Indian Contract Act, 1872 · Chapter X: Agency · Effect of agency on contracts with third persons
Section 228: Principal not bound when excess of agent's authority is not separable
In plain words
If an agent exceeds their authority and the excess cannot be separated from the authorised part, the principal need not recognise the transaction at all.
Example: A authorises B to buy 500 sheep. B buys 500 sheep and 200 lambs for one price. A can reject the whole deal.
A simplified explanation, prepared with AI assistance from the official text below and checked automatically against it for numbers and cross-references. The official text is the law and prevails over this summary. Not legal advice.
Official text
Where an agent does more than he is authorized 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 recognize the transaction.
Illustration
A authorizes B to buy 500 sheep for him. B buys 500 sheep and 200 lambs for one sum of 6,000 rupees. A may repudiate the whole transaction.
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 15 October 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.
Supreme Court judgments citing the section 228
No Supreme Court judgment in our database cites this section yet.