Question

Assertion: Mr. N speaks ill of the business which Mr. O is doing; it amounts to defamation.
Reason: Slander is actionable per se.

• A. Both Assertion and Reason are false.
• B. Both Assertion and Reason are true and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion.
• C. Both Assertion and Reason are true, but Reason is not the correct explanation of Assertion.
• D. Assertion is true and Reason is false.

Hint:

Slander affecting a person’s profession, trade, or business is actionable per se, and no proof of special damage is required.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the assertion.
Speaking ill of a person’s business harms the reputation of that person in the eyes of others. Under the law of torts, such harm to reputation constitutes defamation. Therefore, the assertion that Mr. N’s act amounts to defamation is correct.
Step 2: Understanding the reason.
Slander refers to spoken defamatory statements. In cases where slander directly affects a person’s profession, trade, or business, it is considered actionable per se, meaning that proof of special damage is not required.
Step 3: Linking assertion and reason.
Since Mr. N spoke ill of Mr. O’s business, it falls within the category of slander affecting business reputation. Because such slander is actionable per se, it directly explains why the act amounts to defamation.
Step 4: Evaluation of options.
(A) Incorrect, as both statements are legally correct.
(C) Incorrect, because the reason directly explains the assertion.
(D) Incorrect, since the reason is also true.
Step 5: Conclusion.
Both the assertion and the reason are true, and the reason correctly explains why the assertion amounts to defamation. Hence, option (B) is the correct answer.