Section 142: Examination of witnesses

Earlier law: Evidence Act section 137 (Examination-in-chief)

In plain words

Examination of a witness by the party who called them is examination-in-chief. Examination by the other side is cross-examination. Further examination by the calling party after cross-examination is re-examination.

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) The examination of a witness by the party who calls him shall be called his examination-in-chief.

(2) The examination of a witness by the adverse party shall be called his cross-examination.

(3) The examination of a witness, subsequent to the cross-examination, by the party who called him, shall be called his re-examination.

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 142 carries forward section 137 of the Indian Evidence Act: examination-in-chief, cross-examination and re-examination.

Stages

Examination-in-chief by the party calling the witness.
Cross-examination by the adverse party.
Re-examination by the calling party, to explain matters raised in cross.

Common mistakes

Not putting one's case to the witness in cross-examination.

Read with: Section 143 BSA, Section 137 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 142

No Supreme Court judgment in our database cites this section yet.