Under Section 87 of the Negotiable Instruments Act 1881, a material alteration of a negotiable instrument, such as altering the amount or the date, renders the instrument -

Section 87 of the Negotiable Instruments Act 1881 provides that any material alteration of a negotiable instrument renders it void as against any person who is a party thereto at the time of making the alteration and does not consent to it, unless the alteration was made to carry out the common intention of the original parties, in which case the instrument may be enforced as altered. An alteration of the amount, the date or the name of the payee is material, while an alteration made merely to correct an obvious error is not. Where an instrument is materially altered without consent, the holder cannot enforce it against parties who did not consent, though the consenting or ratifying party remains liable. The instrument thus becomes void against non-consenting parties unless ratified.