Surat: In a move aimed at minimising delays and inconvenience in cases under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments (NI) Act, the Surat district court has rolled out an online payment facility enabling litigants to deposit amounts up to ₹50,000 through the SBI Collect portal.

The initiative was inaugurated by Justice A.S. Supehia of the Gujarat High Court in the presence of Principal District Judge Rahul Trivedi and other members of the judiciary. The first matter under the new mechanism was settled immediately, with ₹50,000 deposited online and the dispute resolved amicably between the parties.

Under the new system, court summons will carry a QR code to facilitate direct payment. The electronically generated receipt will be treated as valid evidence before the court, streamlining the settlement process and expediting case disposal.

Officials said the facility would curb instances where one party prolongs proceedings despite the other’s readiness to settle.

Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, pertains to criminal liability arising from the dishonour of cheques due to insufficient funds or when the amount exceeds the account balance. DeshGujarat