Questions intended to insult or annoy.
What this section does
The Court is mandated to forbid any question that appears intended to insult or annoy a witness, or any question that, though proper in substance, is needlessly offensive in its form. This is a mandatory duty on the Court, unlike the discretionary power in Section 154.
AI-generated plain-language summary. For the binding statutory text, see India Code (official).
The rule in one line
The Court must forbid questions designed to insult or annoy a witness, or questions that are needlessly offensive in form.
When it applies
- A question phrased in a deliberately humiliating manner to embarrass a witness, even if the underlying inquiry is legitimate, must be forbidden by the Court.
- A question whose sole apparent purpose is to cause distress to the witness rather than elicit relevant information must be stopped by the Court.
Derived from IEA s.152.
Read the official text
For the binding statutory text of BSA Section 155, refer to the Gazette of India or the India Code official website.
Why this matters
BSA Section 155 forms part of Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam which replaced the Indian Evidence Act 1872 on 1 July 2024. Any new filing, FIR, charge sheet, or bail application made on or after that date should cite the new section number. References to the old act in legacy documents remain valid for matters that arose before the changeover.