धारा 21

According to Section 21 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, 'the person to whom the instrument is delivered for payment must, in order to acquire the right of a holder, have accepted the instrument. Acceptance of an instrument means that the drawee has signed the instrument and indicated their willingness to pay it. The acceptance must be in writing and signed by the drawee. The acceptance may be general or qualified. A general acceptance is an unqualified assent to the order of the drawer, and a qualified acceptance is a conditional assent, and it must be made in writing and signed by the drawee. The drawee may accept the instrument as to part and refuse as to the rest. The acceptance must be made before the instrument is overdue or after it has been dishonored. The acceptance can be made by the drawee or by someone authorized by the drawee to accept it on their behalf.