Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 · Chapter VI: Of the Exclusion of Oral Evidence by Documentary Evidence
Section 97: Exclusion of evidence against application of document to existing facts
In plain words
When the language of a document is plain and applies accurately to existing facts, evidence cannot be given to show it was not meant to apply to those facts.
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.
Official text
When language used in a document is plain in itself, and when it applies accurately to existing facts, evidence may not be given to show that it was not meant to apply to such facts.
Illustration
A sells to B, by deed, “my estate at Rampur containing one hundred bighas”. A has an estate at Rampur containing one hundred bighas. Evidence may not be given of the fact that the estate meant to be sold was one situated at a different place and of a different size.
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.
Supreme Court judgments citing the section 97
No Supreme Court judgment in our database cites this section yet.