Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 · Chapter VIII: Of Notice of Dishonour
Section 93: By and to whom notice should be given
In plain words
When an instrument is dishonoured, the holder, or a party still liable, must give notice of dishonour to every party the holder wants to hold severally liable, and to one of several parties to be held jointly liable.
- No notice need be given to the maker of the note or the drawee or acceptor of the bill or cheque.
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
When a promissory note, bill of exchange or cheque is dishonoured by non-acceptance or non-payment, the holder thereof, or some party thereto who remains liable thereon, must give notice that the instrument has been so dishonoured to all other parties whom the holder seeks to make severally liable thereon, and to some one of several parties whom he seeks to make jointly liable thereon.
Nothing in this section renders it necessary to give notice to the maker of the dishonoured promissory note or the drawee or acceptor of the dishonoured bill of exchange or cheque.
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 93
No Supreme Court judgment in our database cites this section yet.