Question Details

Section 4 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872 reads as follows: Communication when complete - The communication of a proposal is complete when it comes to the knowledge of the person to whom it is made. The communication of an acceptance is complete, - as against the proposer, when it is put in a course of transmission to him so as to be out of the power of the acceptor; as against the acceptor, when it comes to the knowledge of the proposer.

Thus, the provision makes no difference in the position of the offeror. The offeror becomes bound when a properly addressed and adequately stamped letter of acceptance is posted. The acceptor does not become bound by merely posting his acceptance. He becomes bound only when his acceptance comes to the knowledge of the proposer. The contract is concluded at the place from where the proposal is accepted and communication of acceptance is dispatched, i.e., the address at which the proposal was sent. The court at that place would have jurisdiction to entertain a cause of action under the contract. This rule, that the communication of an acceptance is complete as against the proposer when the letter is posted, is probably intended to apply only when the parties are at a distance and they communicate by post. “Where, however, the parties are in each other’s presence or, though separated in space”, they are in direct communication, as, for example, by telephone, no contract will arise until the offeror receives the notification of acceptance.


‘S’ wanted to purchase shares of a company and communicated his offer to buy shares on March 1, 2021. A letter of allotment of shares addressed to ‘S’, which is an acceptance of the offer to purchase shares, was posted by the company on March 10, 2021, but the letter never reached ‘S’ and was lost in transit. In the given situation, which of the following statements is true?

Options

A

Communication of acceptance is not complete as against ‘S’ and hence, there is no valid contract between ‘S’ and the company.

B

Communication of acceptance is complete as against ‘S’ however not complete as against the company.

C

Communication of acceptance is complete as against the company however not complete as against ‘S’.

D

Communication of acceptance is complete against both ‘S’ as well as the company.

Show Answer

Correct Answer :

Option B

Communication of acceptance is complete as against ‘S’ however not complete as against the company.

Solution :

The correct answer is: Communication of acceptance is complete as against ‘S’ however not complete as against the company.


Step-by-Step Explanation:


1. Understanding the Rule under Section 4 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872:
According to Section 4 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872, as highlighted in the passage:
- The communication of an acceptance is complete as against the proposer (offeror) when it is put into a course of transmission to him so as to be out of the power of the acceptor.
- The communication of an acceptance is complete as against the acceptor when it comes to the knowledge of the proposer.


2. Application to the Given Facts:
- Proposer / Offeror = 'S' (who communicated his offer to buy shares).
- Acceptor = The Company (which posted the letter of allotment).
- Posting Date = March 10, 2021.
- Event = The letter was posted by the company but lost in transit and never reached 'S'.


3. Analysis of Completion of Acceptance:
- As against 'S' (the proposer): The moment the company posted the properly addressed letter of allotment (acceptance), the acceptance was put into a course of transmission beyond the company's power. Thus, the communication of acceptance became complete as against 'S' on March 10, 2021, regardless of whether the letter reached 'S' or was lost in transit.
- As against the company (the acceptor): Since the letter was lost in transit and never came to the knowledge of 'S', the communication of acceptance was not complete as against the company.


Conclusion:
Therefore, the communication of acceptance is complete as against 'S', but however not complete as against the company.

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