Statutory notice under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act for a dishonoured cheque.
This is the statutory notice required under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, sent within 30 days of receiving a 'cheque returned unpaid' memo from the bank. Sending a valid, timely notice is a mandatory precondition before a cheque-bounce complaint can be filed.
The notice must be sent within 30 days of receiving the bank's dishonour memo — missing this window can bar a Section 138 complaint entirely.
The drawer has 15 days from receipt of the notice to make payment before a complaint can be filed.
A complaint under Section 138 can then be filed, generally within one month of the 15-day period expiring.
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