Section 228 - Principal not bound when excess of agent's authority is not separable, Section 229 - Consequences of notice given to agent: Indian Contract Act 1872

Principal not bound when excess of agent's authority is not separable? What are the Consequences of notice given to agent? Section 228 and 229 of Indian Contract Act 1872

Section 228 of Indian Contract Act 1872 : "Principal not bound when excess of agent's authority is not separable"

228. Where an agent does more than he is authorised to do and what he does beyond the scope of his authority cannot be separated from what is within it, the principal is not bound to recognise the transaction.

Illustration
A authorizes B to buy 500 sheep for him. Buys 500 sheep and 200 lambs for one sum of 6,000 rupees. A may repudiate the whole transaction.

Section 229 of Indian Contract Act 1872 : "Consequences of notice given to agent"

229. Any notice given to or information obtained by the agent, provided it be given or obtained in the course of the business transacted by him for the principal, shall, as between the principal and third parties, have the same legal consequences as if it had been given to or obtained by the principal.

Illustrations
(a) A is employed by B to buy from C certain goods, of which C is the apparent owner, and buys them accordingly. In the course of the treaty for the sale, A learns that the goods really belonged to D, but B is ignorant of that fact. B is not entitled to set off a debt owing to him from C against the price of the goods.

(b) A is employed by B to buy from C goods of which C is the apparent owner. A was, before he was so employed, a servant of C, and then learnt that the goods really belonged to D, but B is ignorant of that fact. In spite of the knowledge of his agent, B may set off against the price of the goods a debt owing to him from C.