Gujarat National Law

University Gandhinagar

Course Outline

Of

Law of Torts

For
LL.B. I Semester
(Batch: 2013-18)
(July-October 2013)

Faculty:
Mr. Vivek Dubey
Assistant Professor of Law
Gujarat National Law University
Cabin: A – 0.20/1
E-Mail: [email protected]

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 Mob: +918128650864

Sl. No. Contents Page

I.4.1. Important Notes to Students 3

I.4.2. Objectives of the Course 3

I.4.3. Proposed Teaching Schedule 4

I.4.4. Modules in Detail 4-6

I.4.5. Teaching Methodology 7

I.4.6. Evaluation Pattern 7

I.4.7. Tentative Dates for Test/Project 7

Submission
I.4.8. Prescribed Readings 7

I.4.9. Recommended Readings 8-10

I.4.10. Contact Hours 10

I.4.11 Alternate Faculty 10

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I.4.1. IMPORTANT NOTES TO STUDENTS

1. The given course-outline is tentative. The faculty-member

may modify it while preparing the reference material and
engaging the classes.

2. The teaching methodology of the subject will not necessarily

be bound by the parameters shown here.

3. Both faculty-member and students may mould it according to

needs as and when they arise for better and progressive
understanding of the subject in a flexible way.

4. Active and positive class participation is mandatory.

Maintaining the dignity and decorum of the class is equally
mandatory. Once the class is begun the students are not
allowed to enter the class room.

5. The students are required to come to the class with necessary

home work, which will be beneficial for positive participation
in lectures.

I.4.2. OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE

“Law is the great civilizing machinery. It liberates the

desire to build and subdues the desire to destroy. And if
war can tear us apart, Law can unite us – out of fear, or love
or reason, or all three. Law is the greatest human
invention. All the rest, give man mastery over his world.
Law gives him mastery over himself”
-- Lyndon B. Johnson

In a society where men live together, there are bound to occur

conflict of interests and they may from time to time cause damage
to one or the other. Tort law defines the conditions under which a
person is entitled to damage compensation if her claim is not based
on a contractual obligation.

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 Damages result from the loss or impairment of property, health,
life or limb, from the infringement of rights or from pure financial
or non-financial losses. Tort law rules aim at drawing a just and fair
line between those noxious events that should lead to damage
compensation and others for which the damage should lie where it
falls.
In Common Law countries tort law has developed from a large
body of formerly unrelated doctrines such as conversion, trespass,
nuisance, defamation, negligence, deceit and rules from case law.
Similar general rules were laid down in the civil codes of other
continental countries. They tried to systematize and condense the
large body of cases and materials to an abstract system of rules.
Many important questions, however, are left open in such solemn
statements, such as the precise meaning of damage, of negligence,
the concept of causation or compensation for pure financial
damages. They have to be decided by the judiciary. It is therefore
not surprising that modern tort law is more or less judge-made law.

I.4.3. PROPOSED TEACHING SCHEDULE

No. of
Nos. Modules
Sessions
I.4.1 Introduction to law of torts 5 sessions
I.4.2 General Principles of Liability in Tort 5 sessions
I.4.3 Foundation of tortuous liability 10 sessions
I.4.4 Justification in tort 10 sessions
I.4.5 Specific Tort 10 sessions
I.4.6 Interface between tort and other areas of Law 5 sessions
I.4.7 Consumer Protection Act , 1986 5 sessions

I.4.4. MODULES IN DETAIL

I.4.Module-1
Introduction to Law of Torts (Sessions – 05)

I. Evolution of ‘Tort law’ in England and India

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 II. Definition- What is Tort?
III. Nature of tort- Tort distinguished from contract, Quasi-contract,
breach of trust and crime
IV. Functions of Tort Law
Legal text:
Indian Contract Act, 1872
Indian Penal Code, 1860
Indian Trust Act, 1882
Civil Procedure Code, 1908
Insurance Act , 1938

I.4.Module-2
General Principles of Liability in Tort ( Sessions- 05)

I. Constituents of Tort – Wrongful Act/ Omission, Damage and

Remedy
II. Essential Conditions of Liability- Injuria Sine Damno- Damno
Sine Injuria, Malice and Motive
III. Schools- Law of Tort or Law of Torts
IV. Capacity – who can sue and who can be sued?
V. Remedies and Extinction of Liability in Tort
Legal Text:
Indian Succession Act, 1925
Motor Vehicle Accident Act, 1988
Indian Majority Act, 1999
Specific Relief Act, 1963

I.4.Module-3
Foundation of Tortuous Liability (Sessions- 10)

I. Fault Liability, Strict Liability and Absolute Liability

II. Vicarious Liability – Scope and Justification
III. Liability of the State- [ Law Commission of India, Report -1955
on tortuous liability of the state in India]
Legal Text:
Constitution of India [Article 300]
Public Liability Insurance Act, 1991
National Environment Tribunal Act, 1995
Motor Vehicle Accident Act, 1988
Indian Partnership Act, 1932

I.4. Module-4
Justification in Tort (Session – 10)

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 I. Volenti non-fit Injuria
II. Necessity, Plaintiff’s default
III. Act of God
IV. Inevitable accidents
V. Private defenses
VI. Judicial and Quasi – Judicial Acts
VII. Parental and quasi-parental authority
Legal Text-
Indian Penal Code, 1860
Judicial Officers Protection Act, 1959

I.4.Module- 5
Specific Tort (Sessions -10)

I. Defamation, False imprisonment and malicious prosecution

[Definition – Essentials –Classification- Defenses etc.]
II. Trespass [ Trespass to Person – Assault – Battery – False
Imprisonment. Trespass to Land – Definition – Methods –
Trespass abinitio – Remedies – Defences . Trespass to Goods –
Definition – Essential Elements - Remedies.]
III. Negligence, Nuisance and Nervous Shock [Nuisance – Definition
– Types of Nuisance: Private, Public and Statutory Nuisance –
Essentials of Private Nuisance – Remedies – Defences.
Negligence –Unintentional tort- Definition – Elements of
Negligence – Res Ipsa Loquitor – Contributory Negligence –
Defences]
Legal text-
Contributory Negligence Act, 1945
Defamation Act, 1996 (UK)
Indian Penal Code, 1860
Specific Relief Act, 1963
Occupiers Liability Act, 1957 (UK)

I.4.Module 6
Interface between tort and other areas of law (Session 5)

I. IPR and Torts

II. Cyber Tort [like cyber defamation, stalking etc.]
III. Constitutional Tort

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IV. Toxic Tort/ Environmental Tort [ 2010- National Green Tribunal
Act]
V. Tort against sexual harassment at work place-[Apparel
promotion council case.. 1994 SCC]
VI. Emerging Trends in law of torts [Ref. Book- Salmond]
Legal Text:
Constitution of India
Environmental protection Act, 1986
Criminal Procedure Code, 1973
Indian penal code, 1860
Trademarks Act
Information Technology Act, 2000

I.4.Module 7
Consumer Protection Act, 1986 (5 Session)

I. Consumer Protection Act – 1986- Definitions, consumer

Protection Councils, their objects
II. – Consumer Disputes Redressal agencies – District forum, State
Commission, National Commission
III. – Their Jurisdiction, constitution, powers, procedure – appeals,
reliefs to the parties, enforcement of the orders.
I.4.5. TEACHING METHODOLOGY

 Lecture Method
 Case Analysis
 Class-room participation
 Presentation by students if needed
 Group discussion whenever required
 Inviting visiting faculty
 Using power point presentation

I.4.6. EVALUATION PATTERN

Continuous Evaluation= 50 Marks

 Goodness= 5Marks
 Ist Class Test = 15 Marks [16th August 2013]
 IInd Class Test = 15 Marks [ 20th September 2013]

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  Project Paper/Case Analysis=15 Marks [last date of
submission is 30th September 2013]. Academic Honesty
Declaration Form should be attached with the project paper.

[II]. End Term Examination= 50 Marks

Total Marks = 100 Marks [50 +50]

I.4.7. TENTATIVE DATES FOR TEST/PROJECT

SUBMISSION

 Ist Class Test = 15 Marks [16th August 2013]

 IInd Class Test = 15 Marks [ 20th September 2013]
 Project Paper/Case Analysis=15 Marks [last date of submission
is 30th September 2013]

I.4.8. PRESCRIBED READINGS

1. B M Gandhi, Law of Torts, EBC, Lucknow, 2011.

2. R K Bangia, Law of Torts, 10th Edn- 2011, Allahabad Law
Agency, Haryana.
3. Ratanlal & Dhirajlal, The Law of Torts, 26th Edn-2010,
Wadhwa, Nagpur
4. Ramaswamy Iyer, The Law of Torts,10th edition, Lexis Nexis
Butterworths Wadhwa, 2010

I.4.9. RECOMMENDED READINGS

BOOKS

1. Vivienne Harpwood, “Principles Of Tort Law”, 4th edition,

2002, published by Cavendish Publishing limited
2. A. Lakshminath and M. Sridhar, “Ramaswamy Iyer’s The Law Of
Torts”, 9th edition, 2003, published by LexisNexis Butterworths
publication
3. Justice G.P Singh, “Ratanlal & Dhirajlal’s The Law Of Torts”,
(26th Edn.),LexisNexis,Nagpur,2010

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 4. R.F.V. Heuston and R.A. Buckley, Salmond & Heuston On The
Law Of Torts, 20th edition, 8th Indian reprint, 2004, published
by universal law publishing co. pvt. Ltd.
5. by G. H. L. Fridman, “Torts”, 1st edition, 1980, published by
Waterlow publication
6. Kristy Horsey and Erika Rackley, “Tort Law”, by, 2009,
published by oxford university press
7. Winfield & Jolowicz On Tort, by W.V.H. Rogers, 17th edition,
2006, published by London Sweet & Maxwell
8. Dr. J.N.Pandey, “Law of Torts and Consumer Protection Act”, 5th
ed, Central Law Publications, 2005
9. Dr. S.R.Myneni, “Consumer Protection Law”, 1st ed, Asia Law
House, Hyderabad
10. Clerk and Lindsell, Clerk & Lindsell on Torts, (Sweet &
Maxwell, London, 17th Ed., (1999)
11. M N Shukla, The Law of Torts,(Central Law Agency, Allahabad,
16th Ed 1998)
12. Margaret Brazier and John Murphy, Street on Torts, (Butterworths,
London Edinburgh,Dublin, 10th Ed., (1999)

NB: The above is the non-exhaustive list of reading references.

Additional references will be given by the faculty from time to time.
Nevertheless, students are advised to explore further reading
references independently.

ARTICLES
1. Hakim, Marilyn G., “MOTHER VS. FOETUS: NEW ADVERSARIES IN THE
STRUGGLE TO DEFINE THE RIGHTS OF UNBORN CHILDREN” (1997). 18
JOURNAL OF JUVENILE LAW 99
2. Unsettling Truths, Untold Tales- The Bhopal Gas Disaster Victims
‘Twenty Years’ of Court Room Struggles for Justice by S.
Muralidhar- IELRC Working Paper 2004/5 available at
http://www.ielrc.org/content/w0405.pdf
3. Tortuous Liability: Emerging Trends by M.N. Bhawani
4. Liability of a mother for prenatal negligence to her child: A case for
equal parenthood by Mrs. Shri Vidya Jayakumar (Paper presented
in the National Conference on Gender Equity at work and Home A
key to National Development held on 9-10 Jan. 2009 at K.G.
Somaiya College, Mumbai).
5. The Transnational Traffic in legal Remedies by Marc Galanter.
6. The cultural Evolution of Tort Law by M. Stuart Madden, Pace Law
School.

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 CASE LAWS
1. Gujarat Electricity Board v KR Patel [(1988) Guj]
2. Ranganagulu v Mullackal Devaswamn [AIR 1974 Ker 25]
3. Rylands vs. Flecther, 1868 LR 3 HC 330
4. Crowhurst vs. Amersham Burial Board, (1878) 4 Ex. DS
5. Bolton vs. Stone, 1951 AC 850
6. TC Balakrishna Menon vs. TR Subramanian, AIR 1968 Ker. 151
7. MC Mehta vs. Union of India, AIR 1987 SC 1086
8. Gloucester Grammar School Case 1410 YB 11
9. Mogul Steamship Co. vs. Mc Gregor Grow and Co., 1892 AC 25
10. Mayor of Bradford Copn. vs. Pickles, (1895) AC
587
11. Glasgow Copn. Vs. Taylor (1922) 1 AC 44
12. Hall vs. Brook Lands Auto Racing Club, (1933) 1
KB 205
13. Padmawathi vs. Dugganaika, (1975)1 Kan.LJ 93
14. Brown vs. Kendall, (1850) 6 Cush.
15. Nichols vs. Marshland (1876) 2 Ex.D 1
16. Kallulal vs. Hemachand, AIR 1958 MP 48
17. Herbert Richard vs. Muniswami, ILR (1950) Mad.
365
18. Cope vs. Shape (1891) KB 496
19. Vaughan vs. Taff Valde Rail Co. (1860) 5 H and N
679
20. Singleton Abbey vs. Paludina, 1927 AC 16
21. Rural Transport Service vs. Bezlum Bibi, AIR
1980 Cal. 165
22. Davis vs. Mann (1882) 10 M&W 546
23. Subhakar vs. Mysore State Road Transport
Corpn. AIR 1975 Ker. 73
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24. Youssoupoff vs. MGM Pictures Ltd., (1934) 50
TLR 58
25. DP Choudhary vs. Manju Latha, AIR 1997 Raj.
170
26. Cassidy vs. Daily Mirror, (1929) 2 KB 331
27. Arumugha Mudhaliar vs. Annamalai Mudgaliar,
(1996) 2 MLJ 223
28. TJ Ponnen vs. MC Varhgese, AIR 1970 SC 1876
29. Knapffer vs. London Express Newspaper ltd,
1944 AC 116
30. DN Sen vs. RK Bhadre, AIR 1970 Cal.216
31. AIADMK, Madras vs. K.Govindankutty, (1996) 2
ALD 139(AP)
32. Vimal Kumar vs. Deshdiwaker, AIR 2005 MP 37
33. Abrath vs, North Eastern Rly Co., (1886) II AC
247
34. R vs. St. George (1846) 9 C &P 483
35. Blake vs. Barnard, (1840) 9 CP 626
36. Stephen vs. Mayers (1840) 4 CP 349
37. Timothy vs. Simpson (1835) 1 Cr M &R 757
38. Bird vs. Jones (1845) 7 QB 742
39. Herring vs. Boyle (1834) 1 Cr M & R 377
40. Meering vs. Grahame (1914)122 LT 44
41. Bhim Singh vs. State of J&K, AIR 1968 SC 494
42. Rudhul Shah vs. State of Bihar, (1983) 4 SCC 141
43. Ellis vs. Loftus Iron Co. 1874 LR 10 CP 19
44. Six Carpenters Case (1610) 8 Co. Ref.146
45. Dr. Ram Raj Singh vs. Babulal, AIR 1982 All 285
46. Radhey Shyam vs. Guru Prasad, AIR 1978 All 86
47. St.Helens Smelting Co. vs. Tipping, (1865) 11 HL
Cas.642

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 48. Starys vs. Bridgman, (1979) 11 Ch. D 852
49. Donoughue vs. Stevenson, 1932 AC 562
50. Ishwar Devi vs. Union of India, AIR 1869 Delhi
183
51. Dr. Laxman Balakrishna Joshi vs. Trimbak Bapu,
AIR 1989 P&H 183
52. KSEB vs. Suresh Kumar, 1986 ACJ 998
53. Glasgow Corpn vs. Taylor, (1992)1 AC 44
54. Alka vs. Union of India, AIR 1993 Delhi 267

I.4.10. CONTACT HOURS

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: 3:00 PM. to 5:00 PM.

I.4.11. ALTERNATE FACULTY

Dr. Richa Sharma (Course Instructor of History for Ist Semester)

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