Define a Contract of Guarantee under the Indian Contract Act, 1872. Also explain the essential features of a valid contract of guarantee.

“Contract of guarantee” [Section 126 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872] Contract of guarantee: A contract of guarantee is a contract to perform the promise made or discharge the liability, of a third person in case of his default. Three parties are involved in a contract of guarantee i) Surety- person who gives the guarantee ii) Principal debtor- person in respect of whose default the guarantee is given iii) Creditor- person to whom the gurantee is given ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF A GUARANTEE 1 - Purpose: The purpose of a guarantee being to secure the payment of a debt, the existence of recoverable debt is necessary. If there is no principal debt, there can be no valid guarantee. 2 - Consideration: Like every other contract, a contract of guarantee should also be supported by some consideration. A guarantee without consideration is void, but there is no need for a direct consideration between the surety and the creditor. As per Section 127 consideration received by the principal debtor is sufficient consideration to the surety for giving the guarantee, but past consideration is no consideration for the contract of guarantee. Even if the principal debtor is incompetent to contract, the guarantee is valid. But, if surety is incompetent to contract, the guarantee is void. 3 - Existence of a liability: There must be an existing liability or a promise whose performance is guaranteed. Such liability or promise must be enforceable by law. The liability must be legally enforceable and not time barred. 4 - No misrepresentation or concealment (section 142 and 143): Any guarantee which has been obtained by the means of misrepresentation made by the creditor, or with his knowledge and assent, concerning a material part of the transaction, is invalid (section 142). Any guarantee which the creditor has obtained by means of keeping silence as to material circumstances, is invalid (section 143). 5 - Writing not necessary: Section 126 expressly declares that a guarantee may be either oral or written. 6 - Joining of the other co-sureties (Section 144): Where a person gives a guarantee upon a contract that the creditor shall not act upon it until another person has joined in it as co-surety, the guarantee is not valid if that other person does not join. That implies, the guarantee by a surety is not valid if a condition is imposed by a surety that some other person must also join as a co-surety, but such other person does not join as a co-surety.