Indian Contract Act Section 10 — What agreements are contracts

CHAPTER II OF CONTRACTS, VOIDABLE CONTRACTS AND VOID AGREEMENTS

Commercial / Corporate

Summary

An agreement becomes a contract only when all of these conditions are met: it is made with the free consent of parties who are legally capable of contracting, it is supported by a lawful consideration, and its object is lawful. Additionally, the agreement must not be one that this Act or any other law expressly declares to be void.

This section does not override any existing law in force in India that requires a contract to be made in writing, or in the presence of witnesses, or that deals with the registration of documents. Such requirements continue to apply as per those separate laws.

Official Text

All agreements are contracts if they are made by the free consent of parties competent to contract, for a lawful consideration and with a lawful object, and are not hereby expressly declared to be void. Nothing herein contained shall affect any law in force in 1[India] and not hereby expressly repealed by which any contract is required to be made in writing2 or in the presence of witnesses, or any law relating to the registration of documents.