IEA §148 → BSA §151
Court to decide when question shall be asked and when witness compelled to answer
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Comparison
148. Court to decide when question shall be asked and when witness compelled to answer. –– If any such question relates to a matter not relevant to the suit or proceeding, except in so far as it affects the credit of the witness by injuring his character, the Court shall decide whether or not the witness shall be compelled to answer it, and may, if it thinks fit, warn the witness that he is not obliged to answer it. In exercising its discretion, the Court shall have regard to the following considerations:––
(1) such questions are proper if they are of such a nature that the truth of the imputation conveyed by them would seriously affect the opinion of the Court as to the credibility of the witness on the matter to which he testifies;
(2) such questions are improper if the imputation which they convey relates to matters so remote in time, or of such a character, that the truth of the imputation would not affect, or would affect in a slight degree, the opinion of the Court as to the credibility of the witness on the matter to which he testifies;
(3) such questions are improper if there is a great disproportion between the importance of the imputation made against the witness’s character and the importance of his evidence;
(4) the Court may, if it sees fit, draw, from the witness’s refusal to answer, the inference that the answer if given would be unfavourable.
151.
(1) If any such question relates to a matter not relevant to the suit or proceeding, except in so far as it affects the credit of the witness by injuring his character, the Court shall decide whether or not the witness shall be compelled to answer it, and may, if it thinks fit, warn the witness that he is not obliged to answer it.
(2) In exercising its discretion, the Court shall have regard to the following considerations, namely:— (a) such questions are proper if they are of such a nature that the truth of the imputation conveyed by them would seriously affect the opinion of the Court as to the credibility of the witness on the matter to which he testifies; (b) such questions are improper if the imputation which they convey relates to matters so remote in time, or of such a character, that the truth of the imputation would not affect, or would affect in a slight degree, the opinion of the Court as to the credibility of the witness on the matter to which he testifies; (c) such questions are improper if there is a great disproportion between the importance of the imputation made against the witness's character and the importance of his evidence; (d) the Court may, if it sees fit, draw, from the witness's refusal to answer, the inference that the answer if given would be unfavourable.
What changedAI-inferred
Court to decide when question shall be asked and when witness compelled to answer.
Old position
IEA 148 is concerned with Court to decide when question shall be asked and when witness compelled to answer. Court to decide when question shall be asked and when witness compelled to answer
New position
BSA 154 preserves the framework with drafting modernisations as required by the new code. Topic: The Court may forbid any questions or inquiries which it regards as.. The Court may forbid any questions or inquiries which it regards as indecent or scandalous, although such questions or inquiries may have some bearing on the questions before the Court, unless they relate to facts in issue, or to matters
BSA 154 (The Court may forbid any questions or inquiries which it regards as.) preserves the framework of IEA 148. BSA 154 retains the operative provisions in substantively the same form, with drafting modernisation and structural updates as required by the new code. BSA 154 text: The Court may...
Editorial deltaAI-indicated (source-linked)
BSA-151 reproduces the operative content of IEA-148 (Court to decide when question shall be asked and when witness compelled to answer) with text-overlap 0.80 on the supplied bare-act extracts. The original PRS-chart-based pairing (BSA-154) appears to have been a parsing artifact: text-comparison shows that destination has a different topic. The corrected pairing reflects the actual section-content correspondence. Cross-references may need to be remapped per locked doctrine #11.
Transitional note (repeal & savings)
For matters initiated before 1 July 2024, IEA 148 continues to apply. For matters from that date forward, BSA 154 applies. The transition is governed by the repeal-and-savings clause in the new code (BNS 358 / BNSS 531 / BSA 170 as the case may be); pending proceedings under the old code carry forward unaffected.
Frequently asked
BSA 154 (The Court may forbid any questions or inquiries which it regards as.). The relationship is classified as substantively_same — see the change-note above for the textual delta.
Sources
- India Code — Indian Evidence Act, 1872
- Gazette of India — Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023
Cite this page
Newlaws.in, IEA §148 → BSA §151 Mapping Page, last updated 2026-05-01, accessed 2026-06-15, https://newlaws.in/iea/148.
Compiled using AI-assisted tools · Source-linked · Last updated 2026-05-01
Not legal advice. Verify against the bare act and consult a qualified advocate for any specific matter.