Presumption as to foreign law
Full Text
Presumption as to foreign law.—The law of any foreign country regarding promissory notes, bills of exchange and cheques shall be presumed to be the same as that of India, unless and until the contrary is proved.
Plain English Summary
Directs Indian courts to presume foreign negotiable instrument law to be identical to Indian law until foreign law is formally pleaded and proven by expert evidence.
Key Legal Elements
- Applies to foreign laws relating to promissory notes, bills of exchange, and cheques
- Rebuttable statutory presumption that foreign law is identical to Indian law
- Shifts burden of proof to the party alleging that foreign law differs from Indian law
Practical Note
Significant procedural rule in commercial litigation involving foreign instruments. In Indian law, foreign law is a question of fact that must be specially pleaded and proved (via expert evidence under BSA / IEA Section 45). If neither party leads evidence of foreign law, the court simply applies the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 by virtue of Section 137.
हिंदी पाठ
विदेशी विधि के बारे में उपधारणा।—वचन-पत्रों, विनिमय-पत्रों और चेकों के संबंध में किसी भी विदेशी देश की विधि को वही माना जाएगा जो भारत की विधि है, जब तक कि इसके विपरीत साबित न कर दिया जाए।