THE NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENTS ACT, 1881

Arrangement of Sections

 

CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY
Section 1 Short Title, Local extent, saving of usages relating
 to hundis, etc.
Section 2 Repeal of enactments
Section 3 Interpretation clause "Banker"
CHAPTER II
OF NOTES, BILLS AND CHEQUES
Section 4 "Promissory note"
Section 5 "Bill of exchange"
Section 6 "Cheque"
Section 7 "Drawer", "Drawee", "Drawee in case of need", 
"Acceptor","Acceptor for honour", "Payee"
Section 8 "Holder"
Section 9 "Holder in due course"
Section 10 "Payment in due course"
Section 11 "Inland Instrument"
Section 12 "Foreign Instrument"
Section 13 "Negotiable Instrument"
Section 14 Negotiation
Section 15 Endorsement
Section 16 Endorsement "in blank" and "in full"
Section 17 Ambiguous instruments
Section 18 Where amount is stated differently in figures and words
Section 19 Instruments payable on demand
Section 20 Inchoate stamped instruments
Section 21 "At sight", On presentment", "After sight"
Section 22 "Maturity"-Days of grace
Section 23 Calculating maturity of bill or note payable so many 
months after date or sight
Section 24 Calculating maturity of bill or note payable so many 
days after date or sight
Section 25 When day of maturity is a holiday
CHAPTER III
PARTIES TO NOTES, BILLS AND CHEQUES
Section 26 Capacity to make, etc., promissory notes, etc.
Section 27 Agency
Section 28 Liability of agent signing
Section 29 Liability of legal representative signing
Section 30 Liability of drawer
Section 31 Liability of drawee cheque
Section 32 Liability of maker of note and acceptor of bill
Section 33 Only drawee can be acceptor except in need or for honour
Section 34 Acceptance by several drawees not partners
Section 35 Liability of endorser
Section 36 Liability of prior parties to holder in due course
Section 37 Maker, drawer and acceptor principles
Section 38 Prior party a principal in respect if each subsequent party 
Section 39 Suretyship
Section 40 Discharge of prior parties to holder in due course
Section 41 Acceptor bound, although endorsement forged
Section 42 Acceptance of bill drawn in fictitious name
Section 43 Negotiable instrument made, etc., without consideration 
Section 44 Partial absence or failure of money consideration
Section 45 Partial failure of consideration not consisting of money
Section 45-A Holder's right to duplicate of lost bill
CHAPTER IV
OF NEGOTIATION
Section 46 Delivery
Section 47 Negotiation by delivery
Section 48 Negotiation by endorsement
Section 49 Conversion of endorsement in blank into endorsement in full
Section 50 Effect of endorsement 
Section 51 Who may negotiate
Section 52 Endorser who excludes his own liability or makes it conditional
Section 53 Holder deriving title from holder in due course
Section 54 Instrument endorsed in blank
Section 55 Conversion of endorsement in blank into endorsement in full
Section 56 Endorsement of part of sum due
Section 57 Legal representative cannot by delivery only negotiable
instrument endorsed by deceased
Section 58 Instrument obtained by unlawful means or for 
unlawful consideration 
Section 59 Instrument acquired after dishonour or when overdue
Accommodation note or bill
Section 60 Instrument negotiable till payment or satisfaction
CHAPTER V
OF PRESENTMENT
Section 61 Presentment for acceptance
Section 62 Presentment of promissory-note for sight
Section 63 Drawee's time for deliberation
Section 64 Presentment for payment
Section 65 Hours for presentment
Section 66 Presentment for payment  of instrument payable 
after date or sight
Section 67 Presentment for payment of promissory-note 
payable by installments
Section 68 Presentment for payment of instrument payable 
at specified place and not elsewhere
Section 69 Instrument payable at specified place
Section 70 Presentment where no exclusive place specified
Section 71 Presentment when maker, etc. has no known place 
of business or residence
Section 72 Presentment of cheque to charge drawer
Section 73 Presentment of cheque to charge any other person
Section 74 Presentment of instrument payable on demand
Section 75 Presentment by or to agent, representative of 
deceased or assignee of insolvent
Section 75-A Excuse for delay in presentment for acceptance or payment
Section 76 When presentment unnecessary
Section 77 Liability of banker for negligently dealing with 
bill presented for payment
CHAPTER VI
OF PAYMENT AND INTEREST
Section 78 To whom payment should be made
Section 79 Interest when rate specified
Section 80 Interest when no rate specified
Section 81 Delivery of instrument on payment or indemnify in case of loss
CHAPTER VII
OF DISCHARGE FROM LIABILITY OR NOTES, BILLS AND CHEQUES
Section 82 Discharge from liability
Section 83 Discharge by allowing drawee more than 
forty-eight hours to accept
Section 84 When cheque not duly presented and drawer 
damaged thereby
Section 85 Cheque payable to order
Section 85-A Drafts drawn by one branch of a bank on 
another payable to order
Section 86 Parties not consenting discharged by qualified 
or limited acceptance
Section 87 Effect of material alteration-Alteration by endorsee
Section 88 Acceptor or endorser bound notwithstanding 
previous alteration
Section 89 Payment of instrument on which alteration 
is not apparent
Section 90 Extinguishment of rights of action on bill in 
acceptor's hands
CHAPTER VIII
OF NOTICE OF DISHONOUR
Section 91 Dishonour by non-acceptance
Section 92 Dishonour by non-payment
Section 93 By and to whom notice should be given
Section 94 Mode in which notice may be given
Section 95 Party receiving must transmit notice of dishonour
Section 96 Agent for presentment
Section 97 When party to whom notice given is dead
Section 98 When notice of dishonour is unnecessary
CHAPTER IX
OF NOTING AND PROTEST
Section 99 Noting
Section 100 Protest- Protest for better security
Section 101 Contents of protest
Section 102 Notice of protest
Section 103 Protest for non-payment after dishonour by 
non-acceptance
Section 104 Protest of foreign bills
Section 104-A When noting equivalent to protest
CHAPTER X
OF REASONABLE TIME
Section 105 Reasonable time
Section 106 Reasonable time of giving notice of dishonour
Section 107 Reasonable time for transmitting such notice
CHAPTER XI
OF ACCEPTANCE AND PAYMENT FOR HONOUR 
AND REFERENCE IN CASE OF NEED
Section 108 Acceptance of honour
Section 109 How acceptance of honour must be made
Section 110 Acceptance not specifying for whose honour it is made
Section 111 Liability of acceptor for honour
Section 112 When acceptor for honour may be charged
Section 113 Payment for honour
Section 114 Right of payer for honour
Section 115 Drawee in case of need
Section 116 Acceptance and payment without protest
CHAPTER XII
OF COMPENSATION
Section 117 Rules as to compensation
CHAPTER XIII
SPECIAL RULES OF EVIDENCE
Section 118 Presumptions as to negotiable instruments
Section 119 Presumption on proof of protest
Section 120 Estoppel against denying original validity of instrument
Section 121 Estoppel against denying capacity of payee to endorse
Section 122 Estoppel against denying signature or capacity of prior party
CHAPTER XIV
OF CROSSED CHEQUES
Section 123 Cheque crossed generally
Section 124 Cheque crossed specially
Section 125 Crossing after issue
Section 126 Payment of cheque crossed generally-Payment 
of cheque crossed specialy
Section 127 Payment of cheque crossed specially more than once
Section 128 Payment in due course of crossed cheque
Section 129 Payment of crossed cheque out of due course
Section 130 Cheque bearing "not negotiable"
Section 131 Non-liability of banker receiving payment of cheque
Section 131-A Application of Chapter to drafts
CHAPTER XV
OF BILLS IN SETS
Section 132 Set of bills
Section 133 Holder of first acquired part entitled to all
CHAPTER XVI
OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
Section 134 Law governing liability of maker, acceptor or 
endorser of foreign instrument
Section 135 Law of place of payment governs dishonour
Section 136 Instrument made etc., out of India, but in accordance 
with the law of India
Section 137 Presumption as to foreign law
CHAPTER XVII
OF PENALTIES IN CASE OF DISHONOUR OF CERTAIN 
CHEQUES FOR INSUFFICIENCY OF FUNDS IN THE ACCOUNTS
Section 138 Dishonour of cheque for insufficiency, etc., of funds 
in the account
Section 139 Presumption in favour of holder
Section 140 Defence which may not be allowed in any prosecution 
under Sec. 138
Section 141 Offences by companies
Section 142 Cognizance of offences

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