Carlill v. Carbolic Smoke Ball Co.
[1893] 1 QB 256 · Court of Appeal (England)
A unilateral advertisement can be a binding offer if it shows intention to be bound.
Unit I · Law of Contract – I
Essentials of a valid contract, offer and acceptance
Study aid only. Confirm statute numbers with the current bare Act and the official OU LL.B. (3-YDC) 2024–25 syllabus PDF.
Statute sections
| Act / instrument | Section | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Contract Act, 1872 | 2(h) | Contract |
| Indian Contract Act, 1872 | 2(a) | Proposal |
| Indian Contract Act, 1872 | 2(b) | Promise / acceptance |
| Indian Contract Act, 1872 | 3–5 | Communication and revocation of proposal and acceptance |
Landmark cases
Lalman Shukla v. Gauri Dutt
(1913) 11 ALJ 489 · Allahabad High Court
Acceptance requires knowledge of the offer; a person unaware of a reward cannot claim it.
Bhagwandas Goverdhandas Kedia v. Girdharilal Parshottamdas
AIR 1966 SC 543 · Supreme Court of India
A contract by telephone is complete where acceptance is heard.