Section 39 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872:
When any statement of which evidence is given—
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ADVERTISEMENTS:
(a) Forms part of:
(i) A longer statement or
(ii) A conversation, or
(iii) An isolated document, or
ADVERTISEMENTS:
(b) Is contained in a document which forms part of a book, or
(c) Is contained in a part of an electronic record or of a connected series of letters or papers, evidence can be given of so much (and no more) of the statement, conversation, document, electronic record, books or series of letters or papers, as the Court considers necessary in that particular case to the full understanding of the nature and effect of the statement, and of the circumstances under which it was made.
This rule is broad-based on justice and convenience. In the absence of such a rule, the precious time of the Court would be unnecessarily wasted. At the same time, the law does not allow an unfair use to be made of a man’s statement, torn away from its context. If, for instance, a party makes a qualified statement, such a statement cannot be used against him, apart from the qualification or explanation attached to it.
