Exceptions to the Rylands rule (Defences) : The rule of strict liability has been made subject to so many exceptions since it was propounded in 1865 that it has lost much of its sting. The following exceptions to the rule…

Strict Liability Simply stated the rule of strict liability makes the defendant liable for accidental harms caused without any intention and negligence on his part. In other words, sometimes the law recognizes ‘no fault’ liability. The undertakers of hazardous or…

Act of God (vis major) : General Defences in Tort According to Pollock act of God is an “operation of natural forces so unexpected that no human foresight or skill could reasonably be expected to anticipate it”. According to Halsbury’s…

Statutory Authority : General Defences in Tort When a statute authorises the doing of an act, which would otherwise be a tort, the party injured has no remedy except the one (if any) provided by the statue itself. The immunity…

Plaintiff, the Wrongdoer : General Defences in Tort One of the principles of equity is that a party who wants some relief must go to the court with clean hands. However, it is doubtful whether the defendant can take such…

Necessity : General Defences in Tort An act causing damage, if done under necessity to prevent a greater evil is not actionable even though the harm was caused intentionally. The defence of necessity is based on the maxim ‘salus populi…

Private Defence : General Defences in Tort The right of private defence is the right to protect one’s own person and property against the unlawful aggression of others. The law permits use of reasonable force to protect one’s person or…

Mistake means when one commits an error in understanding or when one understands or perceives wrongly. Mistake may be of two kinds—(a) Mistake of fact, and (b) Mistake of law. Mistake whether of fact or of law, is generally no…

The defendant may escape liability in tort by establishing that the cause of the plaintiff, injury was an accident rather than any wilful or negligent act on his part. Accident means an unexpected injury and if the same could not…

Limitations/ Exceptions to the application of volenti non fit injuria (i) Illegal consent- No consent can legalize an unlawful act e.g. fighting with naked fists or duel with sharp swords. No person can licence another to commit a crime (R…