Section 20 explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Sections 18 and 19 give a fresh period of limitation when a liability is acknowledged in writing or a payment is made. Section 20 says who can do that for another person. It covers a guardian of a person under disability, joint contractors and partners, a limited owner under Hindu law and the manager of a Hindu undivided family.
This article follows the consolidated text of the Act consulted (latest amendment shown: Act 46 of 1999). Later amendments should be checked before you rely on it.
For a person under disability, the "agent duly authorised in this behalf" in sections 18 and 19 includes his lawful guardian, committee or manager or an agent authorised by them. An acknowledgment or payment by one of several joint contractors, partners, executors or mortgagees does not, by itself, make the others chargeable. An acknowledgment or payment by a Hindu limited owner is valid against a reversioner, and one by the manager of a Hindu undivided family is deemed made for the whole family.
Section 20(1): a person under disability
Section 20(1) reads: "The expression 'agent duly authorised in this behalf' in sections 18 and 19 shall, in the case of a person under disability, include his lawful guardian, committee or manager or an agent duly authorised by such guardian, committee or manager to sign the acknowledgment or make the payment."
In sections 18 and 19, an acknowledgment or a payment can be made by the person liable, or by an "agent duly authorised in this behalf". Section 20(1) adds who counts as that agent when the person liable is under a disability, such as a minor (see section 6):
- the person's lawful guardian,
- the person's committee,
- the person's manager, or
- an agent duly authorised by such guardian, committee or manager to sign the acknowledgment or make the payment.
The sub-section is about who may sign or pay. It does not say that every act of a guardian binds the person; the sections 18 and 19 requirements still apply to the acknowledgment or the payment itself. The Act does not define "committee" or "manager" in this sub-section.
An illustration with invented names: Neeraj, a minor, owes a sum under an obligation for which the period is running. Neeraj's lawful guardian signs a written acknowledgment of the liability before the period expires. By section 20(1), the guardian is within "agent duly authorised in this behalf", so the signing is treated as an acknowledgment by Neeraj's authorised agent for section 18 purposes.
If you hold an acknowledgment signed by someone other than the debtor, a recovery suit consultation helps check whether the signatory falls within section 20.
Section 20(2): joint contractors, partners, executors and mortgagees
Section 20(2) reads: "Nothing in the said sections renders one of several joint contractors, partners, executors or mortgagees chargeable by reason only of a written acknowledgment signed by, or of a payment made by, or by the agent of, any other or others of them."
The sub-section is a negative rule. An acknowledgment signed by one, or a payment made by one, or by his agent, does not by that fact alone make the other joint contractors, partners, executors or mortgagees chargeable.
| Group named | Effect of section 20(2) |
|---|---|
| Joint contractors | Acknowledgment or payment by one does not, by reason only of it, make the others chargeable |
| Partners | Same |
| Executors | Same |
| Mortgagees | Same |
The words "by reason only of" matter. They leave open that some other ground may make the others liable; section 20(2) says only that sections 18 and 19 do not do so by themselves. This article does not say what other grounds exist, since the Act does not.
An illustration: Rahul and Imran are joint contractors who owe a sum to Kapoor Supplies. Rahul alone signs a written acknowledgment before the period expires. Section 18 speaks of a writing signed by the party against whom the claim lies, and Rahul is the signatory. Section 20(2) means that Imran does not become chargeable by reason only of Rahul's signed acknowledgment. For a partnership, see our post on settlement of accounts between partners under the Indian Partnership Act, 1932, which is about that Act and not this section.
For the contract-law position of joint promisors, see joint promisors under the Indian Contract Act, 1872.
Section 20(3): limited owners and Hindu undivided families
Section 20(3) says, "For the purposes of the said sections":
Clause (a): limited owner governed by Hindu law
An acknowledgment signed or a payment made in respect of any liability by, or by the duly authorised agent of, any limited owner of property who is governed by Hindu law, shall be a valid acknowledgment or payment, as the case may be, against a reversioner succeeding to such liability.
So where the liability later passes to a reversioner, the limited owner's earlier acknowledgment or payment is valid against the reversioner. The sub-section deals with that one direction.
Clause (b): manager of a Hindu undivided family
Where a liability has been incurred by, or on behalf of, a Hindu undivided family as such, an acknowledgment or payment made by, or by the duly authorised agent of, the manager of the family for the time being shall be deemed to have been made on behalf of the whole family.
Two features of the wording: the liability must have been incurred by or on behalf of the family as such, and the manager is the manager for the time being. The text does not define the manager's authority beyond this.
Section 7, Explanation II, separately treats the Manager of a Hindu undivided family governed by the Mitakshara law for the purpose of giving a discharge; see sections 7 to 9.
Quick reference
| Sub-section | Who | What follows |
|---|---|---|
| 20(1) | Guardian, committee or manager of a person under disability, or their authorised agent | Counts as "agent duly authorised in this behalf" under sections 18 and 19 |
| 20(2) | One of several joint contractors, partners, executors or mortgagees | The others are not made chargeable by reason only of that acknowledgment or payment |
| 20(3)(a) | Limited owner governed by Hindu law (or his authorised agent) | Valid against a reversioner succeeding to the liability |
| 20(3)(b) | Manager of a Hindu undivided family for the time being (or his authorised agent) | Deemed made on behalf of the whole family, if the liability was incurred by or for the family as such |
Points to keep in mind
- Section 20 does not create a fresh period by itself. The fresh period comes from section 18 or section 19; section 20 says who can act and with what effect.
- Section 20 speaks of "the said sections", meaning sections 18 and 19.
- Where the signatory is not within section 20 and is not the person liable or an agent duly authorised, section 18 and section 19 would not be met on their words.
Section 29(2) lets a special or local law fix its own period and applies sections 4 to 24 to it only so far as that law does not expressly exclude them. Never apply a Schedule period to a tax, insolvency, company, arbitration, consumer, MSME or cheque dishonour proceeding; check the special law.
Need help with a claim against more than one person?
Where a debt is owed jointly or by a family business, who signed and who paid are central to the dates. We can read the documents with you in a recovery suit review and tell you which section of the Act is likely to matter.
Key takeaways
- Section 20(1): for a person under disability, the authorised agent includes the lawful guardian, committee or manager, or an agent they authorise.
- Section 20(2): an acknowledgment or payment by one joint contractor, partner, executor or mortgagee does not, by reason only of it, charge the others.
- Section 20(3)(a): a Hindu limited owner's acknowledgment or payment is valid against a reversioner succeeding to the liability.
- Section 20(3)(b): the manager's acknowledgment or payment for a Hindu undivided family is deemed made for the whole family.
- Section 20 works with sections 18 and 19; it does not give a fresh period on its own.
- A special or local law may fix a different period (section 29(2)).
Read next
- Section 18: acknowledgment of liability in writing and fresh period of limitation
- Section 19: part payment of debt or interest and fresh period of limitation
- Section 21: adding or substituting a new plaintiff or defendant
- Joint promisors under the Indian Contract Act, 1872
Disclaimer: Based on a consolidated text of the Limitation Act, 1963 and its Schedule whose latest amendment shown is Act 46 of 1999, as consulted on 2 October 2026. A special or local law may fix a different period; later amendments and the current procedural law should be checked. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.