Act

Negotiable Instruments Act, 2034

All laws Acts

Type
Act
Year
२०३४ BS
Status
In force
Category
खण्ड ७: मुद्रा, बैङ्किङ्ग, बीमा, वित्तीय संस्था तथा धितोपत्र · Volume 7: Currency, Banking, Insurance, Financial Institutions and Securities
Official text
Official page Official text (PDF)
English translation
Official English translation archived copy: the original page is no longer online
Includes amendments up to: 2039 BS. Translations may not include later amendments. The Nepali text is the authoritative law.

Analysis drawn from official reports, court rulings and published research, each cited. Figures are being double-checked against the source documents; corrections are welcome.

What does it do?

  • The Act sets the rules for negotiable instruments: promissory notes, bills of exchange, cheques (bills drawn on a bank and payable on demand) and bank drafts. It defines who is the holder, how an instrument is transferred by endorsement or delivery, and how payment dates, grace periods and public holidays are counted. A holder may transfer the instrument to someone else.यस ऐनले विनिमेय अधिकारपत्र—प्रतिज्ञापत्र, विनिमेयपत्र, चेक (माग्नासाथ भुक्तानी हुने गरी बैङ्कउपर खिचिएको विनिमेयपत्र) र ड्राफ्ट—सम्बन्धी नियम तोक्छ। धारक को हो, दरपीठ वा हस्तान्तरणबाट अधिकारपत्र कसरी सर्छ, र भुक्तानी मिति, थप म्याद तथा सार्वजनिक बिदा कसरी गनिन्छ भन्ने व्यवस्था गर्छ। धारकले अधिकारपत्र अरूलाई हस्तान्तरण गर्न सक्छ। Nepal Law Commission Section 2 (definitions), pp. 2–4; Sections 3–10, pp. 4–5; Sections 28–38, pp. 7–8
  • A bank must pay a properly presented cheque when the drawer has enough money in the account; if it fails to pay, it must compensate the drawer or holder for the loss. The maker of a promissory note or acceptor of a bill must pay when it falls due. Everyone who endorses an instrument is liable to later holders unless they limited their liability, and the drawer and acceptor are liable like a principal debtor.खातामा पर्याप्त रकम भएको अवस्थामा रीतपूर्वक पेस भएको चेकको भुक्तानी बैङ्कले दिनुपर्छ; नदिएमा ड्रअर वा धारकलाई भएको हानिनोक्सानीको क्षतिपूर्ति दिनुपर्छ। प्रतिज्ञापत्र लेखिदिने वा विनिमेयपत्र स्वीकार गर्नेले भुक्तानी मिति पुगेपछि भुक्तानी दिनुपर्छ। दायित्व सीमित नगरी दरपीठ गर्ने हरेक व्यक्ति पछिल्ला धारकप्रति उत्तरदायी हुन्छ, र ड्रअर तथा स्वीकार गर्नेको दायित्व मुख्य ऋणीसरह हुन्छ। Nepal Law Commission Sections 15–21, p. 6
  • When an instrument is dishonoured by non-acceptance or non-payment, the holder must give notice of dishonour to earlier parties to hold them liable, and may have the dishonour noted and certified by a notary public. The Act also sets rules for crossed and 'account payee' cheques, which the paying bank may pay only to a bank or into the payee's account, and for foreign instruments.अस्वीकार वा भुक्तानी नदिई अनादर भएमा पूर्वपक्षलाई उत्तरदायी बनाउन धारकले अनादरको सूचना दिनुपर्छ, र नोटरी पब्लिकबाट अनादरको व्यहोरा प्रमाणित गराउन सक्छ। रेखाङ्कित र "खातामा मात्र" (एकाउन्ट पेयी) चेक बैङ्कले अर्को बैङ्कमार्फत वा पाउने व्यक्तिको खातामा मात्र भुक्तानी गर्नुपर्ने लगायत रेखाङ्कित चेक र विदेशी विनिमेय अधिकारपत्रसम्बन्धी नियम पनि ऐनमा छन्। Nepal Law Commission Sections 64–80, pp. 13–16; Sections 81–90, pp. 17–18; Sections 99–102, p. 20
  • Disputes are civil claims: the liable party must pay the face amount plus the costs of presenting, notifying and certifying, and interest where an endorser has paid. A case must be filed within five years of the cause of action. The government appoints notaries public. The Banking Offence and Punishment (Second Amendment) Act, 2082 repealed Section 107A, which had been added in 2039.विवाद देवानी दाबीका रूपमा चल्छ: उत्तरदायी पक्षले अधिकारपत्रको रकमका साथै पेस गर्दा, सूचना दिँदा र प्रमाणित गराउँदा लागेको खर्च, र दरपीठ गर्नेले तिरेको भए ब्याजसमेत भराउनुपर्छ। मुद्दा कारण परेको मितिले पाँच वर्षभित्र दायर गर्नुपर्छ। नोटरी पब्लिक नेपाल सरकारले नियुक्त गर्छ। २०३९ मा थपिएको दफा १०७क बैङ्किङ कसूर तथा सजाय (दोस्रो संशोधन) ऐन, २०८२ ले खारेज गरेको छ। Nepal Law Commission Sections 106–108, p. 22 (and footnotes on p. 22); title page amendment no. 4

Gaps, loopholes and improvement ideas

Ideas to fix it

  • Amend the Negotiable Instruments Act, 2034. This was a milestone in the government's policy and programme for 2080/81; the Auditor General reported that it had not been started, along with amendments to the Foreign Exchange (Regulation) Act and the Payment and Settlement Act. (The only later change shown in the consolidated text is the 2082 repeal of Section 107A.)विनिमेय अधिकारपत्र ऐन, २०३४ संशोधन गर्ने। यो नेपाल सरकारको आर्थिक वर्ष २०८०/८१ को नीति तथा कार्यक्रमको माइलस्टोन थियो; विदेशी विनिमय (नियमित गर्ने) ऐन र भुक्तानी तथा फर्स्यौट ऐनको संशोधनसहित यो काम सुरु नभएको महालेखापरीक्षकले उल्लेख गरेका छन्। (एकीकृत पाठमा त्यसपछिको परिवर्तन २०८२ मा दफा १०७क खारेज भएको मात्र देखिन्छ।) Proposed by: Government of Nepal, Policy and Programme 2080/81 (status reported by the Office of the Auditor General) Office of the Auditor General, Nepal · Nepal Law Commission

Where does it conflict with other laws?

No conflict with another law is documented in the sources we have reviewed so far.

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