Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 · Chapter VIII: Of Notice of Dishonour
Section 91: Dishonour by non-acceptance
In plain words
A bill is dishonoured by non-acceptance when the drawee, or one of several drawees who are not partners, fails to accept when duly asked, or when presentment is excused and it is not accepted.
- If the drawee cannot contract, or the acceptance is qualified, the bill can be treated as dishonoured.
A simplified explanation, prepared with AI assistance from the official text below and checked automatically against it for numbers and cross-references. The official text is the law and prevails over this summary. Not legal advice.
Official text
A bill of exchange is said to be dishonoured by non-acceptance when the drawee, or one of several drawees not being partners, makes default in acceptance upon being duly required to accept the bill, or where presentment is excused and the bill is not accepted.
Where the drawee is incompetent to contract, or the acceptance is qualified the bill may be treated as dishonoured.
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 15 October 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.
Supreme Court judgments citing the section 91
No Supreme Court judgment in our database cites this section yet.