Krish, Kamya and Ketan are partners in a firm. They jointly promised to pay Rs. 6,00,000 to Dia. Kamya become insolvent and her private assets are sufficient to pay 1/5 of her share of debts. Krish is compelled to pay the whole amount to Dia. Examining the provisions of the Indian Contract Act, 1872, decide the extent to which Krish can recover the amount from Ketan.

As per section 43 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872, when two or more persons make a joint promise, the promisee may, in the absence of express agreement to the contrary, compel any one or more of such joint promisors to perform the whole of the promise. Each of two or more joint promisors may compel every other joint promisor to contribute equally with himself to the performance of the promise, unless a contrary intention appears from the contract. If any one of two or more joint promisors makes default in such contribution, the remaining joint promisors must bear the loss arising from such default in equal shares. In the instant case, Krish, Kamya and Ketan jointly promised to pay Rs. 6,00,000 to Dia. Kamya become insolvent and her private assets are sufficient to pay 1/5 of her share of debts. Krish is compelled to pay the whole amount. Krish is entitled to receive Rs. 40,000 from Kamya’s estate, and Rs. 2,80,000 from Ketan.