This document discusses the legal environment of business in India. It defines the legal environment as the set of laws and regulations that influence business organizations and their operations. The key sources of law are customs, judicial precedents, and legislations. Some of the major acts influencing the Indian legal environment include the Indian Contract Act, Sale of Goods Act, Indian Partnership Act, Companies Act, and laws protecting consumers. The document also discusses intellectual property laws and provides a case study analyzing a ruling under the Consumer Protection Act.

1. Sanjana.S
MBA 2nd Batch
2020

2. INTRODUCTION
 Business is an organization or enterprise engaged in producing goods
and services for profit motive.
 The surrounding (internal and external ) in which business operates is
called business environment.
 According to Keith Davis, Business environment is the aggregate of all
conditions, events and influences that surround and affect it.

3. Legal Environment
Legal environment refers to set of laws, regulations, which influence the
business organisations and their operations.
Sources :
There are three main sources of law:
 Customs
 Judicial Precedents
 Legislations

4. ACTS INFLUENCING THE LEGAL ENVIRONMENT OF
BUSINESS
Indian Contract Act, 1872
Sale of Goods Act, 1930:
Indian Partnership Act, 1932
Companies Act, 2013

5. Laws Protecting Consumers From Unfair
Practices.
Consumer Protection Act, 1986
Competition Act, 2002

6. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY REGIME
India has various laws that deal with protection of IP. These are as
follows:
• The Information Technology Act, 2000
• The Trade Marks Act, 1999
• The Indian Copyright Act, 1957

7. CASE STUDY: CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT, 1986CASE STUDY:
CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT, 1986
In 2012, Jagannath Hirav and Baby Hirav booked a flat on the 60th floor of a luxury project named Lodha Dioro at New Cuffe Parade in Wadala, Mumbai. However,
their Mumbai-based builder Lodha Crown Buildmart Private Limited did not deliver the flat as promised. Therefore, the couple filed a complaint against the builder
under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
They alleged that they had booked a 3 BHK flat on the 60th floor of the proposed building for a price of INR 4,45,68,432 and paid a sum of INR 14 lakhs separately for
two parking spaces.
In 2013, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) granted commencement certificate to the proposed building project for only ground-
plus-53 floors and not 60 floors. According to the complaint, the builder demanded additional payment for the 60th floor despite MMRDA’s non-permission to
construct beyond 55 floors.
In 2015, the builder cancelled the allotted flat of the couple due to non-payment of extra charges. Consequently, the couple went to the Consumer Protection court
and filed a complaint to seek refund of the deposited amount and compensation for the damages. In their complaint, they alleged that Lodha did not inform them on
reduction in the number of floors and kept demanding a balance amount as per the agreement for a flat on the 60th floor. In this way, the builder misrepresented and
suppressed the true and material facts in the registered agreement.
In defense, the builder alleged that the couple were traders who had booked the flat only for reselling purposes, and therefore cannot be regarded as ‘consumer’ as per
the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. The builder also offered to refund the deposited amount or offer a new flat in the same building (on the 50th floor). However, the
couple refused the offer.
Subsequently, it was revealed that the builder did not have the permission to build even beyond 45 floors due to height restriction by the Airports Authority of India
(AAI).
Result
The National Commission heard the complaint and keeping all the points in mind passed an order in favor of the homebuyer couple. It directed the builder to refund
INR 2.52 crore along with 9% interest per annum. It also held the directors of Lodha Crown Buildmart Private Limited, Ramandas Pandey and Pranav Goel, liable to
pay the amount.

8. Conclusion
Law is established to maintain peace, deliver justice,
provide equality, protect individual rights, maintain
social control and resolve disputes.

9. References:
 https://ceopedia.org/index.php/Legal_factors_affecting_business
 http://commerceguide2netexam.blogspot.com/2015/06/what-is-legal-environment-of-
business.html
 https://www.marketingtutor.net/legal-factors-affect-business-
environment/#:~:text=The%20business%20legal%20environment%20plays,exploitatio
n%20and%20other%20illegal%20factors.
 https://www.toppr.com/guides/business-studies/business-environment/dimensions-
of-business-environment/
 https://iimm.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/IIMM_BE_Book.pdf
 https://www.toppr.com/ask/question/explain-with-example-the-impact-of-legal-
environment-of-business-performance/
 https://www.slideshare.net/pradeepbelagali/indian-business-legal-environment
 Company Secretary Foundation –Business environment and law