Bailments of pledges (Section 172 – 179)

Section 172 : “Pledge”, “pawnor” and “pawnee” defined

The bailment of goods as security for payment of a debt or performance of a promise is called “pledge”. The bailor is in this case called the “pawnor”. The bailee is called the “pawnee”.


Section 173 : Pawnee’s right of retainer

The pawnee may retain the goods pledged, not only for a payment of the debt or the performance of the promise, but for the interest of the debt, and all necessary expenses incurred by him in respect of the possession or for the preservation of the goods pledged.


Section 174 : Pawnee not to retain for debt or promise other than that for which goods pledged: Presumption in case of subsequent advances

The pawnee shall not, in the absence of a contract to that effect, retain the goods pledged for any debt or promise other than the debt or promise for which they are pledged; but such contract, in the absence of anything to the contrary, shall be presumed in regard to subsequent advances made by the pawnee.


Section 175 : Pawnee’s right as to extraordinary expenses incurred

The pawnee is entitled to receive from the pawnor extraordinary expenses incurred by him for the preservation of the goods pledged.


Section 176 : Pawnee’s right where pawnor makes default

If the pawnor makes default in payment of the debt, or performance, at the stipulated time, of the promise, in respect of which the goods were pledged, the pawnee may bring a suit against the pawnor upon the debt or promise, and retain the goods pledged as a collateral security; or he may sell the thing pledged, on giving the pawnor reasonable notice of the sale.

If the proceeds of such sale are less than the amount due in respect of the debt or promise, the pawnor is still liable to pay the balance. If the proceeds of the sale are greater than the amount so due, the pawnee shall pay over the surplus to the pawnor.


Section 177 : Defaulting pawnor’s right to redeem

If a time is stipulated for the payment of the debt, or performance of the promise, for which the pledge is made, and the pawnor makes default in payment of the debt or performance of the promise at the stipulated time, he may redeem the goods pledged at any subsequent time before the actual sale of them; but he must, in that case, pay, in addition, any expenses which have arisen from his default.


Section 178 : Pledge by mercantile agent

Where a mercantile agent is, with the consent of the owner, in possession of goods or the documents of title to goods, any pledge made by him, when acting in the ordinary course of business of a mercantile agent, shall be as valid as if he were expressly authorised by the owner of the goods to make the same: Provided that the pawnee acts in good faith and has not at the time of the pledge notice that the pawnor has no authority to pledge.

Explanation—In this section, the expressions “mercantile agent” and “documents of title” shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indian Sale of Goods Act, 1930 (III of 1930).


Section 178-A : Pledge by person in possession under voidable contract

When the pawnor has obtained possession of the goods pledged by him under a contract voidable under Section 19 or Section 19-A, but the contract has not been rescinded at the time of the pledge, the pawnee acquires a good title to the goods, provided he acts in good faith and without notice of the pawnor’s defect of title.


Section 179 : Pledge where pawnor has only a limited interest

Where a person pledges goods in which he has only a limited interest, the pledge is valid to the extent of that interest.


IMPORTANT CASE LAWS

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