The making, acceptance or indorsement of a promissory note, bill of exchange or cheque is completed by delivery, actual or constructive

As between parties standing in immediate relation, delivery to be effectual must be made by the party making, accepting or indorsing the instrument or by a person authorised by him in that behalf.

As between such parties and any holder of the instrument other than a holder in due course, it may be shown that the instrument was delivered conditionally or for a special purpose only, and not for the purpose of transferring absolutely the property therein.

A promissory note, bill of exchange or cheque payable to bearer is negotiable by the delivery thereof.

A promissory note, bill of exchange or cheque payable to order is negotiable by the holder by indorsement and delivery thereof.

Subject to the provisions of section 58, a promissory note, bill of exchange or cheque payable to bearer is negotiable by delivery thereof.

Exception - A promissory note, bill of exchange or cheque delivered on condition that it is not to take effect except in a certain event is not negotiable (except in the hands of a holder for value without notice of the condition) unless such event happens.

Illustrations

(a) A, the holder of a negotiable instrument payable to bearer, delivers it to B's agent to keep for B. The instrument has been negotiated

(b) A, the holder of a negotiable instrument payable to bearer, which is in the hands of A's banker, who is at the time the banker of B, directs the banker to transfer the instrument to B's credit in the banker's account with B. The banker does so, and accordingly now possesses the instrument as B's agent. The instrument has been negotiated, and B has become the holder of it.

Subject to the provisions of section 58, a promissory note, bill if exchange or cheque payable to order is negotiable by the holder by indorsement and delivery thereof.

When a negotiable instrument has been indorsed in blank, any holder may, without signing his own name, convert the blank indorsement into an indorsement in full by writing above the indorser's signature a direction to pay the amount to or to the order of himself or some other person; and the holder does not thereby incur the responsibility of an indorser.

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act relating to restrictive, conditional and qualified indorsement, the indorsement of a negotiable instrument followed by delivery transfers to the indorsee the property therein with the right of further negotiation.

(2) An indorsement is restrictive which either-

(a) restricts or excludes the right to further negotiate the instrument; or

(b) constitutes the indorsee an agent of the indorser to indorse the instrument or to receive its contents for the indorser or for some other specified person:

Provided that the mere absence of words implying right to negotiate does not make the indorsement restrictive

Illustrations

B signs the following indorsements on different negotiable instruments payable to bearer:-

(a) "Pay the contents to C only."

(b) "Pay C for my use."

(c) “Pay C or order for the account of B.”

(d) “The within must be credited to C.”

These indorsements exclude the right of further negotiation by C.

(e) “Pay C.”

(f) “Pay C value in account with the Oriental Bank.”

(g) “Pay the contents to C, being part of the consideration in a certain deed of assignment executed by C to the indorser and others.”

These indorsements do not exclude the right of further negotiation by C.

Every sole maker, drawer, payee or indorsee, or all of several joint makers, drawers, payees or indorsees, of a negotiable instrument may, if the negotiability of such instrument has not been restricted or excluded as mentioned in section 50, indorse and negotiate the same.

Explanation - Nothing in this section enables a maker or drawer to indorse or negotiate an instrument, unless he is in lawful possession or is holder thereof; or enables a payee or indorsee to indorse or negotiate an instrument, unless he is holder thereof.

Illustration

A bill is drawn payable to A or order. A indorses it to B, the indorsement not containing the words “or order” or any equivalent words. B may negotiate the instrument.

The indorser of a negotiable instrument may, by express words in the indorsement, exclude his own liability thereon, or make such liability or the right of the indorsee to receive the amount due thereon depend upon the happening of a specified event, although such event may never happen.

Where an indorser so excludes his liability and afterwards becomes the holder of the instrument, all intermediate indorsers are liable to him. Where the right of an indorsee to receive the amount due on the negotiable instrument is made dependent in the aforesaid manner the condition is valid only as between the indorser and the indorsee.

Where the indorsement of a negotiable instrument purports to be conditional, the payer may disregard the condition, and payment to the indorsee is valid whether the condition has been fulfilled or not.

Illustrations

(a) The indorser of a negotiable instrument signs his name adding the words-“Without recourse”.

Upon this indorsement he incurs no liability.

(b) A is the payee and holder of a negotiable instrument. Excluding personal liability by an indorsement “without recourse,” he transfers the instrument to B, and B indorses it to C, who indorses it to A. A is not only reinstated in his former rights, but has the rights of an indorsee against B and C.

(1) A holder who derives his title through a holder in due course, and who is not himself a party to any fraud or illegality affecting the negotiable instrument, has all the rights therein of that holder in due course as regards the acceptor and all parties to the instrument prior to that holder.

(2) Where the title of the holder is defective,-

(a) if he negotiates the instrument to a holder in due course, that holder obtains a good and complete title to the instrument; and

(b) if he obtains payment of the instrument, the person who pays him in due course gets a valid discharge for the instrument.

Subject to the provisions hereinafter contained as to crossed cheques, a negotiable instrument indorsed in blank is payable to the bearer thereof even although originally payable to order.

If a negotiable instrument, after having been indorsed in blank, is indorsed in full, the amount of it cannot be claimed from the indorser in full, except by the person to whom it has been indorsed in full, or by one who derives title through such person.

(1) Negotiation by indorsement must be of the entire instrument.

(2) An indorsement which purports to transfer to the indorsee only a part of the amount payable, or which purports to transfer the instrument to two or more indorsees severally, is not valid as a negotiation of the instrument; but where such amount has been paid in part, a note to that effect may be indorsed on the instrument, which may then be indorsed for the balance.

The legal representative of a deceased person cannot negotiate by delivery only a promissory note, bill of exchange or cheque payable to order and indorsed by the deceased but not delivered.

When a promissory note, bill of exchange or cheque has been lost or has been obtained from any maker, drawer, acceptor or holder thereof by means of an offence or fraud, or for an unlawful consideration, neither the person who finds or so obtains the instrument nor any possessor or indorsee who claims through such person is entitled to receive the amount due thereon from such maker, drawer, acceptor or holder, unless such possessor or indorsee is, or some person through whom he claims was, a holder thereof in due course.

A negotiable instrument may be negotiated (except by the maker, drawee or acceptor after maturity) until payment or satisfaction thereof by the maker, drawee or accept or at or after maturity, but not after such payment or satisfaction.