Judge’s power to put questions or order production.

What this section does

The Judge has wide power to ask any question in any form at any time of any witness or party, and to order production of any document or thing, in order to discover or obtain proof of relevant facts; parties have no right to object to such questions or orders, nor to cross-examine on answers without leave. However, the judgment must rest on duly proved relevant facts, and the section does not override the privilege provisions in ss. 127–136, the improper-question bar in ss. 151–152, or the primary-evidence rule.

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

The rule in one line

The Judge may ask any question or order any production to discover relevant facts, subject to privilege, improper-question, and primary-evidence limits.

When it applies

• A judge may suo motu ask a witness to clarify a discrepancy in testimony without either party having raised the point.
• A judge may order production of a document not listed by either party if it appears necessary to determine a relevant fact, but cannot compel production of a privileged communication.

Derived from IEA s.165.