Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 · Chapter X: Of Examination of Witnesses
Section 143: Order of examinations
In plain words
Witnesses are first examined-in-chief, then cross-examined if the other side wishes, then re-examined if the calling party wishes. Both examination-in-chief and cross-examination must relate to relevant facts, but cross-examination need not be limited to what the witness said in chief.
- Re-examination is to explain matters raised in cross-examination. If new matter is introduced with the court's permission, the other side can cross-examine on it.
A simplified explanation, prepared with AI assistance from the official text below and checked automatically against it for numbers and cross-references. The official text is the law and prevails over this summary. Not legal advice.
Read the in-depth explanation, with key Supreme Court rulings ↓
Official text
(1) 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.
(2) The examination-in-chief 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-inchief.
(3) The re-examination shall be directed to the explanation of matters referred to in cross-examination; and, if new matter is, by permission of the Court, introduced in re-examination, the adverse party may further cross-examine upon that matter.
Corresponding sections were matched by comparing the wording of both official texts, and for the IPC and BNS, also against a published correspondence table. Wording, punishments and structure often changed, so read both sections before relying on the match.
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 25 August 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.
Understanding this section
Section 143 carries forward section 138 of the Indian Evidence Act: the order and scope of examination.
Scope
Chief and cross must relate to relevant facts, but cross-examination need not be confined to the chief. Re-examination explains matters raised in cross; new matter needs the court's permission.
Hostile witnesses
A witness declared hostile and cross-examined by his own side is not wiped off the record; reliable portions can still be used.
Key Supreme Court rulings
Tarun Sharma v. State of Haryana 2025 INSC 1139
Decided under the Evidence Act. A hostile witness's evidence is not effaced; the dependable part can be accepted after careful scrutiny.
Common mistakes
- Discarding all of a hostile witness's testimony.
Read with: Section 157 BSA, Section 138 Evidence Act
Prepared with AI assistance as a study aid. Every ruling listed was checked against the Supreme Court's own judgments on this site, and quoted words appear in those judgments; linked names open the full judgment. Read the judgments themselves before relying on them. Not legal advice.
Supreme Court judgments citing the section 143
No Supreme Court judgment in our database cites this section yet.