Competency of husband and wife as witnesses in certain cases
Full Text
(1) In all civil proceedings the parties to the suit, and the husband or wife of any party to the suit, shall be competent witnesses.
(2) In criminal proceedings against any person, the husband or wife of such person, respectively, shall be a competent witness.
Plain English Summary
Spouses are competent witnesses against each other in both civil and criminal proceedings.
Key Legal Elements
- Parties to civil suit are competent witnesses
- Spouses of parties in civil suits are competent
- Spouses in criminal proceedings are competent
Practical Note
This section clarifies that marriage is not a bar to witness competency. While spouses are competent, certain communications between them are still privileged (under Section 128 of BSA). This section essentially removes the old common law rule where spouses couldn't testify against each other.
हिंदी पाठ
(1) सब सिविल कार्यवाहियों में वाद के पक्षकार और वाद के किसी पक्षकार के पति या पत्नी सक्षम साक्षी होंगे।
(2) किसी व्यक्ति के विरुद्ध दाण्डिक कार्यवाहियों में ऐसे व्यक्ति का पति या पत्नी, यथास्थिति, सक्षम साक्षी होगा।