The new evidence law: Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023
India's rule book for what counts as evidence in court was rewritten in 2023 and took effect on 1 July 2024.
What the paper can ask
- Passed by Parliament on 20 and 21 December 2023, assented 25 December 2023, in force 1 July 2024.
- 170 sections in 12 chapters; electronic records count as primary evidence (Sections 57 and 61).
- Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the three bills; the BSA has 23 modified sections, five removed and one added compared with the old law.
Latest
The Bankers' Books Evidence Act, 2026 (assent 13 August 2026) came into force on 1 October 2026, replacing the 1891 Act; it is technology neutral and a court must record a special cause before summoning bank officials where the bank is not a party.
Why exams ask
Setters ask which old law each new code replaced, the start date, and which list of the Seventh Schedule the subject sits in.
The full story
The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), 2023 is the law on what evidence courts may accept and how it is proved. It is one of three new criminal codes that replaced colonial-era laws from 1 July 2024, alongside the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (on offences and punishments) and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (on criminal procedure). The BSA treats electronic and digital records as documents and primary evidence.