Evidence as to matters in writing.

What this section does

Where a witness is giving evidence about a contract, grant, or disposition of property that is contained in a document, or is about to state the contents of a document the Court thinks should be produced, the adverse party may object until the document is produced or secondary evidence is justified. However, oral evidence of statements made by others about document contents is admissible if those statements are themselves relevant facts.

AI-generated plain-language summary. For the binding statutory text, see India Code (official).

The rule in one line

Oral evidence about the contents of a document that ought to be produced may be objected to until the document is produced or secondary evidence is justified.

When it applies

• A witness testifying about the terms of a written lease agreement may be stopped by the adverse party until the lease deed itself is produced.
• A witness may give oral evidence that he heard A say 'B wrote a letter accusing me of theft and I will be revenged,' because A's statement is itself a relevant fact showing motive, even without producing the letter.

Derived from IEA s.144.