Section 221. Agent’s lien on principal property

Category of Bare Act Name of the Act Year of Promulgation
Civil Laws Indian Contract Act, 1872 1872
Act Number Enactment Date Chapter Number
9 1872-04-25 10
Chapter Title Ministry Department
Agency, Appointment and Authority of Agents Ministry of Law and Justice, Legislative Department Department of Law and Legislative Affairs

In the absence of any contract to the contrary, an agent is entitled to retain goods, papers, and other property, whether movable or immovable, of the principal received by him, until the amount due to himself for commission, disbursements and services in respect of the same has been paid or accounted for to him.

COMMENTS

General

The lien of an agent extends only to the retention of the property till his dues are paid. At common law a legal lien merely confers on the holder of the articles in respect of which it was claimed, a passive right to detain the articles until the debt is paid. Such a lien cannot be enforced by sale of the goods; Kavita Trehan v. Balsara Hygiene Products Ltd., AIR 1992 Del 103.