List of Important Topics in the Evidence Act (Evidence Law Basics 1)

The evidence law is important procedural law in the litigation practice. One cannot become a good litigation lawyer unless one masters the concepts of evidence law. There are various terms of evidence law regularly used in trials such as Circumstantial Evidence, Appreciation of Evidence, Preponderance of Probabilities, Proof Beyond Reasonable Doubt, Benefit of Doubt, Last Seen Evidenc etc. One must be thorough with these concepts. In this article, we have given chapter-wise important topics in the evidence act for the benefit of Law Students and Junior Lawyers.

PART I - RELEVANCY OF FACTS

CHAPTER I - PRELIMINARY (Ss. 1-4)

* Fact, Relevant Fact, Fact in Issue, Evidence, Proved, Disproved, Not Proved (S. 3)
* Presumption - May Presume, Shall Presume, Conclusive Proof  (S. 4)

CHAPTER II - OF THE RELEVANCY OF FACTS (Ss. 5-55)

* Facts in issue and Relevant Fact (S. 5)
* Res Gestae (S. 6)
* Occassion, Cause or effect (S. 7)
* Motive, Preparation and Conduct (S. 8)
* Test Identification Parade (TIP) (S.9)
* Conspiracy (S. 10)
* Plea of Alibi (S. 11)
* Customs (S. 13)
* Existence of State of mind (S. 14)
* Similar facts (S. 15, 16)
* Admission (S. 17-23)
* Confession (S. 24-30) 
* Admission Estoppel (S. 31)
* Dying Declaration (S 32)
* Res judicata (S 40)
* Judgement in Rem (S 41)
* Expert Opinion (S. 45-51)
* Relevancy of Character (S. 52-55)

PART II - ON PROOF

CHAPTER III - FACTS WHICH NEED NOT BE PROVED (Ss. 56-58)

* Judicial notice (S. 56-58)

CHAPTER IV - OF ORAL EVIDENCE (Ss 59-60)

* Oral Evidence (S. 59-60)

CHAPTER V - OF DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE (Ss. 61-100)

* Documentary Evidence (S. 60)
* Primary Evidence (S. 61)
* Secondary Evidence (S. 62)
* Electronic Evidence (S. 65A-65B)
* Electronic Signature (S. 67A)
* Proof of Attested Documents (S. 68-71)
* Digital Signature (S. 73A)
* Public Documents (S. 74)
* Private Documents (S. 75)
* Certified Copies of Public Documents (S. 76-78)
* Presumption as to documents (S. 79-90A)

CHAPTER VI - OF THE EXCULSION OF ORAL BY DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE (Ss. 91-100)

* Exclusion of oral by documentary evidence (S. 91-92)
* Patent Ambiguity (S. 93-94)
* Latent Ambiguity (S. 95-97)

PART III - PRODUCTION AND EFFECT OF EVIDENCE

CHAPTER VII - OF THE BURDEN OF PROOF (Ss. 101-114A)

* Burden of Proof (S. 101-106)
* Survivorship and Death (S. 107-112)
* Presumption (S. 113A-114A)


CHAPTER VIII - ESTOPPEL (Ss. 115-117)

* Estoppel (S. 115-117)

CHAPTER IX - OF WITNESSES (Ss. 118-134)

* Witnesses (S. 118-121)
* Privileged Communication (S. 122-132)
* Accomplice (S. 133)

CHAPTER X - OF THE EXAMINATION OF WITNESSES (S. 135-166)

* Examination-in-chief (S. 137)
* Order of examination (S. 138)
* Cross Examination (S. 139)
* Leading Questions (S. 141-143)
* Witness compelled to answer (S. 147)
* Indecent and scandalous questions (S. 151)
* Hostile witness (S. 154)
* Impeaching credit of witness (S. 155)
* Corroboration of evidence (S. 156-157)
* Refreshing memory (S. 159)
* Production of documents (S. 162-164)
* Judges power to put questions (S. 165)