Executive Summary:
This document presents information on cases registered under the Negotiable Instruments Act (NIA), 1881. It includes state-wise and year-wise details of case disposal and pending cases over the last five years, based on data from the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) as of July 23 and 21, 2025. It also clarifies the Act's purpose and provisions for fair application across all sections of society.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Case Statistics (Annexure I):**
* Provides state/UT-wise data on the registration and disposal of cases under the NIA, 1881, for the last five years (2020-2024).
* **Pending Cases (Annexure II):**
* Details state-wise pending cases under the NIA as of July 23, 2025.
* Includes a breakdown of cases pending for more than two years.
* **Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881:**
* The Act provides a legal framework for cheques, promissory notes, and bills of exchange.
* Section 138 addresses dishonor of cheques.
* The Act applies uniformly to all sections of society, regardless of economic status.
* **Summary Trial (Section 143):**
* Provides for summary trials of offences by Metropolitan Magistrate or Judicial Magistrate First Class.
* Trials should be conducted expeditiously, preferably concluded within six months from the complaint date.
* Trials should continue day to day unless adjournment is necessary and recorded in writing.
* **Data Availability:**
* Data from Jammu Kashmir, Ladakh, Mizoram, and Manipur is not available on the NJDG portal.
Impact Analysis:
* **Judiciary:**
* Impact: Must adhere to Section 143 regarding summary trials and expeditious conclusion of cases.
* Action Required: Ensure trials are conducted as quickly as possible, with efforts to conclude them within six months, and document reasons for adjournment.
* **Financial Institutions:**
* Impact: The Act's provisions apply uniformly; however, they should be aware of the Act's provisions to ensure fair practices.
* Action Required: Ensure practices align with the NIA, 1881, and do not exploit the poor or needy.
* **General Public:**
* Impact: All sections of society are subject to the provisions of the NIA, 1881.
* Action Required: Understand their rights and responsibilities under the Act, especially concerning financial transactions and cheque handling.
* **Ministry of Law and Justice:**
* Impact: Oversees the implementation and effectiveness of the NIA, 1881.
* Action Required: Monitor the disposal and pendency of cases under the Act and address any issues or inefficiencies.
Key Entities Referenced
Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881: A law enacted in India to provide a legal framework for negotiable instruments like cheques, promissory notes, and bills of exchange.
Lok Sabha: The Lower House of the Parliament of India, where the question regarding cases registered under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 was raised.
National Judicial Data Grid: An online platform providing information relating to cases pending and disposed of in district and subordinate courts of India.
Andhra Pradesh: A state in India for which data on cases registered and disposed of under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 is provided.
Gujarat: A state in India for which data on cases registered and disposed of under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 is provided.
Maharashtra: A state in India for which data on cases registered and disposed of under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 is provided.
Uttar Pradesh: A state in India for which data on cases registered and disposed of under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 is provided.
Arjun Ram Meghwal: Minister of State in the Ministry of Law and Justice; and Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs who answered the question in Lok Sabha.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF LAW & JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1031
TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 25TH JULY 2025
CASES REGISTERED UNDER NIA, 1881
†1031. SHRI DAMODAR AGRAWAL:
Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the disposal of the cases registered under the Negotiable
Instruments Act (NIA), 1881 over the last five years, State-wise and
year-wise;
(b) the details of the cases registered under NIA, 1881 over the last five
years and lying pending for more than two years, State-wise and year-
wise;
(c) whether the poor and the needy are being manipulated/exploited by the
Financial Institutions under the garb of the Negotiable Instruments Act,
1881;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) if not, the steps taken to prevent the incidence of atrocities on the poor
and the needy ones by the Financial Institutions?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY
OF LAW AND JUSTICE; AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY
OF PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS
(SHRI ARJUN RAM MEGHWAL)
(a) & (b): As per the information available on National Judicial Data Grid
(NJDG), the details of State/UT wise registration and disposal of the cases under
the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 over the last five years are at Annexure-I.The Details of cases pending as on 23.07.2025 and cases pending for more than
two years are at Annexure-II.
(c) to (e): The Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 is a law enacted to provide a
legal framework for the usage of cheques, promissory notes and bills of
exchange. The provisions under this Act, including Section 138 that deals with
dishonour of cheques, are designed to uphold the credibility of financial
transactions and apply uniformly to all sections of the society irrespective of their
economic status. Further, Section 143 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881
provides for summary trial of offences by Metropolitan Magistrate or Judicial
Magistrate First Class. The Section 143 further provides that the trial of a case
under this section shall, so far as practicable, consistently with the interests of
justice, be continued from day to day until its conclusion, unless the Court finds
the adjournment of the trial beyond the following day to be necessary for reasons
to be recorded in writing. Furthermore, this Section provides that every trial
under this section shall be conducted as expeditiously as possible and an
endeavour shall be made to conclude the trial within six months from the date of
filing of the complaint.
******ANNEXURE-I
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) & (B) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †1031 FOR ANSWER ON 25.07.2025 REGARDING
‘CASES REGISTERED UNDER NIA, 1881’.
Cases Registered and Disposed under Negotiable Instrument (NI) Act
2024 2023 2022 2021 2020
Sr State/UTs Registered Disposed Registered Disposed Registered Disposed Registered Disposed Registered Disposed
No.
1 Andhra Pradesh 17063 15755 21060 17885 18741 15551 17077 6158 14038 9340
2 Arunachal Pradesh 77 72 35 22 7 2 10 0 5 0
3 Assam 5044 4078 4687 3823 6028 3474 4483 1986 3026 1586
4 Bihar 13138 6822 12441 6314 13560 4976 10576 2258 6421 1505
5 Chandigarh 12662 11622 10846 10381 8329 8721 8125 4514 7315 2406
6 Chhattisgarh 17114 21402 19180 17536 18873 12179 19652 8122 7764 4023
7 Delhi 126059 101882 118110 109023 103034 96648 81769 54086 67311 39856
8 Goa 3539 3929 3655 4973 4195 4783 3565 2368 2848 820
9 Gujarat 176991 169936 158120 168387 159682 132578 145184 92092 87649 30628
10 Haryana 60397 56585 68562 66131 64089 51557 60133 31635 53303 13210
11 Himachal Pradesh 15655 16167 16207 14695 16451 12596 11333 7212 10575 2732
12 Jharkhand 14277 11667 11809 7598 9572 5948 6022 1980 4992 1583
13 Karnataka 122870 97191 97807 84480 77395 61635 68860 52312 40872 27714
14 Kerala 39141 26069 41892 25354 34699 16944 12107 6470 9518 4539
15 Lakshadweep
16 Madhya Pradesh 41375 49628 45966 44210 47212 36130 38488 22543 23681 8217
17 Maharashtra 125200 109141 119129 114949 128185 100712 110411 72363 83247 30158
18 Meghalaya 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
19 Nagaland 20 5 9 6 17 9 5 3 5 2
20 Odisha 8720 5345 8405 5388 9445 5700 7353 3491 5387 1878
21 Puducherry 1047 2104 1795 770 1755 422 1435 183 674 98
22 Punjab 75746 78387 69570 88515 66466 74685 58446 39786 49972 20147
23 Rajasthan 123652 100321 140020 80180 145164 64851 106588 38896 81217 19038
24 Sikkim 21 12 13 8 8 2 1 4 4 2
25 Tamil Nadu 31337 31364 33549 35367 43433 27414 30692 16475 20502 9533
26 Telangana 10835 8723 13258 8849 15770 27844 21938 7288 10163 3730
27 The Dadra And Nagar Haveli And Daman And Diu 335 197 267 217 285 258 275 179 314 73
28 Tripura 160 82 116 70 169 82 100 47 80 21
29 Uttar Pradesh 104091 63982 80600 46148 82814 55231 64216 27774 53854 19017
30 Uttarakhand 14957 10670 12405 10985 11293 9569 9436 7093 7959 2993
31 West Bengal 59025 38434 58609 39696 49333 52342 69315 24543 25944 16659
32 Andaman & Nicobar
Total 1220548 1041572 1168123 1011960 1136005 882844 967595 531861 678640 271508
Source: - Report as per statistics available on National Judicial Data grid (NJDG) portal dated 21.07.2025.
•
The Data for Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Mizoram and Manipur is not available on National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) portal.Annexure-II
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) & (B) OF LOK
SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †1031 FOR ANSWER ON
25.07.2025 REGARDING ‘CASES REGISTERED UNDER NIA, 1881’.
Pending cases under NI Act
Sr. State Cases Pending Cases Pending for
No. more than 2 years
1 Andhra Pradesh 57607 31351
2 Arunachal Pradesh 79 31
3 Assam 21944 13931
4 Bihar 70758 48221
5 Chandigarh 22377 5251
6 Chhattisgarh 64611 34213
7 Delhi 466163 239829
8 Goa 11004 5868
9 Gujarat 515805 241990
10 Haryana 240024 134655
11 Himachal Pradesh 57430 33617
12 Jharkhand 38475 18971
13 Karnataka 199390 74076
14 Kerala
116917 56168
15 Lakshadweep
16 Madhya Pradesh 182321 115942
17 Maharashtra 638490 429049
18 Meghalaya 0 0
19 Nagaland 49 18
20 Odisha 67514 51240
21 Puducherry 5950 4139
22 Punjab 154850 46249
23 Rajasthan 629210 436012
24 Sikkim 12 2
25 Tamil Nadu 122277 70689
26 Telangana 55916 34233
27 The Dadra And Nagar Haveli And Daman And Diu 1483 898
28 Tripura 515 137
29 Uttar Pradesh 394802 241441
30 Uttarakhand 47501 25995
31 West Bengal
291102 200285
32 Andaman & Nicobar
Total 4474576 2594501
Source: - Report as per statistics available on National Judicial Data grid (NJDG) portal dated 23.07.2025.
•
The Data for Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Mizoram and Manipur is not available on National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) portal.