धारा 52

Section 52 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, deals with the concept of presentment of a negotiable instrument. Presentment means the act of presenting the instrument to the drawee or the acceptor for acceptance or payment. The section states that 'a promissory note, bill of exchange or cheque is said to be presented for acceptance to the drawee or acceptor thereof when it is duly presented to him, or to some person authorized to receive presents on his behalf, and when it is presented at a reasonable hour on a business day.' The presentment of an instrument is essential for determining the liability of the parties involved. The section further explains that the presentment can be made by the holder or by his agent. The Bombay High Court has held that presentment of a cheque is a condition precedent to the right to sue on it (Bank of India v. K. M. Shankar Rao, AIR 1969 Bom 27).