What is estoppel ?

What is estoppel ?

Estoppel is a rule that prevents an individual from asserting a claim, a right, or a fact that is contradictory to the stance previously adopted by that individual, either expressly or impliedly, particularly when a representation has been relied on and subsequently acted upon by others.
This legal principle can be found in many common law systems of many countries; but the forms of the doctrine governing it vary from country to country.