BHARATIYA SAKSHYA ADHINIYAM, 2023
CHAPTER VIII
ESTOPPEL
CHAPTER IX OF WITNESSES
Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023
[47 OF 2023]
An Act to consolidate and to provide for general rules and principles of evidence for fair trial.
BE it enacted by Parliament in the Seventy-fourth Year of the Republic of India as follows:—
PART I
CHAPTER I
PRELIMINARY
Short title, application and commencement.
1. (1) This Act may be called the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023.
(2)It applies to all judicial proceedings in or before any Court, including Courtsmartial, but not to affidavits presented to any Court or officer, nor to proceedings before an arbitrator
(3)It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette†, appoint.
Corresponding Provision : Section 1 of Indian Evidence Act, 1872 Definitions.
2. (1) In this Adhiniyam, unless the context otherwise requires,—
(a)“Court” includes all Judges and Magistrates, and all persons, except arbitrators, legally authorised to take evidence;
Corresponding Provision : Section 3, para 1 of Indian Evidence Act, 1872
(b) “conclusive proof” means when one fact is declared by this Adhiniyam to be conclusive proof of another, the Court shall, on proof of the one fact, regard the other as proved, and shall not allow evidence to be given for the purpose of disproving it;
Corresponding Provision : Section 4, para 3 of Indian Evidence Act, 1872
† Notification No. S.O. 849(E), dated 23-2-2024 - In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (3) of section 1 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (47 of 2023), the Central Government hereby appoints the 1st day of July, 2024 as the date on which the provisions of the said Adhiniyam, shall come into force.
(
c) “disproved” in relation to a fact, means when, after considering the matters before it, the Court either believes that it does not exist, or considers its non-existence so probable that a prudent man ought, under the circumstances of the particular case, to act upon the supposition that it does not exist;
(
Corresponding Provision : Section 3, para 8 of Indian Evidence Act, 1872
d) “document” means any matter expressed or described or otherwise recorded upon any substance by means of letters, figures or marks or any other means or by more than one of those means, intended to be used, or which may be used, for the purpose of recording that matter and includes electronic and digital records.
Illustrations
(i) A writing is a document.
(ii) Words printed, lithographed or photographed are documents.
(iii) A map or plan is a document.
(
iv) An inscription on a metal plate or stone is a document.
(v) A caricature is a document.
(
vi) An electronic record on emails, server logs, documents on computers, laptop or smartphone, messages, websites, locational evidence and voice mail messages stored on digital devices are documents;
Corresponding Provision : Section 3, para 5 of Indian Evidence Act, 1872
(e) “evidence” means and includes—
(
i) all statements including statements given electronically which the Court permits or requires to be made before it by witnesses in relation to matters of fact under inquiry and such statements are called oral evidence;
(ii) all documents including electronic or digital records produced for the inspection of the Court and such documents are called documentary evidence;
Corresponding Provision : Section 3, para 6 of Indian Evidence Act, 1872
(f) “fact” means and includes—
(i) any thing, state of things, or relation of things, capable of being perceived by the senses;
(ii) any mental condition of which any person is conscious.
Illustrations
(i) That there are certain objects arranged in a certain order in a certain place, is a fact.
(ii) That a person heard or saw something, is a fact.
(iii) That a person said certain words, is a fact.
(iv) That a person holds a certain opinion, has a certain intention, acts in good faith, or fraudulently, or uses a particular word in a particular sense, or is or was at a specified time conscious of a particular sensation, is a fact;
Corresponding Provision : Section 3, para 2 of Indian Evidence Act, 1872
(
g) “facts in issue” means and includes any fact from which, either by itself or in connection with other facts, the existence, non-existence, nature or extent of any right, liability or disability, asserted or denied in any suit or proceeding, necessarily follows.
Explanation.—Whenever, under the provisions of the law for the time being in force relating to Civil Procedure, any Court records an issue of fact, the fact to be asserted or denied in the answer to such issue is a fact in issue.
Illustrations
A is accused of the murder of B. At his trial, the following facts may be in issue:—
(i) That A caused B’s death.
(ii) That A intended to cause B’s death.
(iii) That A had received grave and sudden provocation from B.
(iv) That A, at the time of doing the act which caused B’s death, was, by reason of unsoundness of mind, incapable of knowing its nature;
Corresponding Provision : Section 3, para 4 of Indian Evidence Act, 1872
(h) “may presume”.—Whenever it is provided by this Adhiniyam that the Court may presume a fact, it may either regard such fact as proved, unless and until it is disproved or may call for proof of it;
Corresponding Provision : Section 4, para 1 of Indian Evidence Act, 1872
(i) “not proved”.—A fact is said to be not proved when it is neither proved nor disproved;
Corresponding Provision : Section 3, para 9 of Indian Evidence Act, 1872
(j) “proved”.—A fact is said to be proved when, after considering the matters before it, the Court either believes it to exist, or considers its existence so probable that a prudent man ought, under the circumstances of the particular case, to act upon the supposition that it exists;
Corresponding Provision : Section 3, para 7 of Indian Evidence Act, 1872
(k) “relevant”.—A fact is said to be relevant to another when it is connected with the other in any of the ways referred to in the provisions of this Adhiniyam relating to the relevancy of facts;
Corresponding Provision : Section 3, para 3 of Indian Evidence Act, 1872
(l) “shall presume”.—Whenever it is directed by this Adhiniyam that the Court shall presume a fact, it shall regard such fact as proved, unless and until it is disproved.
Corresponding Provision : Section 4, para 2 of Indian Evidence Act, 1872
(2) Words and expressions used herein and not defined but defined in the Information Technology Act, 2000 (21 of 2000), the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 shall have the same meanings as assigned to them in the said Act and Sanhitas.
BHARATIYA SAKSHYA ADHINIYAM 2023 – BARE ACT WITHOUT COMMENTS | AIBE
AUTHOR : TAXMANN’S EDITORIAL BOARD
PUBLISHER
: TAXMANN
DATE OF PUBLICATION : AUGUST 2025
EDITION : 2025 EDITION
ISBN NO : 9789371264075
NO. OF PAGES : 80
BINDING TYPE : PAPERBACK
DESCRIPTION
Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 [Bare Act without Comments] by Taxmann for All India Bar Examination (AIBE) provides the complete and unaltered text. It ensures readers access the law exactly as enacted by Parliament, without commentary or interpretation.
The Present Publication is the 2025 Edition, covering the amended and updated text of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 [Act No. 47 of 2023], with the following noteworthy features:
• [Authentic Text] Exact reproduction of statutory provisions
• [Updated to 2025] Includes amendments and the commencement notification dated 1st July 2024
• [Digital Coverage] Recognises electronic records, signatures, and digital evidence
• [Exam Ready] Free from case law or notes, ideal for AIBE & other exams
• [Affordable Format] Compact, student-friendly, and reasonably priced