Gloucester Grammar School (Damnum sine Injuria); Bhim Singh v State of J&K (Constitutional Tort)
8. 8

   General Defences in Tort

   • Volenti Non Fit Injuria (Consent): Knowledge + Voluntary Assumption of Risk
   • Act of God (Vis Major): Extraordinary Natural Events Unforeseeable
   • Inevitable Accident: Without Fault and Unavoidable
   • Necessity: Greater Harm Avoided, Public vs Private
   • Statutory Authority: Express vs Implied, Ultra Vires Acts
   • Private Defence: Proportionate Force, Person and Property
   • Plaintiff's Default, Act of Third Party, Mistake
9. 9

   Trespass to Person, Land, and Goods

   • Assault: Apprehension of Harmful/Offensive Contact, Conditional Threats
   • Battery: Actual Physical Contact, Hostile + Harmful/Offensive
   • False Imprisonment: Total Restraint of Liberty, Knowledge Not Essential, Modes (Arrest, Police, Private)
   • Trespass to Land: Direct Interference, Continuing Trespass, Trespass ab initio
   • Trespass to Goods (Trover, Detinue, Conversion): Interference with Possessory Rights
   • Case Law: Bird v Jones (False Imprisonment); Basudeo v State of UP (Police Custodial Violence); Entick v Carrington (Trespass to Premises)
10. 10

    Negligence

    • Definition: Breach of Duty to Take Care Causing Damage, Three Ingredients
    • Duty of Care: Neighbour Principle (Donoghue v Stevenson 1932), Proximity, Foreseeability
    • Breach of Duty: Standard of Care — Reasonable Man, Professional Standards, Res Ipsa Loquitur
    • Damage: Causation in Fact (But For Test), Remoteness (Wagon Mound I), Novus Actus Interveniens
    • Contributory Negligence: Apportionment of Damage (Law Reform Act 1945/India Section 1A, Fatal Accidents Act)
    • Occupiers' Liability, Nervous Shock, Economic Loss, Professional Negligence (Medical, Legal)
    • Case Law: Donoghue v Stevenson (Neighbour Principle); Jacob Mathew v State of Punjab (Medical Negligence); Bolam v Friern Hospital (Professional Standard)
11. 11

    Nuisance and Defamation

    • Private Nuisance: Unreasonable Interference with Use of Land, Substantial Damage
    • Public Nuisance: Interference with Rights of Public, Crime + Tort, Special Damage
    • Defences to Nuisance: Prescription, Statutory Authority, Coming to Nuisance
    • Defamation: Libel vs Slander, Defamatory Statement, Publication, Reference to Plaintiff
    • Defences: Justification (Truth in Civil), Fair Comment, Privilege (Absolute vs Qualified), Apology
    • Case Law: Rylands v Fletcher (Nuisance, Strict Liability); Rama Rao v Shantibai (Defamation)
12. 12

    Strict and Absolute Liability

    • Strict Liability (Rylands v Fletcher 1868): Escape of Dangerous Thing, Non-Natural Use, Exceptions
    • Absolute Liability (M C Mehta v Union of India 1987): Enterprise Liability for Hazardous Industries, No Defences
    • Indian Position: Public Liability Insurance Act 1991, National Green Tribunal Act 2010
    • The Bhopal Gas Disaster, Oleum Gas Leak Case Principles
13. 13

    Vicarious Liability and Torts Against State

    • Master-Servant: Scope of Employment, Frolic vs Detour, Course of Employment
    • Principal-Agent: Agent's Acts in Course of Agency
    • Partners: Partnership Act, Each Partner Liable for Torts of Co-Partner
    • State Liability: Article 300, Sovereign vs Non-Sovereign Functions
    • Case Law: Kasturi Lal v State of UP (Sovereign Immunity); Nilabati Behera v State of Orissa (Custodial Death, Constitutional Tort)
14. 14

    Remedies and Consumer Protection

    • Judicial Remedies: Damages (General, Special, Nominal, Contemptuous, Exemplary, Vindictive)
    • Extrajudicial Remedies: Self-help, Abatement of Nuisance, Reception of Property
    • Injunction: Temporary, Perpetual, Mandatory, Prohibitory
    • Consumer Protection Act 2019: Consumer Rights, Unfair Trade Practices, Product Liability, Forums