Reasonable - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition reasonable

Definition :

Reasonable, has in law prima facie meaning of reasonable in regard to those circumstances of which the actor, called upon to act reasonably knows or ought to know, Gujarat Water Supply & Sewerage Board v. Unique Erectors (Gujarat) Pvt. Ltd., (1989) 1 JT SC 157: (1989) 39 ELT 493: AIR 1989 SC 973; Rena Drego v. Lalchand Soni, (1998) 3 SCC 341.

Reasonable, has in law the prima facie meaning of reasonable in regard those circumstances of which the actor, called on to act reasonably, knows or ought to know, Rena Drego v. Lalchand Soni, (1998) 3 SCC 341.

Means rational, according to dictate of reason and not excessive or immoderate. If something is not per se preposterous or absurd, it must he held to be reasonable. 'The action is called reasonable which an informed, intelligent, just minded, civilized man could rationally favour. The concept of reasonable-ness does not exclude notions of morality and ethics. In the circumstances of a given case consi-derations of morality and ethics may have a bear-ing on the reasonableness of the law in question'. Reasonableness of restriction depends upon nature of right claimed, object to be achieved, means employed and limitation imposed, M/s Kelvin Cinema v. State of Assam, AIR 1996 Gau 103; R.K. Garg v. Union of India, 1982 SCC (Tax) 30: AIR 1981 SC 2138.

Means rational--according to the dictates of reason and not excessive or 'Immoderate'. An act is reasonable, having regard to the facts of the particular controversy, Raghbir Singh v. C.I.T., AIR 1958 Punj 250.

Means which is agreeable to reason, not absurd, within the limits or reason. The expression 'reasonable' means rational according to the dictates of reason and not excessive or immoderate, State of Madhya Pradesh v. Ram Sarup, 1977 MPLJ 451: 1977 Jab LJ 408: 1977 Cr LR MP 59.

Means which is not per se preposterous or absurd, it must be held to be reasonable, Kelvin Cinema v. State of Assam, AIR 1996 Gau 103.

Means within limits of reasons, Paint Industries v. Rahamathunnisa Begum, (1968) 1 Mys LJ 453.

Reasonable. If there be a contract to do a thing or to buy goods, and no time or price is mentioned, the law implies that the thing was to be done in a reasonable time, and that a reasonable price was to be paid, and what is reasonable is a question of fact, not law. See REASONABLE TIME.

Fair, proper, or moderate under circumstances, Black's Law Dictionary, p. 1272.

The word 'reasonable' implies intelligent care and deliberation, that is, the choice of a course which reason dictates, Abdul Hakim Quraishi v. State of Bihar, AIR 1961 SC 448: (1961) 2 SCR 610.

The word 'reasonable' has in law prima facie meaning of reasonable in regard to those circumstances of which the actor, called upon to act reasonably, knows or ought to know, Gujarat Water Supply and Sewarage Board v. Unique Erectors Gujarat (P) Ltd., AIR 1989 SC 973: (1989) 1 SCC 532: (1989) 1 SCR 318. See also Collector v. P. Mangamma, AIR 2003 SC 1706.

A reasonable and bona fide requirement is something in between a mere desire or wish on one hand and a compelling or dire or absolute necessity at the other--Such need maybe a present need or within reasonable proximity in the future. The word 'reasonable' connotes that the requirement or need is not fanciful or unreasonable. It cannot be a mere desire. The word 'requirement' coupled with the word reasonable means that it must be something more than a mere desire but need not certainly be a compelling or absolute or dire necessity. A reasonable and bona fide requirement is something in between a mere desire or wish on one hand and a compelling or dire or absolute necessity at the other end. It may be a need in praesenti

or within reasonable proximity in the future, Raghunath G. Panhale v. Chaganlal Sundarji and Co., AIR 1999 SC 3864: (1999) 8 SCC 1.