What facts are considered relevant under the Indian Evidence Act? Illustrate your answer.

Question: What facts are considered relevant under the Indian Evidence Act? Illustrate your answer. [H.J.S. 1996]

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Answer

Section 5 of the Indian Evidence Act says “in every suit or proceeding evidence may be given of existence or non-existence of a fact in issue or any other fact which is relevant as declared by Section 6 to 55.” So the question of relevancy has been dealt with in Section 6 to 55 of the Evidence Act.

Expression “Relevant” has been defined under section 3 of the Indian Evidence Act as-

“One fact is said to be relevant to another when one is connected with other in any of the ways referred to in provisions of this Act relating to the relevancy of facts.”

Term ‘Relevancy’ means a fact which is logically probative. Only those facts are relevant which helps the court in deciding the controversy or fact in issue.

‘Relevancy of facts’ can be considered as a tool to identify facts, appropriate to the case, from a plethora of them. These facts are called ‘Facts in Issue’ and help in steering the case towards a justifiable judgment.

Thus, the rule of relevancy implies that certain fact is connected or is so important to be proved for adjudicating the controversy or fact in issue.

For example, if ‘A’ were to beat ‘B,’ with a club and an intention to cause his death, the following would form the facts in issue:

1. A’s beating B with the club
2. A’s causing B’s death by such beating
3. A’s intention to cause B’s death

The concerning facts in the issue are to be only dealt with, during the trials and the rest are not relevant to the court. If a suitor were to bring any new unrelated issue, it would neither be accepted nor be heard in the later stage of the case.

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Important Mains Questions Series for Judiciary, APO & University Exams

1. Law of Evidence Mains Questions Series Part-I
2. Law of Evidence Mains Questions Series Part-II
3. Law of Evidence Mains Questions Series Part-III
4. Law of Evidence Mains Questions Series Part-IV
5. Law of Evidence Mains Questions Series Part-V
6. Law of Evidence Mains Questions Series Part-VI
7. Law of Evidence Mains Questions Series Part-VII
8. Law of Evidence Mains Questions Series Part-VIII
9. Law of Evidence Mains Questions Series Part-IX
10. Law of Evidence Mains Questions Series Part-X