List of reference books for Law Students and Lawyers (LITIGATION BASICS 10)

Bare Acts are the primary source of statutory law and form the most essential legal reference for every law student and practitioner. A proper understanding of law must begin with a careful reading of the Bare Acts, as they contain the exact language enacted by the legislature. After studying the Bare Acts, one may further refer to judicial pronouncements and standard commentaries for interpretation and practical application of the law. In this article, we have compiled a list of important reference books and commentaries to assist law students and lawyers in their legal study and practice.

(A) PUBLIC LAWS

CONSTITUTIONAL LAWS

1. Bare Act
2. MP Jain – Indian Constitutional Law
3. DD Basu - Commentary on Constitutional law

4. DD Basu / PM Bakshi - The Constitution of India (for Law Students)

WRITS

1. V.G. Ramachandran's Law of Writs 

2. Justice B P Banerjee - Writ Remedies

ADMINISTRATIVE LAWS

1. The Administrative Tribunals Act 1985

2. MP Jain - Principles of Administrative Law

3. IP Massey / SP Sathye - Administrative Law (For Law Students)

JURISPRUDENCE

1. VD Mahajan - Jurisprudence and Legal Theory

INTERPRETATION OF STATUTES

1. General clauses 1897

2. GP Singh - Principles of Statutory Interpretation

(B) PROCEDURAL LAWS

COURT PROCEDURE

1. Civil Manual and Criminal Manual issued by the High Court

2. High Court Rules

    Bombay High Court - 

    (1) The Bombay High Court Appellate Side Rules, 1960

    (2) The Bombay High Court Original Side Rules, 1980

COURT & COURT FEE LAWS

1. Bare Act

2. Maharashtra State - 

    Pritha Dave (Snow White Publication) - The Maharashtra Court Fees Act

STAMP & REGISTRATION LAWS

1. Bare Act

2. Mulla - The Registration Act

3. Maharashtra State - 

    Sunil Dighe (Snow White Publication) - The Maharashtra Stamp Act

CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE

1. Bare Act
2. Mulla – Commentary on CPC
3. Sarkar – Civil Court Practice and Procedure Manual
4. Takwani – Civil Procedure (for Law Students)


CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE

1. Bare Act
2. Sarkar – Commentary on CrPC
3. DD Basu – Commentary on CrPC
4. SP Tyagi – Criminal Trial Practice & Procedure
5. Kelkar – Criminal Procedure (for Law Students)

EVIDENCE ACT

1. Bare Act
2. Sarkar – Commentary on Law of Evidence
3. Ratanlal & Dhirajlal / Avatar Singh – Evidence law (For Law Students)


LIMITATION ACT

1. Bare Act
2. TR Desai – Limitation Act
3. UN Mitras – Law of Limitation and Prescription

(C) CRIMINAL LAWS

INDIAN PENAL CODE

1. Bare Act
2. Ratnalal & Dhirajlal – India Penal Code
3. KD Gaur – Criminal Law – Cases and Materials
4. RA Nelson – Indian Penal Code

CRIMINAL MINOR LAWS

1. Bare Acts

CYBER LAW

1. Bare Act - IT Act 2000

2. Pavan Duggal - Cyber Law

3. Apar Gupta - Commentary on Information Technology Act

FORENSIC SCIENCE

1. Modi - A Textbook of Medical Jurisprudence and Toxicology

2. BR Sharma - Forensic Science in Criminal Investigation & Trials

(D) CIVIL LAWS

SPECIFIC RELIEF ACT

1. Bare Act

2. Pollock & Mulla - Specific Relief Act

FAMILY LAWS

1. Bare Act
2. Mulla – Hindu Law
3. Mulla – Principles of Mahomedan Law

4. Paruck - The Indian Succession Act
5. Family Law I by Kusum and Family law II by Poonam Saxena (For Law Students)

TRANSFER OF PROPERTY & EASEMENT LAWS

1. Bare Act
2. Mulla – Transfer of Property Act

3. BB Katiyar - Law of Easements & Licenses
4. Poonam Saxena / VP Sarathi – Transfer of Property Act (For Law Students)

TORT LAWS

1. Ratnalal & Dhirajlal  - Law of Torts

2. Harpwood - Tort Law

3. Winfield & Jolowicz on Tort Classics

(E) COMMERCIAL LAWS

INDIAN CONTRACT ACT

1. Bare Act
2. Mulla – Indian Contract Act
3. Avatar Singh – Indian Contract Act

4. Bangia - For Law Students

PARTNERSHIP ACT AND SALE OF GOODS ACT

1. Bare Act

2. Pollock & Mulla - The Indian Partnership Act

3. Pollock & Mulla - The Sale of Goods Act

4. Bangia - For Law Students

NEGOTIABLE INTRUMENTS ACT

1. Bare Act

2. Aiyar - Negotiable Instruments Act

COMPANY LAW

1. Bare Act

2. A Ramaiya - Guide to the Companies Act

3. Taxmann - Company Law Manual

4. Avtar Singh - Company Law (For Law Students)

TAXATION LAWS

1. Bare Acts

2. Kanga & Palkhivala - The Law and Practice of Income Tax

3. Taxmann - GST Practice Manual

IPR LAWS

1. Bare Act

2. P Narayanan - Patent Law

3. KC Kailasam - Law of Trade Marks

4. Iyengars - Commentary on the Copyright Act

5. VK Ahuja / Sreenivasulu NS - Law relating to Intellectual Property (For Law Students)

ARBITRATION LAW

1. Bare Act

2. PC Markanda - Arbitration Step by Step

3. Tripathi - Arbitration & Conciliation Act (For Law Students)

(F) STATE SPECIFIC LAWS - MAHARASHTRA STATE

LAND & REVENUE LAWS

1. Bare Acts of respective statutes

2. Sunil Dighe (Snow White Publication) - The Maharashtra Land Revenue Code 1966

3. Sunil Dighe (Snow White Publication) - The Maharashtra Tenancy & Agricultural Lands Act 1956

4. Sunil Dighe (Snow White Publication) - The Maharashtra Rent Control Act 1999

5. Sunil Dighe (Snow White Publication) - The Maharashtra Regional & Town Planning Act 1966

6. Sunil Dighe (Snow White Publication) - The Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Act 2016

7. Taxmann - Maharashtra RERA Law and Practice

TRUST LAWS

1. Bare Acts

2. S Krishnamurthi Aiyar - Commentary on The Indian Trust Act

3. Sunil Dighe (Snow White Publication) - The Maharashtra Public Trust Act 1950

CO-OPERATIVE LAWS

1. Bare Act

2. Sunil Dighe (Snow White Publication) - The Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act 1960

3. Snow White Publication - New Model Bye-Laws of the Co-operative Housing Society

MUNICIPAL LAWS

1. Bare Acts

2. Sunil Dighe (Snow White Publication) - The Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act 1949

3. Sunil Dighe (Snow White Publication) - The Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act 1888