S. 143-A NI Act| Factors laid down by SC for exercising discretion in payment of interim compensation in cheque dishonour cases
“If the word ‘may’ is read as ‘shall’, it will have drastic consequences, as in every complaint under Section 138, the accused will have to pay interim compensation up to 20 per cent of the cheque amount and such an interpretation will be unjust and contrary to the well-settled concept of fairness and justice, exposing the provision to the vice of manifest arbitrariness.”