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Article . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Article . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
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GUARANTEES, GOOD FAITH AND GAPS IN THE LAW: A CRITICAL STUDY OF SURETY RIGHTS

Authors: Priyanka Pillay;

GUARANTEES, GOOD FAITH AND GAPS IN THE LAW: A CRITICAL STUDY OF SURETY RIGHTS

Abstract

The law of guarantee under the Indian Contract Act, 1872, represents an important juncture between contractual duties, equitable principles, and the allocation of commercial risk. Of its provisions, Sections 130, 143, and 145 have a decisive bearing on the rights and liabilities of the surety, creditor, and principal debtor. Section 130 governs the revocation of a continuing guarantee and allows the surety to withdraw liability for future transactions by giving notice to the creditor. It enshrines the voluntary nature of suretyship and protects the surety against perpetual and indeterminate liability. It operates only prospectively and applies only to a continuing guarantee within the meaning of Section 129, which means it cannot be extended to particular guarantees. The section tacitly confirms that ordinary guarantees are never revocable after execution. This arrangement maintains commercial certainty for the creditor while also respecting the surety's autonomy. Nevertheless, the section has serious omissions to its credit. Section 143 invalidates guarantees obtained through the creditor's concealment of material facts and represents a significant departure from the general rule under Section 17, which holds that silence does not amount to fraud unless there is a duty to speak. This provision elevates passive silence to a form of legal misconduct in guaranteed contracts, recognizing the surety's vulnerable position, who often relies on the creditor's superior knowledge of the debtor's financial standing. The absence of a statutory definition of "material fact" creates interpretative uncertainty and judicial inconsistency. This selective approach dilutes the protective purpose of the section and raises concerns of procedural unfairness. Section 145 codifies the implied promise of indemnity owed by the principal debtor to the surety and reinforces the equitable foundation of guarantee contracts. While this provision strengthens the surety's posit...

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average
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