Negotiable Instruments Act Section 1 — Short title

CHAPTER I PRELIMINARY

General

Summary

This law is officially called the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, and it applies across the whole of India. It does not change the rules of the Indian Paper Currency Act, 1871, and it also does not override local customs about documents written in an oriental language. However, if the document itself clearly says that the parties want this Act to govern their legal relationship, then those local customs will not apply. The Act took effect on 1 March 1882.

Official Text

This Act may be called the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. Local extent. Saving of usages relating to hundis, etc.—It extends to the whole of India 2*** but nothing herein contained affects the 3Indian Paper Currency Act, 1871 (3 of 1871), section 21, or affects any local usage relating to any instrument in an oriental language:

Provided that such usages may be excluded by any words in the body of the instrument which indicate an intention that the legal relations of the parties thereto shall he governed by this Act; Commencement.—and it shall come into force on the first day of March, 1882.