{"id":3810,"date":"2025-01-15T07:49:25","date_gmt":"2025-01-15T07:49:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/?p=3810"},"modified":"2025-03-12T16:02:28","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T10:32:28","slug":"peninsular-and-oriental-steam-navigation-co-v-secretary-of-state-1861-case-summary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/torts-law\/peninsular-and-oriental-steam-navigation-co-v-secretary-of-state-1861-case-summary\/","title":{"rendered":"Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. V. Secretary of State 1861 (Case Summary)"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"3810\" class=\"elementor elementor-3810\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-917020f elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-column-slider-no wpr-equal-height-no\" data-id=\"917020f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5aa9190\" data-id=\"5aa9190\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-0360c7f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no wpr-column-slider-no wpr-equal-height-no\" data-id=\"0360c7f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-f71d46a\" data-id=\"f71d46a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d818b36 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d818b36\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. V. Secretary of State 1861 (Case Summary)<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e246dd3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e246dd3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1312\" height=\"736\" src=\"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/uploads\/an-illustration-of-a-court-room-setting-_nSArBRzYT-mvP2KHJOmgmw_gjzRYq-JRu6460YOkYHMXw.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536 wp-image-3812\" alt=\"Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. V. Secretary of State 1861\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/uploads\/an-illustration-of-a-court-room-setting-_nSArBRzYT-mvP2KHJOmgmw_gjzRYq-JRu6460YOkYHMXw.jpeg 1312w, https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/uploads\/an-illustration-of-a-court-room-setting-_nSArBRzYT-mvP2KHJOmgmw_gjzRYq-JRu6460YOkYHMXw-300x168.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/uploads\/an-illustration-of-a-court-room-setting-_nSArBRzYT-mvP2KHJOmgmw_gjzRYq-JRu6460YOkYHMXw-1024x574.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/uploads\/an-illustration-of-a-court-room-setting-_nSArBRzYT-mvP2KHJOmgmw_gjzRYq-JRu6460YOkYHMXw-150x84.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/uploads\/an-illustration-of-a-court-room-setting-_nSArBRzYT-mvP2KHJOmgmw_gjzRYq-JRu6460YOkYHMXw-768x431.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/uploads\/an-illustration-of-a-court-room-setting-_nSArBRzYT-mvP2KHJOmgmw_gjzRYq-JRu6460YOkYHMXw-600x337.jpeg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1312px) 100vw, 1312px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0d9ee86 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0d9ee86\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This case laid down a foundational distinction between sovereign and non-sovereign functions of the State, establishing that the government can be held liable in tort for acts performed in a non-sovereign capacity.<\/span><\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/torts-law\/peninsular-and-oriental-steam-navigation-co-v-secretary-of-state-1861-case-summary\/#Facts_of_Peninsular_and_Oriental_Steam_Navigation_Co_v_Secretary_of_State\" >Facts of Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. v Secretary of State<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/torts-law\/peninsular-and-oriental-steam-navigation-co-v-secretary-of-state-1861-case-summary\/#Issues_framed\" >Issues framed<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/torts-law\/peninsular-and-oriental-steam-navigation-co-v-secretary-of-state-1861-case-summary\/#Judgment_of_Peninsular_and_Oriental_Steam_Navigation_Co_v_Secretary_of_State\" >Judgment of Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. v Secretary of State\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #993300;\"><b>Facts of Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. v Secretary of State<\/b><\/span><\/h2><ol><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The plaintiff, the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&amp;O), was contracted by the British Indian government to supply goods.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While the company\u2019s property was on government land, government employees negligently caused damage to it.<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">P&amp;O sued the Secretary of State for India, seeking compensation for the damage caused by the negligence of government employees.<\/span><\/li><\/ol><h2><span style=\"color: #993300;\"><b>Issues framed<\/b><\/span><\/h2><ol><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether the State be held liable for the tortious acts of its employees while performing non-sovereign functions?<\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether the doctrine of sovereign immunity applies to acts performed by the State in its non-sovereign capacity?<\/span><\/li><\/ol><h2><span style=\"color: #993300;\"><b>Judgment of Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. v Secretary of State\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/h2><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The court analyzed the principles of sovereign immunity and liability in tort based on English common law.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The court distinguished between sovereign and non-sovereign functions of the State. It held that sovereign immunity only applies to acts performed in the discharge of sovereign functions, such as defence or administration of justice. The negligent act in question was related to a non-sovereign function (commercial activity) and thus did not qualify for sovereign immunity.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The court ruled in favor of the plaintiff, holding the State liable for the damage caused by its employees. The court stated, \u201cThe State is liable for acts performed in its non-sovereign capacity as it stands in the same position as an ordinary employer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This case laid down a foundational distinction between sovereign and non-sovereign functions of the State, establishing that the government can be held liable in tort for acts performed in a non-sovereign capacity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3812,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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