Surat court launches online payment facility for NI Act cases

Surat: To reduce harassment and delays in Section 138 NI Act cases, the Surat district court has introduced an online facility allowing parties to deposit up to Rs 50,000 directly through the SBI Collect portal.The facility, inaugurated by Justice A S Supehia of the Gujarat high court, was launched in the presence of Principal District Judge Rahul Trivedi and other judges. The first case under the system was resolved on the spot, with Rs 50,000 deposited online and both parties settling amicably.Summons will now include a QR code for payment, and the e-receipt submitted is admissible in court, enabling faster disposal of disputes."This will prevent harassment where one party delays proceedings despite the other being willing to settle," said officials.Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, criminalises cheque dishonour due to insufficient funds or excess amounts.