149. .- No such question as is referred to in section 148 ought to be asked, unless the person asking it has reasonable grounds for thinking that the imputation which it conveys is well-founded. Illustrations (a) A barrister is instructed by an attorney or vakil that an important witness is a dakait. This is a reasonable ground for asking the witness whether he is a dakait. (b) A pleader is informed by a person in Court that an important witness is a dakait. The informant, on being ques... ... ...

148. . - 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 th... ... ...

147. .-If any such question relates to a matter relevant to the suit or proceeding, the provisions of section 132 shall apply thereto. =============... ... ...

146. . - When a witness is cross-examined, he may, in addition to the questions hereinbefore referred to, be asked any questions which tend- (1) to test his veracity, (2) to discover who he is and what is his position in life, or (3) to shake his credit, by injuring his character, although the answer to such questions might tend directly or indirectly to criminate him, or might expose or tend directly or indirectly to expose him to a penalty or forfeiture: ^1[Provid... ... ...

^[1]145. . - A witness may be cross-examined as to previous statements made by him in writing or reduced into writing, and relevant to matters in question, without such writing being shown to him, or being proved; but, if it is intended to contradict him by the writing, his attention must, before the writing can be proved, be called to those parts of it which are to be used for the purpose of contradicting him.     ****************** NOTES:- 1. As to the Application o... ... ...

144. . - Any witness may be asked, whilst under examination, whether any contract, grant or other disposition of property, as to which he is giving evidence, was not contained in a document, and if he says that it was, or if he is about to make any statement as to the contents of any document, which, in the opinion of the Court, ought to be produced, the adverse party may object to such evidence being given until such document is produced, or until facts have been proved which entitle the party ... ... ...

143. . - Leading questions may be asked in cross-examination. =============... ... ...

142. . - Leading questions must not, if objected to by the adverse party, be asked in an examination-in-chief, or in a re-examination, except with the permission of the Court. The Court shall permit leading questions as to matters which are introductory or undisputed, or which have, in its opinion, been already sufficiently proved. =============... ... ...

141. . - Any question suggesting the answer which the person putting it wishes or expects to receive, is called a leading question. =============... ... ...

140. . - may be cross-examined and re-examined. =============... ... ...

139. . - A person summoned to produce a document does not become a witness by the mere fact that he produces it, and cannot be cross-examined unless and until he is called as a witness. =============... ... ...

138. . - Witnesses shall be first examined-in-chief, then (if the adverse party so desires) cross-examined, then (if the party calling him so desires) re-examined. The examination and cross-examination must relate to relevant facts, but the cross-examination need not be confined to the facts to which the witness testified on his examination-in-chief. Direction of re-examination. - The re-examination shall be directed to the explanation of matters referred to in cross-examination; and, if n... ... ...

137. . - The examination of witness by the party who calls him shall be called his examination-in-chief. Cross-examination. - The examination of a witness by the adverse party shall be called his cross-examination. Re-examination. -The examination of a witness, subsequent to the cross-examination by the party who called him, shall be called his re-examination. =============... ... ...

136. . -When either party proposes to give evidence of any fact, the Judge may ask the party proposing to give the evidence in what manner the alleged fact, if proved, would be relevant; and the Judge shall admit the evidence if he thinks that the fact, if proved, would be relevant, and not otherwise. If the fact proposed to be proved is one of which evidence is admissible only upon proof of some other fact, such last-mentioned fact must be proved before evidence is given of the fact first-me... ... ...

CHAPTER X. - OF THE EXAMINATION OF WITNESSES 135. . - The order in which witnesses are produced and examined shall be regulated by the law and practice for the time being relating to civil and criminal procedure respectively, and, in the absence of any such law, by the discretion of the Court. =============... ... ...

134. . - No particular number of witnesses shall in any case be required for the proof of any fact. =============... ... ...

133. . - An accomplice shall be a competent witness against an accused person; and a conviction is not illegal merely because it proceeds upon the uncorroborated testimony of an accomplice. =============... ... ...

132. . - A witness shall not be excused from answering any question as to any matter relevant to the matter in issue in any suit or in any civil or criminal proceeding, upon the ground that the answer to such question will criminate, or may tend directly or indirectly to criminate, such witness, or that it will expose, or tend directly or indirectly to expose, such witness to a penalty or forfeiture of any kind: Proviso. - Provided that no such answer, which a witness shall be compelled to gi... ... ...

^1[131. . - No one shall be compelled to produce documents in his possession or electronic records under his control, which any other person would be entitled to refuse to produce if they were in his possession or control, unless such last-mentioned person consents to their production.]     ****************** NOTES:- 1. Subs. by Act 21 of 2000, s. 92 and the Second Schedule, for "Section 131" (17-10-2000). =============... ... ...

130. . - No witness who is not a party to a suit shall be compelled to produce his title-deeds to any property, or any document in virtue of which he holds any property as pledge or mortgagee or any document the production of which might tend to criminate him, unless he has agreed in writing to produce them with the person seeking the production of such deeds or some person through whom he claims. =============... ... ...