STATE OF KERALA &ANR. vs M.A.MATHAI

The Supreme Court upheld the Kerala High Court's dismissal of the State's appeal regarding the recovery of money in a contractor dispute, affirming the trial court's award of Rs. 10,00,000 for damages. The Court found that the supplemental agreements executed by the contractor were binding, as they were not obtained under coercion, and clarified that the amounts awarded were indeed for damages rather than extra work done. The judgment emphasized the need for clear evidence to support claims of coercion in contract execution, thereby reinforcing the principle that agreements made under duress are not automatically void.