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Lok Sabha Passes Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill, 2026
Lok Sabha passes the Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill, 2026 by voice vote amid Opposition protests. The Bill repeals and replaces the Bankers’ Books Evidence Act, 1891, updating provisions on admissibility of bank records as evidence.
Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill, 2026:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| 1891 Act provision (replaced law) | The Bankers’ Books Evidence Act, 1891 allows certified copies of bank records as evidence. |
| Expanded definition | Bankers’ books comprises physical, electronic, digital, virtual, and cloud-based records. |
| Authentication | The Bill mandates standardised certificate formats, provides for authentication by manual, digital, or electronic signature, and regulates admissibility of electronic bank records. |
| Admissibility of records | Electronic records are recognised as valid evidence and are producible in physical or electronic form. |
| Government power | The Centre is authorised to extend the law to other financial entities via notification. |
| Special cause provision | Courts are authorised to compel bank officers to produce records or testify in cases where the bank is not a party. |