Anuj tripathi 111 at 19:15, 2 April 2026

2026-04-02T19:15:42Z

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{{Short description|Evidence Act of The Republic of India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox legislation
| short_title = Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023{{br}}{{small|{{literal translation|Indian Evidence Act, 2023}}}}
| legislature = [[Parliament of India]]
| image = Emblem of India (Government Gazette).svg
| imagesize = 100
| imagelink =
| imagealt =
| caption =
| long_title = An Act to consolidate and to provide for general rules and principles of evidence for fair trial.
| autocollapse_long_title = true
| citation = [https://www.indiacode.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/20063/1/a2023-47.pdf Act No. 47 of 2023]
| territorial_extent = {{flag|India}}
| enacted_by = [[Lok Sabha]]
| date_passed = 20 December 2023
| enacted_by2 = [[Rajya Sabha]]
| date_passed2 = 21 December 2023
| assented_by = [[President of India]]
| date_assented = 25 December 2023
| bill = Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023
| bill_citation =
| bill_date = 12 December 2023
| introduced_by = [[Minister of Home Affairs (India)|Home Minister]], [[Amit Shah]]
| committee_responsible = Parliamentary Standing Committee
| passed = 20 December 2023
| passed_for = Majority Voice
| passed_against = Minority Voice
| passed_abstention =
| passed_absent =
| bill2 = Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023
| bill_date2 = 20 December 2023
| introduced_by2 = [[Minister of Home Affairs (India) |Home Minister]], [[Amit Shah]]
| passed2 = 21 December 2023
| passed2_for = Majority Voice
| passed2_against = Minority Voice
| date_commenced = 1 July 2024
| white_paper =
| date_final_passage = 21 December 2023
| amends =
| repeals = [[Indian Evidence Act, 1872]]
| related_legislation = [[Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023]]{{br}}[[Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita]]
| status = in force
}}

The '''Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023''' (BSA) ([[International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]]: ''Bhāratīya Sākśya Adhiniyam''; {{Literal translation|'''Indian Evidence Act, 2023''' (IEA)}}) is an act of the [[Parliament of India]].<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Singh|first1=Vijaita|title=3 new Bills introduced in Lok Sabha to replace criminal laws; sedition law to be scrapped|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/3-bills-to-replace-ipc-crpc-indian-evidence-act-introduced-in-lok-sabha/article67183559.ece|website=The Hindu|language=en|date=11 August 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title='Sedition law to be repealed': Amit Shah introduces 3 bills to replace IPC, CrPC, Indian Evidence Act in Lok Sabha|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/home-minister-amit-shah-introduces-3-bills-to-replace-ipc-crpc-indian-evidence-act-in-lok-sabha/articleshow/102640505.cms?|website=The Times of India|language=en|date=11 August 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title="Acts of Secession" Replaces Sedition: New Bills To Overhaul Criminal Laws|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/amit-shah-indian-penal-code-criminal-laws-revised-justice-not-punishment-centres-3-new-bills-to-overhaul-criminal-laws-4289030|website=NDTV|language=en|date=11 August 2023}}</ref>

== Background and timeline ==
*On 11 August 2023, Amit Shah, [[Minister of Home Affairs (India)|Minister of Home Affairs]], introduced the Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023 in [[Lok Sabha]].
*On 12 December 2023, the Bharatiya Sakshya bill, 2023 was withdrawn.
*On 12 December 2023, the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) bill, 2023 was introduced in Lok Sabha.
*On 20 December 2023, the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) bill, 2023 was passed in Lok Sabha.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Das|first=Awstika|date=2023-12-20|title=Lok Sabha Passes Criminal Law Bills Seeking To Replace IPC, CrPC And Evidence Act|url=https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/lok-sabha-criminal-law-bills-ipc-crpc-evidence-act-bharatiya-nyaya-sanhita-nagaril-suraksha-sanhita-sakshya-bill-bns-bnss-bss-245023|access-date=2023-12-20|website=Live Law|language=en}}</ref>
*On 21 December 2023, the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) bill, 2023 was introduced in [[Rajya Sabha]].
*On 21 December 2023, the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) bill, 2023 was passed in Rajya Sabha.
*On 25 December 2023, the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) bill, 2023 received the assent of the President of India.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bills to replace criminal codes enacted into law as President Murmu gives nod|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/bills-to-replace-criminal-codes-enacted-into-law-as-president-murmu-gives-nod-2824616|date=25 December 2023|website=Deccan Herald|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=President gives assent to Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Bharatiya Sakshya Bill 2023|url=https://newsonair.gov.in/Main-News-Details.aspx?id=473993|date=26 December 2023|website=News on Air}}</ref>

== Structure ==
The Act consists of 170 sections as opposed to the 167 sections in the previous [[Indian Evidence Act, 1872|Indian Evidence Act]]. Of these 167 sections, 23 sections have been modified, five removed, and one more section added.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Parliament panel adopts reports on bills to replace existing criminal laws|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2023/nov/06/parliament-panel-adopts-reports-on-bills-to-replace-existing-criminal-laws-2630583.html|website=The New Indian Express|language=en|date=14 November 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Centre's 3 bills to revamp criminal laws: 'Aim to provide justice, not punish'|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/government-brings-in-three-bills-to-revamp-indias-crime-laws-crpc-amit-shah-lok-sabha-2419541-2023-08-11|website=India Today|language=en|date=11 August 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.livemint.com/news/india/parliament-monsoon-session-ends-today-amit-shah-announces-major-overhaul-of-criminal-justice-system-with-new-bill-11691738520380.html|title='Will repeal offence of sedition,' Amit Shah introduces 3 bills in Parliament|first=Sanchari|last=Ghosh|website=mint|language=en|date=11 August 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The 3 Bills That Will Soon Replace British-Era Criminal Laws. Their Aim Explained|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/the-3-bills-that-will-soon-replace-british-era-criminal-laws-their-aim-explained-4289008|website=NDTV|language=en|date=11 August 2023}}</ref>
{|class="wikitable sortable"
|+The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023
!Part
!Chapters
!Section
!Classification of Offences
|-
!rowspan="1" |Part 1
|Chapter 1
|Section 1 to 2
|Preliminary
|-
!rowspan="1" |Part 2
|Chapter 2
|Section 3 to 50
|
*''Relevancy Of Facts (3)''
*''Closely Connected Facts (4 to 14)''
*''Admissions (15 to 25)''
*''Statements By Persons Who Cannot Be Called As Witnesses (26 to 27)''
*''Statements Made Under Special Circumstances (28 to 32)''
*''How Much Of A Statement Is To Be Proved (33)''
*''Judgments Of Courts When Relevant (34 to 38)''
*''Opinions Of Third Persons When Relevant (39 to 45)''
*''Character When Relevant (46 to 50)''
|-
!rowspan="4" |Part 3 <br> On Proof
|Chapter 3
|Section 51 to 53
|Facts Which Need Not Be Proved
|-
|Chapter 4
|Clauses 54 to 55
|Of Oral Evidence
|-
|Chapter 5
|Section 56 to 93
|
*''Of Documentary Evidence (56 to 73) ''
*''Public documents (74 to 77)''
*''Presumptions As To Documents(78 to 93)''
|-
|Chapter 6
|Section 94 to 103
|Of The Exclusion Of Oral Evidence By Documentary Evidence
|-
!rowspan="6" |Part 4 <br> Production And Effect Of Evidence
|Chapter 7
|Section 104 to 120
|Of The Burden Of Proof
|-
|Chapter 8
|Section 121 to 123
|Estoppel
|-
|Chapter 9
|Section 124 to 139
|Of Witnesses
|-
|Chapter 10
|Section 140 to 168
|Of Examination Of Witnesses
|-
|Chapter 11
|Section 169
|Of Improper Admission And Rejection Of Evidence
|-
|Chapter 12
|Section 170
|Repeal And Savings
|-
|}

== Criticism ==
The new law makes it difficult for defendants to defend themselves at court and encourages prosecutors to produce potentially dubious evidence.<ref>{{Cite web |title=From Legislation to Litigation: Hurdles and Prospects in the Freshly Minted Bharatiya Sakshya Bill, 2023 |url=https://legalserviceindia.com/legal/article-13185-from-legislation-to-litigation-hurdles-and-prospects-in-the-freshly-minted-bharatiya-sakshya-bill-2023.html |access-date=2024-06-30 |website=legalserviceindia.com}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita]]
* [[Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.mha.gov.in/sites/default/files/250882_english_01042024.pdf Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam] from [[Ministry of Home Affairs (India)|Ministry of Home Affairs]]

{{Judiciary of India}}
{{Law enforcement in India}}

[[Category:Indian criminal law]]
[[Category:Codes of criminal procedure]]
[[Category:Evidence law]]
[[Category:2023 in India]]
[[Category:Acts of the Parliament of India 2023]]

{{India-law-stub}}

Bharatiya Sakshya Act, 2023 - Revision history

Anuj tripathi 111 at 19:15, 2 April 2026