NIA 20 — Inchoate stamped instruments

Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881

Statutory text

Where one  person  signs  and  delivers  to  another  a  paper
stamped  in  accordance  with  the  law  relating  to  negotiable  instruments  then  in  force  in

[India],  and
either  wholly  blank  or  having  written  thereon  an  incomplete  negotiable  instrument,  he  thereby  gives
prima  facie authority  to  the  holder  thereof  to  make  or  complete,  as  the  case  may  be,  upon  it  a
negotiable instrument, for any  amount  specified therein  and not  exceeding the  amount covered  by  the stamp. The person so signing shall be liable upon such instrument, in the capacity in which he signed
the same, to any holder in due course for such amount: provided that no person other than a holder in
due  course  shall  recover  from  the  person  delivering  the  instrument  anything  in  excess  of  the  amount intended by him to be paid thereunder.
21. “At sight”.—“On presentment”.—Ina promissory note or bill of exchange the expressions “at sight” and “on presentment” mean on demand. The expression “After sight”—“after sight” means, in a
promissory  note,  after  presentment  for sight,  and,  in a  bill  of  exchange,  after acceptance,  or  nothing  for non-acceptance, or protest for non-acceptance.

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