Evidence Act · 2014 Revised Edition · Chapter V
66. Rules as to notice to produce
Official textFrom Attorney General's Chambers, unchanged
Secondary evidence of the contents of the documents referred to in section 65(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, or to his solicitor, 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:
evidence
“evidence” includes — (a) all statements which the court permits or requires to be made before it by witnesses in relation to matters of fact under inquiry: such statements are called oral evidence; (b) all documents produced for the inspection of the court: such documents are called documentary evidence.
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 —
court
“court” includes all Judges and Magistrates and, except arbitrators, all persons legally authorised to take evidence;
when the document to be proved is itself a notice;
document
“document” means any matter expressed, described or howsoever represented upon any substance, material, thing or article, including any matter embodied in a disc, tape, film, sound track or other device whatsoever, by means of — (a) letters, figures, marks, symbols, signals or other forms of expression, description or representation whatsoever; (b) any visual recording (whether of still or moving images); (c) any sound recording or any electronic, magnetic, mechanical or other recording, whatsoever and however made, or any sound, electronic impulse or other data whatsoever; (d) a recording or transmission of the means mentioned in paragraph (a), (b) or (c), or by more than one of the means mentioned in paragraph (a), (b), (c) or (d), intended to be used or which may be used for the purpose of expressing, describing or howsoever representing that matter; Illustrations A writing is a document. Words printed, lithographed or photographed are documents. A map, plan, graph or sketch is a document. An inscription on wood, metal, stone or any other substance, material or thing is a document. A photograph or a negative is a document. A tape recording of a telephonic communication, including a recording of such communication transmitted over distance is a document. A photographic or other visual recording, including a recording of photographic or other visual transmission over a distance is a document. A matter recorded, stored, processed, retrieved or produced by a computer is a document.
when from the nature of the case the adverse party must know that he will be required to produce it;
when it appears or is proved that the adverse party has obtained possession of the original by fraud or force;
when the adverse party or his agent has the original in court;
when the adverse party or his agent has admitted the loss of the document;
when the person in possession of the document is out of reach of or not subject to the process of the court.
Terms defined in s 3
court
Defined · s 3“court” includes all Judges and Magistrates and, except arbitrators, all persons legally authorised to take evidence;
document
Defined · s 3“document” means any matter expressed, described or howsoever represented upon any substance, material, thing or article, including any matter embodied in a disc, tape, film, sound track or other device whatsoever, by means of — (a) letters, figures, marks, symbols, signals or other forms of expression, description or representation whatsoever; (b) any visual recording (whether of still or moving images); (c) any sound recording or any electronic, magnetic, mechanical or other recording, whatsoever and however made, or any sound, electronic impulse or other data whatsoever; (d) a recording or transmission of the means mentioned in paragraph (a), (b) or (c), or by more than one of the means mentioned in paragraph (a), (b), (c) or (d), intended to be used or which may be used for the purpose of expressing, describing or howsoever representing that matter; Illustrations A writing is a document. Words printed, lithographed or photographed are documents. A map, plan, graph or sketch is a document. An inscription on wood, metal, stone or any other substance, material or thing is a document. A photograph or a negative is a document. A tape recording of a telephonic communication, including a recording of such communication transmitted over distance is a document. A photographic or other visual recording, including a recording of photographic or other visual transmission over a distance is a document. A matter recorded, stored, processed, retrieved or produced by a computer is a document.
evidence
Defined · s 3“evidence” includes — (a) all statements which the court permits or requires to be made before it by witnesses in relation to matters of fact under inquiry: such statements are called oral evidence; (b) all documents produced for the inspection of the court: such documents are called documentary evidence.
Chapter VI
Part III