Production of documents
Full Text
(1) A witness summoned to produce a document shall, if it is in his possession or power, bring it to Court, notwithstanding any objection which there may be to its production or to its admissibility:
Provided that the validity of any such objection shall be decided on by the Court.
(2) The Court, if it sees fit, may inspect the document, unless it refers to matters of State, or take other evidence to enable it to determine on its admissibility.
(3) If for such a purpose it is necessary to cause any document to be translated, the Court may, if it thinks fit, direct the translator to keep the contents secret, unless the document is to be given in evidence and, if the interpreter disobeys such direction, he shall be held to have committed an offence under section 198 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023:
Provided that no Court shall require any communication between the Ministers and the President of India to be produced before it.
Plain English Summary
Requires summoned witnesses to bring documents to court despite objections, leaving admissibility decisions to the court, and bars courts from demanding President-Minister communications.
Key Legal Elements
- Imposes an absolute duty on a summoned witness to bring the document to court, regardless of objections to production or admissibility.
- Empowers the court to inspect the document (except those concerning state matters) to decide on the validity of any objection.
- Criminalizes disclosure of translated document contents by interpreters under Section 198 of BNS, 2023.
- Creates an absolute bar on courts requiring the production of communications between Ministers and the President of India.
Practical Note
This is a vital procedural shield and sword when issuing summons for documents (such as under Section 94 of the BNSS). If a witness is summoned, they must bring the document to the court first—they cannot refuse to bring it on the grounds of confidentiality, privilege, or lack of relevance. Once they bring it, they can raise their objections, and only the judge has the power to decide if the objection is valid. A major new highlight is the absolute privilege given to communications between the Union Cabinet/Ministers and the President of India (codifying the constitutional bar under Article 74(2) directly into the evidence law). If you represent a public authority, ensure this privilege is actively claimed when state communications are sought.
हिंदी पाठ
(1) किसी दस्तावेज को पेश करने के लिए समन किया गया साक्षी, यदि वह उसके कब्जे या शक्ति में हो, तो उसे न्यायालय में लाएगा, चाहे उसके पेश किए जाने या उसकी ग्राह्यता के बारे में कोई भी आक्षेप क्यों न हो:
परन्तु ऐसे किसी आक्षेप की विधिमान्यता का निर्णय न्यायालय द्वारा किया जाएगा।
(2) न्यायालय, यदि वह ठीक समझे, तो दस्तावेज का निरीक्षण कर सकेगा, जब तक कि वह राज्य के मामलों से संबंधित न हो, अथवा उसकी ग्राह्यता का निर्धारण करने में समर्थ होने के लिए अन्य साक्ष्य ले सकेगा।
(3) यदि ऐसे किसी प्रयोजन के लिए किसी दस्तावेज का अनुवाद कराना आवश्यक हो, तो न्यायालय, यदि वह ठीक समझे, अनुवादक को निर्देश दे सकेगा कि वह उसकी सामग्री को गुप्त रखे, जब तक कि दस्तावेज साक्ष्य में प्रस्तुत न किया जाना हो, और यदि दुभाषिया ऐसे निर्देश की अवज्ञा करता है, तो उसे भारतीय न्याय संहिता, 2023 की धारा 198 के अधीन अपराध किया हुआ माना जाएगा:
परन्तु कोई भी न्यायालय मंत्रियों और भारत के राष्ट्रपति के बीच किसी भी संसूचना को अपने समक्ष पेश करने की अपेक्षा नहीं करेगा।