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CHAPTER II.––OF THE RELEVANCY OF FACTS · CHARACTER WHEN RELEVANT

Section 55: Character as affecting damages

The Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (repealed)

Repealed by the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (47 of 2023) with effect from 1 July 2024.

In civil cases, the fact that the character of any person is such as to affect the amount of damages which he ought to receive, is relevant.

Explanation.––In sections 52, 53, 54 and 55, the word “character” includes both reputation and disposition; but, 1[except as provided in section 54], evidence may be given only of general reputation and general disposition, and not of particular acts by which reputation or disposition were shown.

Footnotes in the official text

  1. 1.Ins. by s. 7, ibid (w.e.f. 13-2-1891).

Now in the BSA

As given in the correspondence table of the National Crime Records Bureau (Ministry of Home Affairs). Read both texts before relying on it. NCRB table

55. Character as affecting damages.BSA 50

Questions on this section

1 question in 7 of our papers cite Section 55. Try these from the free papers:

  1. 1. Under Section 50 of the BSA read with its Explanation, where in a civil case the character of a person affects the amount of damages he ought to receive, the word 'character':

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