Indian Contract Act, 1872 · Chapter X: Agency · Effect of agency on contracts with third persons
Section 233: Right of person dealing with agent personally liable
In plain words
Where the agent is personally liable, the person dealing with them can hold the agent, the principal, or both liable.
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
In cases where the agent is personally liable, a person dealing with him may hold either him or his principal, or both of them, liable.
Illustration
A enters into a contract with B to sell him 100 bales of cotton, and afterwards discovers that B was acting as agent for C. A may sue either B or C, or both, for the price of the cotton.
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.