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Section156
The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023

Exclusion of evidence to contradict answers to questions testing veracity

In force From 01 Jul 2024 Act 47 of 2023 As on 15 Oct 2026

Act 47 of 2023 Ministry Home Affairs Enacted 25 Dec 2023 In force 01 Jul 2024

Section 156 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 deals with exclusion of evidence to contradict answers to questions testing veracity. When a witness has been asked and has answered any question which is relevant to the inquiry only in so far as it tends to shake his credit by injuring his character, no evidence shall be given to contradict him; The Act came into force on 01 Jul 2024.

When a witness has been asked and has answered any question which is relevant to the inquiry only in so far as it tends to shake his credit by injuring his character, no evidence shall be given to contradict him; but, if he answers falsely, he may afterwards be charged with giving false evidence.

Exception 1.--If a witness is asked whether he has been previously convicted of any crime and denies it, evidence may be given of his previous conviction.

Exception 2.--If a witness is asked any question tending to impeach his impartiality, and answers it by denying the facts suggested, he may be contradicted.

Illustrations.

(a) A claim against an underwriter is resisted on the ground of fraud. The claimant is asked whether, in a former transaction, he had not made a fraudulent claim. He denies it. Evidence is offered to show that he did make such a claim. The evidence is inadmissible

(b) A witness is asked whether he was not dismissed from a situation for dishonesty. He denies it. Evidence is offered to show that he was dismissed for dishonesty. The evidence is not admissible.

(c) A affirms that on a certain day he saw B at Goa. A is asked whether he himself was not on that day at Varanasi. He denies it. Evidence is offered to show that A was on that day at Varanasi. The evidence is admissible, not as contradicting A on a fact which affects his credit, but as contradicting the alleged fact that B was seen on the day in question in Goa. In each of these cases, the witness might, if his denial was false, be charged with giving false evidence.

(d) A is asked whether his family has not had a blood feud with the family of B against whom he gives evidence. He denies it. He may be contradicted on the ground that the question tends to impeach his impartiality.

Section 156, The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (Act 47 of 2023).

Replaces a provision of the Indian Evidence Act

IEA 153 Exclusion of evidence to contradict answers to questions testing veracity Text carried over almost unchanged 95%

Measured by comparing the text of the two provisions, not taken from an official correspondence table — there is no machine-readable one. See both texts side by side before relying on it.

Both regimes are live. The repealed enactment still governs what happened while it was in force. We never redirect one to the other.

Related judgements & precedents

These are some judgments that construed this section, and hold precedence value. They hold authority on how to read, interpret and use this section.

  1. Ladi vs State of Haryana

    High Court 02 May 2013 Binding (High Court)

    Decided under Indian Evidence Act 153, which this section replaces. The court did not have this Act before it.

    Court's Decision & Legal Precedent

    An accused has an indefeasible right to fair trial and equal opportunity to prove his innocence. Electronically recorded conversations are admissible as documentary evidence under the amended Indian Evidence Act and Information Technology Act 2000 when: (1) the conversation is relevant to matters in issue; (2) the voice is properly identified; and (3) the accuracy of the recorded conversation is proved by eliminating the possibility of tampering, erasure, addition or manipulation. Courts must exercise their powers under Section 311 CrPC and Section 165 Evidence Act to examine witnesses and elicit evidence essential to just decision, taking a participatory role in trials to arrive at truth. When a witness has not been cross-examined on material evidence that subsequently emerges, courts should grant opportunity for re-examination to ensure fair trial.

    On this section: Permits contradicting a witness if he has denied any fact which was put to him to impeach his impartiality.

    Read the full order on eCourts India

The holding above is the ratio decidendi as extracted from the judgment by eCourts India, reproduced unaltered — it is a rendering of the court's reasoning, not a substitute for its words. Read the order itself before relying on it.

Questions about Section 156

What have the courts held on Section 156 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam?

Ladi vs State of Haryana (02 May 2013) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below, though it was decided under IEA 153, which this section replaced -- the court never mentioned this Act: Permits contradicting a witness if he has denied any fact which was put to him to impeach his impartiality.

How do I find court cases under Section 156 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam?

In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: BSA 156, section 156 BSA, section 156 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam. People searching for it also type bsa troop 156. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 1 reported judgment on this section is set out on this page, beginning with Ladi vs State of Haryana (02 May 2013).

What should I read with Section 156 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, and has it changed?

It carries forward IEA 153 (Exclusion of evidence to contradict answers to questions testing veracity), so the judgments decided under that provision are the case law on this one.

When did Section 156 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam come into force?

Section 156 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, cited as BSA 156, came into force on 01 Jul 2024, having been enacted on 25 Dec 2023. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.

Other sections of this Act

Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 15 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.