The first question which calls for our answer is the meaning of the expression “month”: whether it would mean only a period of 30 days and, consequently, whether six months would mean a period of 180 days. The word “month” has been defined under Section 3(35) of the General Clauses Act to mean a month reckoned according to the British calendar. Therefore we cannot ignore or eschew the word ‘British calendar’ while construing “month” under the Act. Accordingly, we are of the opinion that the period of six months cannot be calculated on 30 days in a month basis.
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Supreme Court of India
Rameshchandra Ambalal Joshi vs State Of Gujarat & Anr on 18 February, 2014
REPORTABLE
Citation; 2014 ALLMR (CRI) 1101 SC
According to the complainant-respondent No. 2, the accused- petitioner, Rameshchandra Ambalal Joshi was his friend, who had taken a loan of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees one lac only) from the complainant. The petitioner issued a cheque dated 31st of December, 2005 towards repayment of the loan. The cheque presented for payment by the complainant on 30th of June, 2006 was dishonoured on the ground of insufficiency of funds on the same day. A registered notice dated 25th of July, 2006 was then sent by the complainant to which the petitioner replied. The complainant then filed Criminal Case No. 2146 of 2006 on 5th of September, 2006 alleging commission of offence under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Act’) in the Court of Judicial Magistrate, First Class, Borsad, who took cognizance of the offence and issued summons to the petitioner.
An application for discharge was filed by the petitioner before the trial court inter alia contending that as a period of six months had lapsed between the date of drawl of the cheque on 31st of December, 2005 and its presentation by the complainant on 30th of June, 2006 for payment, the petitioner cannot be prosecuted. The prayer of the petitioner was rejected by the trial court on its finding that the provisions of discharge were not applicable to the present proceeding, they being in the nature of summons trial.
A criminal revision application against the aforesaid order, filed by the petitioner before the Court of Sessions, Anand was rejected by an order dated 5th of May, 2009, which the petitioner assailed in a petition filed under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure before the High Court. The High Court by its order dated 20th of August, 2010 rejected the application of the petitioner, observing as under:
“7. Though the submission has been made by the learned counsel, Mr. Hakim raising the contention with regard to the limitation, bare perusal of the provisions of Section 138 of the Negotiable Instrument Act, would make it clear that what law provides is presentation within a period of six months, meaning thereby, the Legislature has provided the period of six months by way of limitation. It is also clear that each month may not have same number of days and, therefore, wisely what has been provided in terms of months and not exact date or days, meaning thereby, 180 days. Therefore, cheque drawn on the last date of month of December would remain valid for a period of six months and the period of six months would expire after the last date of June i.e. 30th June, 2006. Therefore, in the facts and circumstances of the case, as the cheque has already been presented on 30th June, 2006, it cannot be said that it is barred by limitation. Therefore, the submission made by the learned counsel, Hakim cannot be readily accepted.”
It is against this order that
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