Redacting or rejecting evidence
Full Text
A Court may, in its discretion, for reasons to be recorded in writing––
(i) redact or order the redaction of such portions of the affidavit of examination-in-chief as do not, in its view, constitute evidence; or
(ii) return or reject an affidavit of examination-in-chief as not constituting admissible evidence.
Plain English Summary
Empowers the Commercial Court to strike out or redact portions of examination-in-chief affidavits that do not constitute evidence, or reject and return the entire affidavit if legally inadmissible.
Key Legal Elements
- Inserted by Commercial Courts Act, 2015: Critical tool to clean up evidence affidavits.
- Redaction Power (Clause i): Court orders blacking out / deletion of scandalous, argumentative, or hearsay paragraphs.
- Outright Rejection / Return (Clause ii): Applicable where affidavit is wholly inadmissible or filed by an incompetent deponent.
- Written Reasons Required: Exercise of discretion must be reasoned.
Practical Note
Moving for Redaction under Order XIX Rule 5: 1. Routine Abuse in Chief Affidavits: Litigants frequently copy-paste legal submissions, case law extracts, and hearsay allegations into Rule 4 examination-in-chief affidavits. 2. Courtroom Motion: Move an 'Application under Order XIX Rule 5 CPC for redaction and striking out of Paragraphs 8 to 22 of the Plaintiff's Examination-in-Chief Affidavit as argumentative legal submissions and inadmissible hearsay'.
हिंदी पाठ
न्यायालय अपने विवेकानुसार, लिखित में अभिलिखित किए जाने वाले कारणों से—
(i) मुख्य परीक्षा के शपथपत्र के ऐसे अंशों को काट (Redact) सकेगा या काटे जाने का आदेश दे सकेगा जो उसकी दृष्टि में साक्ष्य नहीं हैं; अथवा
(ii) मुख्य परीक्षा के ऐसे शपथपत्र को, जो ग्राह्य साक्ष्य (Admissible evidence) नहीं बनता है, लौटा सकेगा या खारिज कर सकेगा।