Lok Sabha Question No. 1883 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-06
Subject: Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881
Ministry: LAW AND JUSTICE
Asked by: Shri Damodar Agrawal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LAW & JUSTICE

## DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †1883

## TO BE ANSWERED ON FRIDAY, THE 06TH DECEMBER, 2024

## NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENT ACT, 1881

## †1883. SHRI DAMODAR AGRAWAL:

## Will the Minister of LAW AND JUSTICE be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of cases registered under the Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881
- in the district and subordinate courts of the country during the last five years, court and year-wise;
- (b) whether High Courts/Supreme Court have issued any order to accelerate the disposal rate of the such cases pending in district and subordinate courts;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether Magistrate or Judges working in the district and subordinate courts have the power of fast track hearing on daily basis in the matters related to the Negotiable Instrument Act,1881;
- (e) if so, the details of the provision of law under which this privilege is given to them; and
- (f) the provision for protecting the legal, constitutional and human rights of
- the plaintiff/defendant in the process of fast track hearings on daily basis?

## 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): As per the information available on National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG), the details of cases registered under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 in the

District and Subordinate Courts of the country during the last five years, court and year-wise is at

(b) & (c):

Annexure-I

Recently, in

.

the month

of

April,

2024, the

Supreme

Court

Committee on "Model Case Flow Management Rules for Trial Courts, District

Appellate Courts, High Courts and to suggest a plan for reduction of arrears in the High Courts and District Courts", has prepared and shared the Action Plan for

Arrears Reduction in District Judiciary' to dispose of old pending cases in time bound manner.

In the

month of

November,

2024, the

National

Court

Management

Systems, Supreme Court of India, released the comprehensive baseline reports on various issues including the Case Management Systems in the High Courts and

District Courts.

Further, in

compliance to

the

Resolutions of

the

Chief

Justices'

Conferences, 'Arrears Committee' at High Courts have been constituted to deal with the issues relating to speedy disposal of cases.

Further, directions are given by Hon'ble the Supreme Court, time to time, through its various judgments/orders. Some of the relevant judgments/orders are

as such:

1. Imtiyaz Ahmad Vs. State of Uttar Pradesh and Others

Criminal Appeal No. 254 of 2012, Decided on: 01.02.2012

Citation: (2012) 2 SCC 688 (Para 54,55,56) = [2012] 1 S.C.R. 779

2. Krishnakant Tamrakar Vs. State of Madhya Pradesh

Criminal Appeal No. 470 of 2018, Decided on: 28.03.2018

Citation: (2018) 17 SCC 27 (Para 11) = (2018] 4 S.C.R. 1098

Recently, certain directions have been issued by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case titled Yashpal Jain v. Sushila Devi, 2023 SCC Online SC 1377, decided on 20.10.2023.

(d) & (e): Section 143 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 provides for summary trial of offences under Chapter XVII by a Judicial Magistrate of the first class or by a Metropolitan Magistrate. It 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, it states 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.

(f): In the case of Indian Bank Association and others Vs Union Bank of India reported in (2014) 5 SCC 590 and others, detailed directions have been given by the Supreme Court of India to all Criminal Courts in the country on the matter of summary trial procedure for cases falling under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act. These directions lay down the detailed procedure to be followed by the courts while ensuring the protection of the rights of the plaintiff/defendant. Further, several directions with respect to the expeditious trial of cases have also been issued in the matter of 'In Re: Expeditious Trial of Cases Under Section 138 of N.I. ACT, 1881'. Among other aspects, the protection of rights of the plaintiff/ defendant have been covered in the aforesaid directions, in addition to the other relevant legal provisions.

********

## Annexure-I STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †1883 FOR ANSWER ON 06.12.2024 REGARDING 'NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENT ACT, 1881'.

| Cases registered under the Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881 in the District and Subordinate Courts of the country during the last five years   | Cases registered under the Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881 in the District and Subordinate Courts of the country during the last five years   | Cases registered under the Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881 in the District and Subordinate Courts of the country during the last five years   | Cases registered under the Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881 in the District and Subordinate Courts of the country during the last five years   | Cases registered under the Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881 in the District and Subordinate Courts of the country during the last five years   | Cases registered under the Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881 in the District and Subordinate Courts of the country during the last five years   | Cases registered under the Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881 in the District and Subordinate Courts of the country during the last five years   | Cases registered under the Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881 in the District and Subordinate Courts of the country during the last five years   |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sr. No.                                                                                                                                       | State/UTs                                                                                                                                     | Year                                                                                                                                          | Year                                                                                                                                          | Year                                                                                                                                          | Year                                                                                                                                          | Year                                                                                                                                          | Year                                                                                                                                          |
|                                                                                                                                               |                                                                                                                                               | 2019                                                                                                                                          | 2020                                                                                                                                          | 2021                                                                                                                                          | 2022                                                                                                                                          | 2023                                                                                                                                          | 2024                                                                                                                                          |
| 1.                                                                                                                                            | Andhra Pradesh                                                                                                                                | 22055                                                                                                                                         | 13898                                                                                                                                         | 16854                                                                                                                                         | 18250                                                                                                                                         | 19941                                                                                                                                         | 14878                                                                                                                                         |
| 2.                                                                                                                                            | Arunachal Pradesh                                                                                                                             | 6                                                                                                                                             | 5                                                                                                                                             | 10                                                                                                                                            | 9                                                                                                                                             | 33                                                                                                                                            | 71                                                                                                                                            |
| 3.                                                                                                                                            | Assam                                                                                                                                         | 5575                                                                                                                                          | 3026                                                                                                                                          | 4483                                                                                                                                          | 6025                                                                                                                                          | 4688                                                                                                                                          | 4419                                                                                                                                          |
| 4.                                                                                                                                            | Bihar                                                                                                                                         | 8488                                                                                                                                          | 5077                                                                                                                                          | 8205                                                                                                                                          | 11087                                                                                                                                         | 9717                                                                                                                                          | 9325                                                                                                                                          |
| 5.                                                                                                                                            | Chandigarh                                                                                                                                    | 11886                                                                                                                                         | 7316                                                                                                                                          | 8124                                                                                                                                          | 8330                                                                                                                                          | 10843                                                                                                                                         | 12110                                                                                                                                         |
| 6.                                                                                                                                            | Chhattisgarh                                                                                                                                  | 20471                                                                                                                                         | 7767                                                                                                                                          | 19667                                                                                                                                         | 18756                                                                                                                                         | 19171                                                                                                                                         | 15826                                                                                                                                         |
| 7.                                                                                                                                            | Dadar & Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu                                                                                                        | 396                                                                                                                                           | 314                                                                                                                                           | 275                                                                                                                                           | 286                                                                                                                                           | 268                                                                                                                                           | 294                                                                                                                                           |
| 8.                                                                                                                                            | Delhi                                                                                                                                         | 170442                                                                                                                                        | 67100                                                                                                                                         | 81598                                                                                                                                         | 102631                                                                                                                                        | 117770                                                                                                                                        | 117114                                                                                                                                        |
| 9.                                                                                                                                            | Goa                                                                                                                                           | 5095                                                                                                                                          | 2849                                                                                                                                          | 3567                                                                                                                                          | 4200                                                                                                                                          | 3658                                                                                                                                          | 3270                                                                                                                                          |
| 10.                                                                                                                                           | Gujarat                                                                                                                                       | 159565                                                                                                                                        | 87387                                                                                                                                         | 144727                                                                                                                                        | 159330                                                                                                                                        | 157830                                                                                                                                        | 160651                                                                                                                                        |
| 11.                                                                                                                                           | Haryana                                                                                                                                       | 89247                                                                                                                                         | 53436                                                                                                                                         | 60158                                                                                                                                         | 64183                                                                                                                                         | 68690                                                                                                                                         | 53562                                                                                                                                         |
| 12.                                                                                                                                           | Himachal Pradesh                                                                                                                              | 15940                                                                                                                                         | 10577                                                                                                                                         | 11318                                                                                                                                         | 16448                                                                                                                                         | 16182                                                                                                                                         | 14445                                                                                                                                         |
| 13.                                                                                                                                           | Jharkhand                                                                                                                                     | 8897                                                                                                                                          | 5045                                                                                                                                          | 6100                                                                                                                                          | 9658                                                                                                                                          | 11954                                                                                                                                         | 13156                                                                                                                                         |
| 14.                                                                                                                                           | Karnataka                                                                                                                                     | 36350                                                                                                                                         | 22024                                                                                                                                         | 41807                                                                                                                                         | 45109                                                                                                                                         | 69225                                                                                                                                         | 80407                                                                                                                                         |
| 15.                                                                                                                                           | Kerala                                                                                                                                        | 15454                                                                                                                                         | 9275                                                                                                                                          | 11522                                                                                                                                         | 32450                                                                                                                                         | 40200                                                                                                                                         | 36120                                                                                                                                         |
| 16.                                                                                                                                           | Lakshadweep                                                                                                                                   | 1                                                                                                                                             | 2                                                                                                                                             | -                                                                                                                                             | 2                                                                                                                                             | 5                                                                                                                                             | 4                                                                                                                                             |
| 17.                                                                                                                                           | Madhya Pradesh                                                                                                                                | 55639                                                                                                                                         | 23548                                                                                                                                         | 38415                                                                                                                                         | 47082                                                                                                                                         | 45714                                                                                                                                         | 35183                                                                                                                                         |
| 18.                                                                                                                                           | Maharashtra                                                                                                                                   | 163020                                                                                                                                        | 80879                                                                                                                                         | 101550                                                                                                                                        | 123232                                                                                                                                        | 105625                                                                                                                                        | 93482                                                                                                                                         |
| 19.                                                                                                                                           | Odisha                                                                                                                                        | 9104                                                                                                                                          | 5264                                                                                                                                          | 7246                                                                                                                                          | 9212                                                                                                                                          | 8083                                                                                                                                          | 7811                                                                                                                                          |
| 20.                                                                                                                                           | Puducherry                                                                                                                                    | 799                                                                                                                                           | 673                                                                                                                                           | 1435                                                                                                                                          | 1756                                                                                                                                          | 1797                                                                                                                                          | 854                                                                                                                                           |
| 21.                                                                                                                                           | Punjab                                                                                                                                        | 74412                                                                                                                                         | 50013                                                                                                                                         | 58468                                                                                                                                         | 66556                                                                                                                                         | 69584                                                                                                                                         | 70503                                                                                                                                         |
| 22.                                                                                                                                           | Rajasthan                                                                                                                                     | 121393                                                                                                                                        | 82045                                                                                                                                         | 106163                                                                                                                                        | 144510                                                                                                                                        | 138958                                                                                                                                        | 102569                                                                                                                                        |
| 23.                                                                                                                                           | Sikkim                                                                                                                                        | 7                                                                                                                                             | 4                                                                                                                                             | 1                                                                                                                                             | 9                                                                                                                                             | 14                                                                                                                                            | 18                                                                                                                                            |
| 24.                                                                                                                                           | Tamil Nadu                                                                                                                                    | 31913                                                                                                                                         | 20601                                                                                                                                         | 30765                                                                                                                                         | 43751                                                                                                                                         | 33956                                                                                                                                         | 28429                                                                                                                                         |
| 25.                                                                                                                                           | Telangana                                                                                                                                     | 21543                                                                                                                                         | 8453                                                                                                                                          | 19313                                                                                                                                         | 13759                                                                                                                                         | 11659                                                                                                                                         | 8431                                                                                                                                          |
| 26.                                                                                                                                           | Tripura                                                                                                                                       | 79                                                                                                                                            | 72                                                                                                                                            | 92                                                                                                                                            | 136                                                                                                                                           | 109                                                                                                                                           | 219                                                                                                                                           |
| 27.                                                                                                                                           | Uttar Pradesh                                                                                                                                 | 84591                                                                                                                                         | 53637                                                                                                                                         | 63883                                                                                                                                         | 82566                                                                                                                                         | 79929                                                                                                                                         | 93154                                                                                                                                         |
| 28.                                                                                                                                           | Uttarakhand                                                                                                                                   | 12232                                                                                                                                         | 7932                                                                                                                                          | 9408                                                                                                                                          | 11276                                                                                                                                         | 12337                                                                                                                                         | 13745                                                                                                                                         |
| 29.                                                                                                                                           | West Bengal                                                                                                                                   | 49102                                                                                                                                         | 25845                                                                                                                                         | 69136                                                                                                                                         | 49169                                                                                                                                         | 58364                                                                                                                                         | 40732                                                                                                                                         |
| 30.                                                                                                                                           | Meghalaya                                                                                                                                     | -                                                                                                                                             | -                                                                                                                                             | -                                                                                                                                             | 1                                                                                                                                             | -                                                                                                                                             | -                                                                                                                                             |
| 31.                                                                                                                                           | Nagaland                                                                                                                                      | -                                                                                                                                             | -                                                                                                                                             | 5                                                                                                                                             | 11                                                                                                                                            | -                                                                                                                                             | 3                                                                                                                                             |

Source: -Report as per statistics available on National Judicial Data grid (NJDG) portal dated 03.12.2024.