What Is BSA Section 31?

Bhartiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 - Section 31: Relevancy of Statement as to Fact of Public Nature Contained in Certain Acts or Notifications

• When the Court has to form an opinion as to the existence of any fact of a public nature, any statement of it, made in a recital contained in any Central Act or State Act or in a Central Government or State Government notification appearing in the respective Official Gazette or in any printed paper or in electronic or digital form purporting to be such Gazette, is a relevant fact.

Brefe Detail

This section of the Bhartiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, clarifies that statements regarding facts of public nature found in Central or State Acts, government notifications, or their official publications are considered relevant facts for the court when determining the existence of such facts.

Question & Answers

Q1: What does Section 31 of the Bhartiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 address?

A1: It addresses the relevancy of statements about facts of a public nature contained in certain Acts or notifications.

Q2: In what forms can these statements be found?

A2: Statements can be found in recitals contained in Central Acts, State Acts, government notifications in the Official Gazette, or in printed or electronic forms purporting to be such Gazettes.

Q3: How does the court use these statements?

A3: The court uses these statements to form an opinion regarding the existence of facts of a public nature.

Q4: What types of Acts are mentioned in this section?

A4: Both Central Acts and State Acts are mentioned.

Example

• A notification issued by the Central Government regarding a new public health policy, published in the Official Gazette, can serve as a relevant fact in court when discussing the implementation of that policy.
• A recital in a State Act detailing the establishment of a new public university can be used as a relevant fact to prove the university's legal status in a legal dispute.

Summary

Section 31 of the Bhartiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, establishes that statements about facts of a public nature found in relevant Acts and government notifications are relevant facts for the court. This provision ensures that such statements can be relied upon in legal proceedings when determining the existence of public facts.