NI Act Section 61: Presentment for acceptance
Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 · Chapter 5: Of presentment
Also available in: हिंदी
¶A bill of exchange payable after sight must, if no time or place is specified therein for presentment, be presented to the drawee thereof for acceptance, if he can, after reasonable search, be found, by a person entitled to demand acceptance, within a reasonable time after it is drawn, and in business hours on a business day. In default of such presentment, no party thereto is liable thereon to the person making such default.
¶If the drawee cannot, after reasonable search, be found, the bill is dishonoured.
¶If the bill is directed to the drawee at a particular place, it must be presented at that place; and if at the due date for presentment he cannot, after reasonable search, be found there, the till is dishonoured.
¶[Where authorized by agreement or usage, a presentment through the post office by means of a registered letter is sufficient.]
Official reference: India Code, Government of India — official section HTML — source review: 5 October 2026.Recorded edition / snapshot date: 2026-10-05.Banaka reference transcription of the official HTML snapshot; not an official or certified edition. Source wording and amendment brackets are retained; layout and footnote callouts are omitted. The recorded date is the review snapshot, not a separately dated consolidation. Hindi guides are original explanations. Read the source amendment notes and current judicial interpretation alongside the text. The historical schedule and section 2 are repealed.Read the original schedule and amendment notes
This text is for reference, not legal advice. Consult the official source for the authoritative text.
Other sections in this chapter
- 62. Presentment of promissory note for sight
- 63. Drawee's time for deliberation
- 64. Presentment for payment
- 65. Hours for presentment
- 66. Presentment for payment of instrument payable after date or sight
- 67. Presentment for payment of promissory note payable by instalments
- 68. Presentment for payment of instrument payable at specified place and not elsewhere
- 69. Instrument payable at specified place
- 70. Presentment where no exclusive place specified
- 71. Presentment when maker, etc., has no known place of business or residence
- 72. Presentment of cheque to charge drawer
- 73. Presentment of cheque to charge any other person
- 74. Presentment of instrument payable on demand
- 75. Presentment by or to agent, representative of deceased, or assignee of insolvent
- 75A. Excuse for delay in presentment for acceptance or payment
- 76. When presentment unnecessary
- 77. Liability of banker for negligently dealing with bill presented for payment