Section 142 BSA 2023: Examination of Witnesses

Section 142 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 defines three stages in the examination of a witness: examination-in-chief, cross-examination and re-examination. The provision forms part of Chapter X, which deals with examination of witnesses.

Updated: September 13, 2026

Section 142: Examination of witnesses

Sub-section (1): The examination of a witness by the party who calls that witness is called examination-in-chief.

Sub-section (2): The examination of that witness by the adverse party is called cross-examination.

Sub-section (3): The examination of the witness, after cross-examination, by the party who originally called the witness is called re-examination.

In simple terms: Section 142 supplies the legal names for the three principal stages through which a witness may be examined in court.

Definitions under Section 142 BSA

Stage	Who conducts it	Basic meaning
Examination-in-chief	The party who calls the witness	The first examination of that witness by the party relying on the witness.
Cross-examination	The adverse party	The examination of the witness by the opposing party.
Re-examination	The party who called the witness	The further examination after cross-examination by the party who originally called the witness.

How examination of a witness proceeds

Section 142 defines the three stages. The sequence and scope of those stages are dealt with more fully in Section 143 BSA: Order of examinations.

As a practical reading aid, examination-in-chief introduces the witness's evidence through the party who called the witness. Cross-examination gives the adverse party the opportunity to test that evidence. Re-examination then permits the party who called the witness to address matters arising from the cross-examination, subject to the rules governing re-examination.

Important distinction

Section 142 is a definitional provision. It identifies what each stage of witness examination is called. Questions concerning the order of examination, leading questions, previous written statements and the permissible scope of cross-examination are addressed in the following provisions of Chapter X.

Commencement and current law

The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 is Act No. 47 of 2023. It came into force on July 1, 2024. Section 142 therefore operates as part of the current central law of evidence, subject to the Act's application and transitional provisions where relevant.

Key takeaway

Section 142 BSA provides the basic vocabulary for witness examination. The party calling a witness conducts the examination-in-chief, the adverse party conducts the cross-examination, and the party calling the witness may thereafter conduct the re-examination. For procedure and scope, Section 142 should be read with Section 143 and the succeeding provisions of Chapter X.