State-Wise Applicability of ‘Force Majeure’ Clauses in India Amidst Outbreak of Covid-19

Posted On - 29 March, 2020 • By - Abhishek Bagga

India Force Majeure State Wise

Non-performing parties in a contract may rely on the applicable provision of ‘Force Majeure’ (a French phrase that literally translates to “superior force”) and/or the common law doctrine of frustration to avoid liability for what would otherwise amount to a breach of contract. This legal update lists down the date of applicability of such clauses in India amidst the outbreak of COVID-19.

Given the unprecedented nature of the widespread outbreak of COVID-19 and/or the response of the governments across the globe, it is highly probable that COVID-19 would constitute a force majeure event under many contracts having such clauses.

In India, several State Governments and the Central Government have imposed travel restrictions, mandated quarantines, and/or has closed borders and business operations, in order to contain/restrict further spread. These orders/circulars/notifications will come in effect from a specific date which differs from state to state. The said dates specify the applicability of such ‘Force Majeure’ clauses which comes in effect from the same date of the enforcement of such orders/circulars/notifications.

In the light of the recent announcement dated 24-03-2020 by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India declaring three-week nationwide lockdown starting midnight of 24-03-2020 and the subsequent order dated 24-03-2020 vide No.40-3/2020-Dm-I(A) passed by the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, we are receiving several queries pertaining to the enforceability of ‘Force majeure’ clauses in contracts and the specific date of their applicability. In response to the same, we have prepared a list of dates in all the States and Union Territories pertaining to the applicability of the ‘Force Majeure’ clauses in India. 

STATE-WISE LIST AND DATES ALONG WITH NOTIFICATION/ORDER/OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE

S.NO.

STATE

ORDER/CIRCULAR/NOTIFICATION

DATE OF APPLICABILITY

(with effect from)

1.   

Andhra Pradesh

Government Order dated 24-03-2020 vide Roc No.3390411/2020-M3

24-03-2020

2.    

Arunachal Pradesh

Government Order dated 22-03-2020 vide No. Secy (H&FW)/5/1/2020

23-03-2020

3.     

Assam

Government Order dated 23-03-2020 vide No. HLA/248/2020/35

24-03-2020

4.    

Bihar

Government Memorandum dated 22-03-2020 vide Memorandum No. 115 (HS) / Patna 

22-03-2020

5.   

Chhattisgarh

Government Order dated 21-03-2020 vide Order No. 127/S.Sa.Pr.V/2020

21-03-2020

6.    

Goa

Order of the District Magistrate, North Goa dated 22-03-2020 vide No.8/8/2020-MAG/L&O (Vol.I)/975

(For North Goa)

23-03-2020

Order of the Collector & District Magistrate, South Goa dated 22-03-2020 vide No.37/19/2020/L&O/MAG/3169

23-03-2020

7.   

Gujarat

Circular dated 21-03-2020 No. 11/NCV/102020/S.F.S.1-G/ and (For Surat, Rajkot and Vadodara including Gandhinagar and Kutch)

21-03-2020

Order dated 22-03-2020 vide Office order no. AMC/MC/02

(For the city of Ahmedabad,)

22-03-2020

Press release dated 22-03-2020

(For all other cities)

23-03-2020

8.     

Haryana

Government Order dated 22-03-2020 vide Endst. No. 81-90/COVID/2020

22-03-2020

9.     

Himachal Pradesh

Government Order dated 23-03-2020 vide No. HFW-A-A (3)1/2020

23-03-2020

10.  

Jharkhand

Government Order dated 22-03-2020 vide No.98/HSN

22-03-2020

11.  

Karnataka

Government Order dated 22-03-2020 vide No.DD/SSU/COVID-19/17/19-20

(For revenue districts of Bangalore Urban including BBMP area, Bangalore Rural, Kalaburgi, Chikkaballapur, Mysuru, Madikeri, Dharwad, Mangaluru and Belagavi)

23-03-2020

*For all other districts and cities

25-03-2020

12.  

Kerala

Government Order dated 23-03-2020 vide G.O.(Ms) No. 49/2020/GAD

23-03-2020

13.  

Madhya Pradesh

Government Order dated 22-03-2020 vide No./38(B)/ACS/GAD/2020

22-03-2020

14.  

Maharashtra

Government Order dated 23-03-2020 vide No. DMU/2020/CR. 92/DisM-1

23-03-2020

15.  

Manipur

Press release dated 23-03-2020 vide BP/YG/APO(P)

23-03-2020

16.  

Meghalaya

Press release dated 22-03-2020

22-03-2020

17.  

Mizoram

Government Order dated 21-03-2020 vide No. PHQ/IGP(L&O)/73/COVID-19/2020

22-03-2020

18.  

Nagaland

Government Order dated 22-03-2020 vide No. CSO/GAB-I/COM/GEN-1/2020

23-03-2020

19.  

Odisha

Government Order dated 21-03-2020 vide No.8709 

(For Revenue Districts of Khurda, Cuttack, Ganjam, Kendrapada, Angul and the municipal jurisdiction of Puri, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Balasore, Jaipur, Jaipur Road and Bhadrak)

22-03-2020

*For all other districts and cities

25-03-2020

20.  

Punjab

Government Order dated 22-03-2020 vide No.14/7/2020-4HB-IV/941

22-03-2020

21.  

Rajasthan

Government Order dated 22-03-2020 vide No.F.1(1)M&H/Gr.2/2020

22-03-2020

22.  

Sikkim

Notification dated 16-03-2020 vide No. 14/Home/2020

17-03-2020

23.  

Tamil Nadu

Government Order dated 23-03-2020 vide G.O.(Ms). No.152

24-03-2020

24.  

Telangana

Government Order dated 22-03-2020 vide G.O.Ms.N.45

22-03-2020

25.  

Tripura

Government Order dated 24-03-2020 vide No. F.2(1)/CS/GA(P&T)/2020

24-03-2020

26.  

Uttar Pradesh

Government Order vide Order No.  /A.C.S/2020

For Districts of Agra, LucknowGautambuddh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Moradabad, Varanasi, LakhimpurKheiri, Bareilly, Azamgarh, Kanpur, Meerut, Prayagraj, Gorakhpur, Aligarh, Saharanpur.

23-03-2020

*For all other districts and cities

25-03-2020

27.  

Uttarakhand

Government Order dated 22-03-2020 vide No.UKH&WS/PS-MDNHM/2019-20/217

22-03-2020

28.  

West Bengal

Government Order dated 22-03-2020 vide No. H & FW /120/20

23-03-2020

*As per the order dated 24-03-2020 vide No.40-3/2020-Dm-I(A) passed by the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs.

S.NO.

UNION TERRITORY

NOTIFICATION/CIRCULAR/ORDER

DATE OF APPLICABILITY OF Force Majeure Clause

1.    

Andaman and Nicobar Island

Order dated 19-03-2020 vide Order No.412

20-03-2020

2.     

Chandigarh

Administration Order dated 22-03-2020 vide Endst. No. F-2071/F-II(6)-2020

23-03-2020

3.     

Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu

Administration Order dated 23-03-2020 vide No.DMHS/COVID-19/2020/2634

23-03-2020

4.     

The Government of NCT of Delhi

Government Order dated 22-03-2020 vide No. F.51/DGHS/PH-IV/COVID-19/2020/prsecyhfw/

22-03-2020

5.     

Jammu and Kashmir

Order dated 2-03-20220 vide No. PS/CS/19/2020

22-03-2020

6.     

Ladakh

Administration Order dated 23-03-2020 vide no. DCL/PS/COVID-19/OO/2020

23-03-2020

7.    

Lakshadweep

Administration Order dated 22-03-2020 vide F.No. 29-1/2020-DHS/IDSP/795

22-03-2020

8.     

Puducherry

Government Order dated 23-03-2020 vide G.O.Ms.No.03/2020

23-03-2020

Contributed By – Abhishek Bagga & Gaurav Singh Gaur
Designation – Associate

King Stubb & Kasiva,
Advocates & Attorneys

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