Negotiable Instruments Act Section 33 — Only drawee can be acceptor except in need or for honour

CHAPTER III PARTIES TO NOTES, BILLS AND CHEQUES.

General

Summary

Only the person or people the bill is addressed to—called the drawee—can accept a bill of exchange and become legally bound by that acceptance. If there are several drawees, any one or more of them can accept it. The only other people who can accept are someone specifically named in the bill as a backup drawee in case of need, or someone who accepts the bill for honour to protect the credit of the parties involved. No one else can make themselves legally responsible by accepting the bill.

Official Text

No person except the drawee of a bill exchange, or all or some of several drawees, or a person named therein as a drawee in case of need, or an acceptor for honour, can bind himself by an acceptance.