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CHAPTER V.––OF DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE

Section 66: Rules as to notice to produce

The Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (repealed)

Repealed by the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (47 of 2023) with effect from 1 July 2024.

Secondary evidence of the contents of the documents referred to in section 65, clause (a), shall not be given unless the party proposing to give such secondary evidence has previously given to the party in whose possession or power the document is, 1[or to his attorney or pleader,] such notice to produce it as is prescribed by law; and if no notice is prescribed by law, then such notice as the Court considers reasonable under the circumstances of the case:

Provided that such notice shall not be required in order to render secondary evidence admissible in any of the following cases, or in any other case in which the Court thinks fit to dispense with it: ––

(1) when the document to be proved is itself a notice;

(2) when, from the nature of the case, the adverse party must know that he will be required to produce it;

(3) when it appears or is proved that the adverse party has obtained possession of the original by fraud or force;

(4) when the adverse party or his agent has the original in Court;

(5) when the adverse party or his agent has admitted the loss of the document;

(6) when the person in possession of the document is out of reach of, or not subject to, the process of the Court.

Footnotes in the official text

  1. 1.Ins. by Act 18 of 1872, s. 6 (w.e.f. 29-8-1872).

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

66. Rules as to notice to produce.BSA 64

Questions on this section

2 questions in 10 of our papers cite Section 66. Try these from the free papers:

  1. 1. Under the proviso to Section 64 of the BSA, notice to produce is NOT required before giving secondary evidence of a document in which of the following cases?

  2. 2. Match List I (section of the BSA) with List II (subject): List I A. Section 57 B. Section 58 C. Section 60 D. Section 64 List II 1. Rules as to notice to produce 2. Primary evidence 3. Cases in which secondary evidence relating to documents may be given 4. Secondary evidence

Practise questions on Criminal Law