BSA Section 74: Public and private documents
Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 · Chapter 5: Of Documentary Evidence
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¶74.
(1) The following documents are public documents:\u2014
¶(a) documents forming the acts, or records of the acts\u2014
¶(i) of the sovereign authority;
¶(ii) of official bodies and tribunals; and
¶(iii) of public officers, legislative, judicial and executive of India or of a foreign country;
¶(b) public records kept in any State or Union territory of private documents. (2) All other documents except the documents referred to in sub-section (1) are private.
Study: explanations and related material
Replaces IEA 74, IEA 75. IEA → BSA converterSource: BPR&D BSA–IEA corresponding section table (UP Police, 2024-07-03)
Official reference: Ministry of Home Affairs: Gazette text, 25 December 2023 — source link checked: 2 October 2026.Recorded edition / snapshot date: 2024-07-01.Mobile-app reference import; the recorded snapshot date is not a fresh legal-currency guarantee. The linked government text is an independent authoritative reference, not certification that this website reproduces the same edition. The source link was checked, not every provision or subsequent amendment. Check commencement notifications, savings and jurisdiction-specific variations separately.
This text is for reference, not legal advice. Consult the official source for the authoritative text.
Other sections in this chapter
- 56. Proof of contents of documents
- 57. Primary evidence
- 58. Secondary evidence
- 59. Proof of documents by primary evidence
- 60. Cases in which secondary evidence relating to documents may be given
- 61. Electronic or digital record
- 62. Special provisions as to evidence relating to electronic record
- 63. Admissibility of electronic records
- 64. Rules as to notice to produce
- 65. Proof of signature and handwriting of person alleged to have signed or written document produced
- 66. Proof as to electronic signature
- 67. Proof of execution of document required by law to be attested
- 68. Proof where no attesting witness found
- 69. Admission of execution by party to attested document
- 70. Proof when attesting witness denies execution
- 71. Proof of document not required by law to be attested
- 72. Comparison of signature, writing or seal with others admitted or proved
- 73. Proof as to verification of digital signature
- 75. Certified copies of public documents
- 76. Proof of documents by production of certified copies
- 77. Proof of other official documents
- 78. Presumption as to genuineness of certified copies
- 79. Presumption as to documents produced as record of evidence, etc
- 80. Presumption as to Gazettes, newspapers, and other documents
- 81. Presumption as to Gazettes in electronic or digital record
- 82. Presumption as to maps or plans made by authority of Government
- 83. Presumption as to collections of laws and reports of decisions
- 84. Presumption as to powers-of-attorney
- 85. Presumption as to electronic agreements
- 86. Presumption as to electronic records and electronic signatures
- 87. Presumption as to Electronic Signature Certificates
- 88. Presumption as to certified copies of foreign judicial records
- 89. Presumption as to books, maps and charts
- 90. Presumption as to electronic messages
- 91. Presumption as to due execution, etc., of documents not produced
- 92. Presumption as to documents thirty years old
- 93. Presumption as to electronic records five years old