Testimony to facts stated in document mentioned in section 162
Full Text
A witness may also testify to facts mentioned in any such document as is mentioned in section 162, although he has no specific recollection of the facts themselves, if he is sure that the facts were correctly recorded in the document.
Illustration
A book-keeper may testify to facts recorded by him in books regularly kept in the course of business, if he knows that the books were correctly kept, although he has forgotten the particular transactions entered.
Plain English Summary
Allows a witness to testify to facts in a document from Section 162, even without active memory of the event, if they are sure it was recorded correctly.
Key Legal Elements
- Allows a witness to testify to facts mentioned in a contemporary document even if they have no specific independent recollection of the facts.
- Requires the witness to be certain that the facts were correctly and accurately recorded in the document at the relevant time.
- Provides the statutory basis for 'past recollection recorded' (e.g., autopsies, accounting ledgers) in Indian trial law.
Practical Note
This is the ultimate lifeline for busy professionals in the witness box. A doctor who conducts 5 autopsies a day cannot possibly remember details of a body examined 3 years ago, even after looking at the post-mortem report (Section 162). Under Section 163, they can testify: 'I have no active memory of this specific body, but this post-mortem report bears my signature, it was written by me during my official duty, and I am absolutely certain it was recorded correctly at that time.' This makes the contents of the document admissible as substantive evidence of those facts. When representing professionals or officers, prepare them to invoke this section if their independent memory has faded.
हिंदी पाठ
कोई साक्षी धारा 162 में वर्णित किसी भी ऐसे दस्तावेज में उल्लिखित तथ्यों की गवाही भी दे सकेगा, यद्यपि उसे स्वयं उन तथ्यों का कोई विशिष्ट स्मरण नहीं है, यदि उसे विश्वास है कि तथ्य दस्तावेज में सही ढंग से दर्ज किए गए थे।
दृष्टान्त
कोई बही-खाता लेखक उन तथ्यों के बारे में गवाही दे सकेगा जो उसने कारबार के सामान्य अनुक्रम में नियमित रूप से रखी जाने वाली बहियों में दर्ज किए हैं, यदि वह जानता है कि वे बहियां सही ढंग से रखी गई थीं, यद्यपि वह दर्ज किए गए विशिष्ट संव्यवहारों को भूल गया है।