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Section 68: Presentment for payment of instrument payable at specified place and not elsewhere

Negotiable Instruments Act • Official Statutory Text & Practice Guide

Statutory Regulation
Legal Standard
Competent Court / Tribunal
Act 1881
Section 67 All 148 Sections of Negotiable Instruments Act Section 69

Legal Commentary & Landmark Judgments: Section 68

Section 68 regulates presentment of an instrument payable at a specified place, enacting that it must be presented for payment at that place in order to charge the maker or drawer.

  • Specified Place Mandate: If a promissory note or bill explicitly designates a particular place for payment, it must be presented at that exact location.
  • Condition to Charge Maker/Drawer: Presentment at the specified place is a condition precedent to enforcing liability against the maker or drawer.
  • Exhibition at Premises: Presentment requires physical exhibition of the instrument at the designated address during business hours.
Key Landmark Precedents:
  • Roopchand v. Madanlal: Held that where a note is made payable at a specific bank branch, failure to present at that branch precludes recovery in a civil suit.
  • Kundanmal v. Sohanlal: Affirmed that naming a specified place in the body of the instrument makes presentment at that venue strictly mandatory under Section 68.
Courtroom Practice & Strategic Litigation Guidance:

When drafting promissory notes, if you specify 'payable at HDFC Bank, Connaught Place Branch, New Delhi', the plaintiff MUST plead and prove that the note was physically presented at that specific branch. Omitting this pleading gives the debtor a complete defense under Section 68.

Section 67 All 148 Sections of Negotiable Instruments Act Section 69