According to Section 137 of the Indian Evidence Act 1872 The examination of a witness, by the party who calls him, shall be called his examination-in-chief.

 Cross-examination - The examination of a witness by the adverse party shall be called his cross-examination.and the examination of a witness, subsequent to the cross-examination by the party who called him, shall be called his re-examination.

Section 138 of the said Act speaks about Order of examinations - 


       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. The examination and cross-examination must relate to relevant facts but the cross-examination need not to be confined to the facts which the witness testified on his examination-in-chief. Direction of re-examination The re-examination shall be directed to the explanation of matters referred to in cross-examination, and if new matter by permission of the Court, introduced in re-examination, the adverse party may further cross-examine upon that matter.


Section 139 - Cross-examination of person called to produce a document - 


      A person summoned to produce a document does not become a witness by the mere fact that he produces it, and cannot be cross-examination, unless and until he is called as a witness.

According to Section 143 of the Act, Leading questions may be asked in Cross-Examination

See... Questions which may be asked in Cross-Examination.


Cross-examination as to previous statements in writing (Section 145) - 


          A witness may be cross-examined as to previous statements made by him in writing or reduced into writing and relevant to matter in question, without such writing being shown to him, or being proved; but if it is intended to contradict him by the writing, his attention must, before the writing can be proved, be called to those parts of it which are to be used for the purpose of contradicting him.

Questions lawful in cross-examination  (Section 146) - 


          When a witness is cross-examined, he may, in addition to the questions hereinbefore referred to, be asked any questions which tend —

         (1) to test his veracity,

         (2) to discover who he is and what is his position in life, or

          (3) to shake his credit, by injuring his character, although the answer to such questions might tend directly or indirectly to criminate him, or might expose or tend directly or indirectly to expose him to a penalty or forfeiture :

     Provided that in a prosecution for an offence under section 376, section 376A, section 376B, section 376C, section 376D or section 376E of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) or for attempt to commit any such offence, where the question of consent is an issue, it shall not be permissible to adduce evidence or to put questions in the cross-examination of the victim as to the general immoral character, or previous sexual experience, of such victim with any person for proving such consent or the quality of consent.


See also...

Examination of Witnesses under the Indian Evidence Act 1872

Impeaching credit of witness




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