Power to issue commission for examination of witness in prison
Full Text
(1) Where it appears to the Court that the evidence of a person confined or detained in a prison, whether within the State or elsewhere in India, is material in a suit but the attendance of such person cannot be secured under the preceding provisions of this Order, the Court may issue a commission for the examination of that person in the prison in which he is confined or detained.
(2) The provisions of Order XXVI shall, so far may be, apply in relation to the examination on commission of such person in prison as they apply in relation to the examination on commission of any other person.
Plain English Summary
Vests all-India jurisdiction in the civil court to issue a commission under Order XXVI to examine any prisoner confined within the State or anywhere in India whose physical attendance cannot be procured.
Key Legal Elements
- Pan-India Reach: Applies to any prison located within the State or elsewhere in India.
- Complementary Safety Valve: Operates when distance exceeds 25 km, State bans exist, or illness intervenes.
- Order XXVI Regime: Governed by commission procedure, interrogatories, and commissioner remuneration.
- Modern Video Link Expansion: Interpreted broadly to encompass digital deposition under High Court Video Conferencing Rules.
Practical Note
In-Prison Commission and Video Conferencing (Rule 7): 1. Modern Practice via Video Conferencing: In light of Supreme Court directives (State of Maharashtra v. Prafull B. Desai (2003) 4 SCC 601), examination under Rule 7 is routinely conducted through video-conferencing between the courtroom and the jail's VC facility, saving public escort expenses. 2. Drafting: Heading: 'Application under Order XVI-A Rule 7 read with Order XXVI CPC for appointment of a Local Commissioner / issuance of directions for recording evidence of witness confined in Tihar Jail through Video Conferencing'.
हिंदी पाठ
(1) जहां न्यायालय को यह प्रतीत होता है कि किसी कारागार में परिरुद्ध या निरुद्ध किसी व्यक्ति का साक्ष्य, चाहे वह राज्य के भीतर हो या भारत में अन्यत्र, किसी वाद में तात्त्विक है किन्तु इस आदेश के पूर्वगामी उपबंधों के अधीन ऐसे व्यक्ति की उपस्थिति प्राप्त नहीं की जा सकती है, वहां न्यायालय उस कारागार में जिसमें वह परिरुद्ध या निरुद्ध है, उस व्यक्ति की परीक्षा के लिए कमीशन (Commission) जारी कर सकेगा।
(2) कारागार में ऐसे व्यक्ति की कमीशन पर परीक्षा के संबंध में आदेश 26 के उपबंध, जहां तक हो सके, उसी प्रकार लागू होंगे जैसे वे किसी अन्य व्यक्ति की कमीशन पर परीक्षा के संबंध में लागू होते हैं।