The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 replaces which earlier statute on evidence?
A. Code of Civil Procedure
B. Indian Penal Code
C. Indian Evidence Act, 1872
D. Criminal Procedure Code
Answer: C. BSA is the modern statute replacing the Indian Evidence Act as the general law on admissibility of evidence.

The BSA applies to:
A. Only civil proceedings
B. Only criminal proceedings
C. Administrative inquires only
D. All judicial proceedings unless expressly excluded
Answer: D. BSA’s application is intended to be general across courts, subject to specific exclusions.

Under the BSA, which of these is defined as “evidence”?
A. Only oral testimony
B. Only documents
C. Oral and documentary material, including electronic records
D. Only judicial orders
Answer: C. BSA expressly treats both oral testimony and documentary/electronic records as evidence.

BSA’s approach to electronic records is:
A. Treat them as inadmissible
B. Ignore metadata completely
C. Recognise and provide specific rules for authenticity and integrity of electronic evidence
D. Make all electronic material automatically conclusive
Answer: C. BSA modernises law on electronic evidence—authentication, integrity and chain-of-custody matter.

Which principle governs whether a fact is “proved” under the BSA?
A. Newspaper reports alone
B. Court belief based on evidence (probability/weight)
C. Opinion of police only
D. Confession by any person
Answer: B. As under traditional evidence law, a fact is proved when the court believes it exists on the evidence presented.

Statements that are hearsay under BSA are:
A. Always admissible without restriction
B. Generally inadmissible unless an exception applies
C. Treated as documentary evidence automatically
D. Equivalent to an expert opinion
Answer: B. Hearsay remains generally inadmissible; BSA retains and refines exceptions.

Under BSA, a public document produced from official custody is:
A. Never admissible
B. Admissible and presumed genuine when produced in prescribed form
C. Always hearsay
D. Requires the author to testify in every case
Answer: B. Official/public documents have presumptions of genuineness subject to displacement by contrary proof.

Which of the following is now emphasised for electronic records under BSA?
A. Only the file extension matters
B. Authentication (who produced it) and integrity (unchanged state) are key
C. Electronic records need no proof of origin
D. Only printed copies are admissible
Answer: B. BSA requires proof of authenticity and integrity of electronic records to be admissible.

A certified copy of a public document under BSA:
A. Is never admissible
B. Is admissible as evidence of its contents
C. Is admissible only if notarised abroad
D. Requires the public officer’s live testimony always
Answer: B. Certified public records remain admissible subject to usual presumptions and authentication.

Under BSA, who bears the primary burden of proof in a criminal prosecution?
A. Accused
B. Judge
C. Prosecution
D. Witnesses collectively
Answer: C. BSA preserves the basic criminal-law rule: prosecution must prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

Standard of proof in civil proceedings under BSA is:
A. Beyond reasonable doubt
B. Balance of probabilities
C. Absolute certainty
D. Lesser of suspicion
Answer: B. Civil matters continue to be decided on preponderance (balance) of probabilities.

Which of these is treated as primary evidence in BSA terms?
A. A photocopy of a document
B. The original document itself
C. An oral description of the document
D. A memory of the document kept by a witness
Answer: B. Original document remains primary evidence; copies are secondary unless exceptions apply.

When an original document is unavailable, BSA permits:
A. No evidence on that point
B. Secondary evidence (copies, printouts) with required proof of circumstances of unavailability
C. Only oral testimony by the plaintiff
D. Automatic presumption against the absent party
Answer: B. BSA follows the principle that secondary evidence may prove contents when originals are unavailable, subject to safeguards.

Under BSA, a digitally-signed document (with a valid certificate) is:
A. Invalid as evidence
B. Presumed genuine unless rebutted
C. Always conclusive proof of content and authorship
D. Treated as hearsay only
Answer: B. Electronic signatures with valid authentication enjoy a presumption of genuineness subject to challenge.

CCTV footage is admissible under BSA if:
A. The setting was public only
B. The authenticity and chain-of-custody are demonstrated
C. It is shown by any smartphone recording without foundation
D. Only if the operator testifies
Answer: B. Video evidence is admissible when proper foundation, integrity and provenance are shown.

BSA updates rules on dying declarations. A dying declaration under BSA is:
A. Always inadmissible
B. Admissible if made voluntarily and relevant to cause/circumstances of death
C. Requires presence of police only to be valid
D. Only admissible if recorded on video
Answer: B. BSA preserves admissibility of voluntary dying declarations under established conditions.

Under BSA, a confession made to a police officer is:
A. Conclusive proof of guilt
B. Generally inadmissible unless made in accordance with specific safeguards
C. Automatically admissible in trial in chief
D. Equal to a magistrate-recorded confession always
Answer: B. BSA keeps the caution against taking police confessions as reliable evidence unless conditions are met.

Statements recorded by a magistrate (confessions to magistrate) are:
A. Never admissible
B. Admissible if voluntary and properly recorded
C. Equivalent to hearsay always
D. Treated as secondary evidence only
Answer: B. Confessions to magistrates retain admissibility when voluntary and properly documented.

A witness who is hostile can be:
A. Dismissed entirely from evidence
B. Cross-examined by the party calling them and may be treated as hostile in recross
C. Forced to change testimony to suit the party who called them
D. Never permitted to testify at all
Answer: B. BSA preserves rules permitting hostile witness treatment and cross-examination.

Under BSA, expert evidence is:
A. Binding on the court
B. Advisory; the court may accept or reject it after evaluating methodology and basis
C. Always conclusive proof
D. Not recognised at all
Answer: B. Court retains the ultimate fact-finding role; expert opinion assists but does not bind.

Which of the following elements is crucial for admissibility of digital evidence under BSA?
A. Size of the file
B. Chain-of-custody and proof of non-tampering
C. Popularity of the device brand
D. Whether the file was shared on social media
Answer: B. Integrity, custody and non-tampering are central to admitting digital evidence.

Under BSA, business records are admissible when:
A. They are produced by any employee without foundation
B. They are regularly maintained in the course of business and authenticated as required
C. Business owners say so verbally only
D. They are handwritten exclusively
Answer: B. Regular entries kept in ordinary course of business may be admissible with proper foundation and authentication.

Emails are admissible under BSA as evidence if:
A. Sent from any email address without proof
B. Source, authorship and integrity can be established
C. Only if printed and signed physically
D. Only as hearsay evidence
Answer: B. Electronic messages require authentication and integrity proof for admissibility.

BSA introduced clearer rules on metadata. Metadata (e.g., timestamps, logs) is:
A. Always irrelevant
B. Valuable for proving provenance and timeline if authenticated
C. Never admissible as evidence of time
D. Substitute for witness testimony always
Answer: B. Metadata helps demonstrate when/where/how records were produced and supports authenticity.

The BSA’s treatment of privileged communications (e.g., lawyer-client) is that they are:
A. Protected from compelled disclosure unless privilege is waived or exceptions apply
B. Freely discoverable in all cases
C. Admissible only in civil suits
D. Automatically public records
Answer: A. BSA respects recognized privileges; communications remain confidential unless a statutory or judicial exception applies.

Under BSA, records stored on cloud servers:
A. Cannot be used as evidence at all
B. Can be used as evidence if custodian, access logs and integrity are shown
C. Are treated as hearsay only
D. Require the cloud vendor to testify live in every case
Answer: B. Cloud-stored records are admissible with standard authentication and chain-of-custody protocols.

A certificate of authenticity for an electronic record under BSA will generally be:
A. Useless and inadmissible
B. Relevant and helpful but not conclusive—subject to rebuttal
C. Always binding on the court
D. Only required for emails
Answer: B. Certification helps establish authenticity but opposing party may challenge it.

BSA clarifies the status of tele-evidence (witness testimony by video). Tele-evidence is:
A. Not permitted under any circumstances
B. Permitted with safeguards for identity, oath and opportunity to cross-examine
C. Always preferred over in-person testimony
D. Only allowed for expert witnesses
Answer: B. Remote testimony is admissible when safeguards ensure reliability and rights to cross-examination.

Under BSA, police records (e.g., FIR) are:
A. Conclusive proof of guilt
B. Admissible as a record of complaint/history but require corroboration for substantive facts
C. Inadmissible in all trials
D. Always admissible as primary evidence of offence
Answer: B. Police reports are important documentary evidence but do not by themselves prove guilt.

BSA addresses “best evidence” doctrine in digital era. The ‘best evidence’ for an electronic document is:
A. Any printout chosen at random
B. A reliable electronic copy or the original file with authentication
C. A witness describing the file only
D. A physical artifact unrelated to the file
Answer: B. Best evidence rule adapts: reliable electronic originals or trustworthy copies with proof are preferred.

Under BSA, the court can take judicial notice of certain facts. Judicial notice means:
A. Court ignores the facts entirely
B. Court accepts certain facts as true without formal proof (e.g., dates of official holidays)
C. Police must prove them always
D. Parties must present multiple witnesses to establish them
Answer: B. Judicial notice allows courts to accept well-known or indisputable facts without evidence.

Which of the following is an example of secondary evidence under BSA?
A. The original signed deed
B. A photocopy or printout when the original is unavailable
C. The author producing the original in court
D. The original in digital form with certificate of origin
Answer: B. Secondary evidence covers copies or other substitutes when originals cannot be produced.

BSA contains rules on authentication. Authentication of a document means:
A. Certifying the document as publicly available only
B. Proving that the document is what it purports to be (origin/creator)
C. Showing how many pages it has only
D. Attaching a judge’s signature to it
Answer: B. Authentication establishes authorship/provenance, enabling admission of the document.

Under BSA, a “statement against interest” by a non-party may be admissible as:
A. Hearsay that is never admissible
B. An exception to hearsay where the statement is against interest and reliable
C. A privileged communication
D. Only if made in court under oath
Answer: B. BSA preserves and refines exceptions where statements adverse to the declarant’s interest can be admitted.

BSA’s view on “res gestae” (things done in the course of the transaction) is that such facts:
A. Are always excluded
B. May be admissible as part of the same transaction to explain events
C. Are only for civil proceedings
D. Require expert evidence always
Answer: B. Res gestae facts may be admissible to provide context and explain the transaction.

A statement of a witness that cannot attend (unavailable witness) under BSA:
A. Is always inadmissible
B. May be admissible in certain exceptions (e.g., if recorded contemporaneously and reliable)
C. Needs new testimony only
D. Automatically results in acquittal of accused
Answer: B. BSA allows limited exceptions for unavailable witness statements with safeguards for reliability.

Under BSA, business entries (routine records) produced electronically as part of regular business are:
A. Not evidence at all
B. Admissible if maintained in ordinary course and authenticated
C. Always personal statements of authors only
D. Only admitted if notarised physically
Answer: B. Routine business records are admissible subject to foundation and reliability proof.

BSA has specific rules on admission by conduct. Conduct of a party (e.g., silence) can be:
A. Never taken as admission
B. Taken as an admission if circumstances make the conduct equivalent to an assertion
C. Only relevant if the party later confesses
D. Treated as privileged communication always
Answer: B. Conduct may amount to an admission when it reasonably indicates acceptance of a fact.

Under BSA, who may compel production of documents?
A. Only the police chief
B. Courts through summons/orders with rights to object on grounds such as privilege
C. Only private parties in a suit without court order
D. Any member of the public without process
Answer: B. Courts retain power to order production, subject to privilege and other legal safeguards.

BSA treats documentary evidence obtained by illegal means as:
A. Always admissible without question
B. Potentially inadmissible or given reduced weight depending on circumstances and statutory safeguards
C. Automatically conclusive evidence
D. Never relevant to the case
Answer: B. Evidence obtained illegally may be excluded or scrutinised; voluntariness and legality affect admissibility.

Opinion evidence by a non-expert under BSA is:
A. Always excluded
B. Admissible on matters of perception or identity where the witness has personal knowledge
C. Equivalent to expert evidence always
D. Treated as hearsay always
Answer: B. Lay opinion may be admissible for matters like identity or general impression where it assists the court.

BSA’s rules on cross-examination preserve the right to confront the witness and:
A. Eliminate cross-examination in all cases
B. Allow leading questions in cross-examination and require fairness in process
C. Permit only written cross-examination
D. Replace cross-examination with interrogation by police officers
Answer: B. Cross-examination remains central to testing witness credibility; leading questions are permitted in cross.

Under BSA, when is a hearsay exception for prior inconsistent statements allowed?
A. Never allowed under any circumstances
B. Where prior inconsistent statements can be used to impeach credibility or as substantive evidence if statutory conditions are met
C. Only if the witness died later
D. Only when the statement is in a police diary
Answer: B. BSA preserves situational uses of prior inconsistent statements for impeachment and sometimes substantive use.

BSA contains provisions about interpreter assistance. Where a witness or party does not understand the language, BSA permits:
A. No interpreter; the person must understand the language
B. An interpreter/translator to be appointed so the person can meaningfully participate
C. Removal of the person from trial
D. Automatic dismissal of witness evidence
Answer: B. Language access is essential for fair trial; BSA ensures interpretation where required.

A sworn affidavit under BSA:
A. Is worthless without oral testimony
B. May serve as evidence but subject to cross-examination and court’s discretion
C. Automatically substitutes for cross-examination always
D. Is always treated as hearsay
Answer: B. Affidavits may be evidence but parties often must allow cross-examination; courts control weight given.

BSA clarifies the status of social-media posts as evidence. Social-media content is admissible when:
A. Posted anonymously only
B. Source and authenticity can be established and metadata corroborated
C. It is liked many times
D. It is printed and filed without foundation
Answer: B. Social media content is electronic evidence and needs authentication and integrity proof.

Under BSA, which is the correct treatment of chained digital evidence?
A. Chain-of-custody is irrelevant for digital items
B. Chain-of-custody and logging (who accessed/changed the file) are crucial
C. Files may be admitted even if origin cannot be established
D. Chain-of-custody only matters for physical evidence
Answer: B. Digital evidence requires clear custodial records to show non-tampering and provenance.

BSA sets out rules for identification parades/TIP evidence. Test identification parades are:
A. Conclusive proof of identity always
B. Corroborative; admissible but not necessarily conclusive without other evidence
C. Inadmissible under all circumstances
D. Replaced by CCTV only
Answer: B. Identification evidence assists the tribunal but requires caution and corroboration.

Which of these is protected by privilege under BSA?
A. All emails regardless of sender/recipient
B. Communications between lawyer and client (subject to exceptions)
C. Public documents only
D. Police internal notes only
Answer: B. Legal professional privilege is recognised and protected from compelled disclosure.

BSA’s treatment of medical records requires:
A. That they be presumed fabricated
B. Proper custodial proof and authentication before being admitted as evidence
C. That they be ignored by courts always
D. That they be produced only in original film form
Answer: B. Medical records are admissible when properly authenticated and chain-of-custody is shown.

Under BSA, expert panels may be appointed by courts. The court’s reliance on a panel’s opinion is:
A. Mandatory and binding on the court
B. Advisory; the court weighs the expert methodology and conclusions
C. Always conclusive proof of guilt
D. Never considered at all
Answer: B. Expert opinions guide the court but are not determinative; courts assess reliability and relevance.

BSA allows court-ordered forensic testing. Such testing requires:
A. No safeguard and immediate result acceptance
B. Proper sample handling, chain-of-custody, and accredited laboratory standards
C. Only police lab testing with no oversight
D. Testing only when parties agree
Answer: B. Forensic tests must meet procedural and scientific standards to be reliable evidence.

Under BSA, a certified statement from an official database (e.g., registry) can be:
A. Always rejected as hearsay
B. Admitted as evidence of content when properly certified
C. Used only in civil suits
D. Treated as privileged material always
Answer: B. Certification of official electronic records aids admissibility under BSA.

BSA’s concept of “relevancy” primarily means:
A. How interesting the fact is to the public
B. Whether a fact tends to make a fact-in-issue more or less probable
C. Whether a fact is novel
D. Whether an expert chooses to mention it
Answer: B. Relevancy remains about probative value related to facts-in-issue.

Under BSA, whether to exclude evidence on grounds of public policy (e.g., national security) is:
A. Never permitted
B. A judicial balancing exercise—courts may exclude where public interest outweighs probative value
C. Decided only by the media
D. Determined by the accused alone
Answer: B. Courts may exclude evidence for public policy reasons after weighing competing interests.

BSA contains provisions for privileged communications of spouses. Such communications are generally:
A. Always public record
B. Privileged, with limited exceptions
C. Compellable in all criminal cases
D. Admissible only in divorce matters
Answer: B. Certain domestic communications may be protected by privilege subject to statutory rules.

BSA’s rules about contemporaneous notes (e.g., diary entries) treat them as:
A. Always unreliable hearsay
B. Potentially admissible as evidence of perception or events if authenticated
C. Only admissible if notarised annually
D. Only permitted in criminal trials
Answer: B. Contemporaneous notes may be admitted when they show credibility or contemporaneous perception.

Under BSA, evidence that is illegally obtained by foreign authorities and submitted domestically is:
A. Always admissible regardless of how obtained
B. Subject to admissibility rules—courts will consider fairness and relevance
C. Never admissible under any circumstance
D. Must be disregarded automatically by domestic courts
Answer: B. Courts assess foreign-obtained evidence on admissibility norms and fairness.

BSA’s treatment of the “business-entry” hearsay exception requires:
A. No proof of regularity of entries
B. Proof that the entries were made in ordinary course of business and the source was reliable
C. That every entry be signed by the CEO only
D. That the entries be oral only
Answer: B. Business records exception has foundations of regularity and reliability.

Under BSA, the presumption of genuineness for official seals and stamps is:
A. Abolished entirely
B. Recognised but rebuttable with contrary proof
C. Irrebuttable evidence of authenticity
D. Only applies to foreign stamps
Answer: B. Presumptions of genuineness exist but are rebuttable by showing fabrication or tampering.

BSA’s approach to spoliation (destruction of evidence) is to:
A. Ignore it completely
B. Allow adverse inferences or sanctions where destruction was intentional and relevant
C. Automatically acquit the accused on technical grounds
D. Reward the destroying party
Answer: B. Courts may draw adverse inferences or impose sanctions for destruction of material evidence.

Under BSA, social-media platform custodial records (e.g., server logs) are:
A. Always public and unrestricted
B. Admissible when properly requested and produced with authentication
C. Always privileged and never producible
D. Only producible by international courts
Answer: B. Platform logs can be evidence if proper legal process and authentication are used.

BSA recognises the probative value of scientific evidence but requires:
A. That all scientific evidence be accepted without scrutiny
B. Demonstration of methodology, peer acceptance and proper laboratory standards
C. Only witnesses with PhDs may testify
D. Scientific evidence cannot be used in court under BSA
Answer: B. Reliability and scientific validity are required before weight is given to scientific evidence.

Under BSA, the rebuttable presumption that a certified electronic record came from a particular source can be displaced by:
A. Nothing—it’s conclusive
B. Evidence showing lack of access, tampering, or alternative explanation
C. Only a confession by the supposed author
D. The judge’s arbitrary decision only
Answer: B. Presumptions are helpful but may be rebutted by contrary proof.

BSA provides for witness protection mechanisms in cases where witness safety is at risk. Purpose of those mechanisms is:
A. To hide witnesses from courts forever
B. To ensure witnesses can testify safely and truthfully without intimidation
C. To make witnesses immune from perjury prosecution
D. To convert witnesses into prosecutors
Answer: B. Witness protection promotes safe testimony and preserves integrity of evidence.

Under BSA, prior convictions of a defendant are:
A. Always inadmissible in any stage
B. Admissible in certain circumstances (e.g., to impeach credibility or where statute allows)
C. Automatically used to prove current offence
D. Treated as privileged communications
Answer: B. Prior convictions may be relevant for credibility or sentencing but are not conclusive proof of new guilt.

BSA’s rules on audio recordings require:
A. No proof—any recording is taken at face value
B. Authentication (who recorded it, when, and whether it was altered) before admission
C. Audio recordings are automatically hearsay and excluded
D. Only cassette tapes are admissible
Answer: B. Audio evidence must be authenticated and shown to be free from tampering to be admissible.

Under BSA, which of the following is a ground for excluding relevant evidence?
A. The evidence is too persuasive for the court
B. If admitting it would unfairly prejudice a party or violate public policy
C. Evidence was produced by a rich party only
D. Evidence is written in a foreign language only
Answer: B. Courts balance probative value against unfair prejudice and may exclude even relevant evidence.

BSA’s rules on visual identification require that identification procedures be:
A. Arbitrary and unregulated
B. Conducted fairly and documented to avoid suggestiveness
C. Always replaced by fingerprinting only
D. Never used in criminal trials
Answer: B. Identification procedures (line-ups, photo arrays) must be fair and non-suggestive to be reliable.

Under BSA, the court’s power to order preservation of evidence (e.g., injunctions) is:
A. Non-existent
B. Available to prevent loss/destruction of material relevant to proceedings
C. Only for public records
D. Only for physical objects, not digital data
Answer: B. Courts can direct preservation of physical and digital evidence to protect the process.

In BSA, an expert relying on proprietary software must:
A. Refuse to disclose any methodology
B. Explain methodology and the basis of result to the court subject to confidentiality orders if needed
C. Only provide a printout and nothing more
D. Avoid testifying altogether
Answer: B. Transparency in methodology (even with some confidentiality protections) is necessary for expert evidence to be assessed.

BSA clarifies identity of origin for electronic messages. Proof of origin may include:
A. Only hearsay statements about who sent it
B. Technical logs, IP addresses, digital signatures and corroborative testimony
C. Number of likes on the post
D. The registrar’s affidavit only
Answer: B. Multiple technical markers support proof of origin for electronic communications.

Under BSA, a witness’s prior consistent statement (made before the alleged motive to fabricate arose) may be:
A. Admitted to bolster credibility if statutory conditions are satisfied
B. Always excluded as hearsay
C. Only used in civil cases
D. Treated as privileged communication
Answer: A. Prior consistent statements can support credibility where conditions for use are met.

BSA’s protection of encryption-related material: courts must balance:
A. Encryption makes all evidence inadmissible
B. Necessity of decryption for investigation vs. privacy/confidentiality concerns
C. Encryption is never allowed under law
D. Courts must decrypt all files without process
Answer: B. Courts weigh public interest in disclosure against privacy and legal constraints when dealing with encrypted material.

Under BSA, records of judicial proceedings (e.g., judgments) are:
A. Unacceptable as evidence elsewhere
B. Admissible as public records and presumed correct absent proof to the contrary
C. Always hearsay in subsequent matters
D. Only admissible with ministerial certification
Answer: B. Court records are public records with presumptive authenticity for use in other proceedings.

BSA permits the use of consolidated digital evidence packages (“e-bundles”) if:
A. They are assembled by any party without validation
B. The e-bundle is authenticated and its integrity is verifiable
C. Only printed pages are valid in court
D. E-bundles are banned entirely under BSA
Answer: B. Digitally compiled bundles are acceptable when they can be authenticated and shown untampered.

Under BSA, opinion evidence of witnesses about another person’s character is:
A. Always admissible to prove guilt
B. Generally inadmissible unless character is directly in issue or statutory exception applies
C. Conclusive proof of disposition
D. Always hearsay
Answer: B. Character evidence is restricted; only relevant when character is specifically in issue.

BSA allows judicial directions for cross-border evidence collection: courts may:
A. Refuse all international cooperation requests always
B. Facilitate letters rogatory/MLA processes while ensuring legality and fairness
C. Direct foreign agencies personally to act without process
D. Require parties to travel abroad always for evidence
Answer: B. Cross-border evidence follows international cooperation norms while respecting due process.

Under BSA, statements made under compulsion or torture are:
A. Fully admissible if convenient
B. Inadmissible; voluntariness is essential for admissibility of statements
C. The best evidence of guilt
D. Treated as business records
Answer: B. Voluntariness is a core admissibility requirement; coerced statements are excluded.

BSA’s provisions on reconciliation/consent materials (e.g., mediation notes) treat such materials as:
A. Always public court records
B. Privileged/confidential if created under protected process, unless parties agree to waive confidentiality
C. Automatically admissible in criminal trials
D. Only usable by the police for prosecution
Answer: B. Mediation and settlement communications are often confidential and protected from compulsory disclosure.

Under BSA, which of the following is a correct statement on chain-of-custody?
A. Chain-of-custody is required only for physical evidence, not for digital evidence
B. Chain-of-custody is required for both physical and digital evidence to demonstrate continuity and integrity
C. It can be invented retroactively without records
D. It is unnecessary in modern digital forensics
Answer: B. Chain-of-custody is essential for demonstrating that evidence remained intact and unaltered.

BSA permits admission of prior recorded testimony of a witness in certain conditions — such prior testimony can be used when:
A. The witness is conveniently not present with no reason given
B. The witness is unavailable or excused for permitted reasons and statutory safeguards are met
C. Prior testimony is always better than live testimony
D. Prior testimony is only admissible if more than 10 years old
Answer: B. Prior recorded testimony may be admissible when the witness cannot be produced and conditions for reliability are met.

Under BSA, expert reports must disclose:
A. Trade secrets without limitation
B. Methodology, data relied upon and the expert’s qualifications (subject to protective orders if necessary)
C. Only the conclusion and no underlying basis
D. Only the name of the expert and nothing else
Answer: B. Transparency in methodology and basis is necessary for admissibility and evaluation of expert evidence.

BSA’s rules on “notice to produce” require that:
A. No formal process exists to ask for documents
B. Parties can be required to produce documents with prior notice and opportunity to object (e.g., on privilege grounds)
C. The judge must produce documents for parties only on request of police
D. Documents are produced only at the end of the trial always
Answer: B. Notice-to-produce processes balance discovery with privilege and procedural fairness.

Under BSA, the tribunal’s exercise of discretion to admit preliminary hearsay is governed by:
A. Random selection by court clerks
B. Assessment of necessity, reliability and fairness (a judicial balancing test)
C. Public referendum in high-profile cases
D. The presence of a media report only
Answer: B. Courts weigh necessity and reliability when considering exceptions to the hearsay rule.

BSA’s rules concerning admissibility of photographs require:
A. That photos be printed on archival paper only
B. Proof of who took the photograph, when and that it fairly represents the scene
C. That only the photographer may testify about the scene necessarily
D. Photographs are never admissible
Answer: B. Photographs must be authenticated and shown to be accurate depictions to be admissible.

Under BSA, whether to admit evidence discovered subsequent to trial commencement is:
A. Prohibited always
B. Left to court’s discretion, subject to fairness and the right to re-open evidence where justified
C. Automatic and unreviewable
D. Decided by the prosecution only
Answer: B. Courts may allow additional evidence if fairness and procedural safeguards are maintained.

BSA’s provisions on privilege require the person asserting privilege to:
A. Remain silent and do nothing
B. Establish the factual basis for privilege; the court may examine the claim in camera
C. Produce the document immediately always
D. Never be allowed to assert privilege in criminal matters
Answer: B. Privilege claims are for the claimant to establish and courts may review confidentially.

Under BSA, an attestation clause on a document:
A. Makes the document automatically primary evidence
B. Helps satisfy formal requirements but is not by itself conclusive of authenticity
C. Is always irrelevant and ignored
D. Only useful for foreign documents
Answer: B. Attestation helps but may be challenged by other evidence.

BSA emphasises preservation of electronic logs (server logs). Why are logs important?
A. They contain literary content for trial only
B. Logs provide technical proof of access, alteration, and timestamps critical to authenticity
C. Logs are decorative and not evidentiary
D. They are only useful to marketers
Answer: B. Server logs help demonstrate provenance and any tampering or access events.

BSA’s stance on “chain-of-trust” in digital signatures means:
A. The signature is trustworthy regardless of certificate validity
B. Validity depends on the certificate authority, revocation status, and cryptographic proof
C. Only the identity of device owner matters, nothing else
D. Court may not consider digital signature evidence at all
Answer: B. Digital signature reliance requires trust in the issuing CA and verification of certificate status.

Under BSA, a witness’s identification of handwriting may be proved by:
A. Pure speculation only
B. Comparison by a person acquainted with the handwriting or expert analysis
C. Only DNA tests can prove handwriting identity
D. A public poll about the handwriting sample
Answer: B. Familiarity or expert comparison supports handwriting identification evidence.

BSA provides that data preserved under statutory preservation notices must be:
A. Deleted immediately upon request
B. Maintained intact and produced on lawful process to protect evidence
C. Released to the media always
D. Only produced after final judgement
Answer: B. Statutory preservation notices prevent destruction and ensure availability of evidence.

Under BSA, in cases involving many digital exhibits, courts are encouraged to:
A. Require only paper submissions of summaries only
B. Use certified e-bundles, indexing and agreed formats to manage evidence efficiently
C. Refuse to accept any digital exhibits entirely
D. Merge all exhibits into a single PDF with no index
Answer: B. Organised digital bundles and indexing help courts handle voluminous electronic material.

BSA recognises out-of-court statements of co-conspirators as:
A. Hearsay always excluded
B. Admissible where they were in furtherance of the conspiracy and properly proven
C. Only admissible if recorded on official stationery
D. Only admissible in civil suits
Answer: B. Co-conspirator statements in furtherance of the conspiracy may be admissible as exceptions.

Under BSA, when documentary evidence contradicts oral testimony, courts will:
A. Always prefer oral testimony
B. Evaluate credibility, consistency and whether the document or testimony is primary
C. Disregard documents always
D. Automatically accept the first-produced piece of evidence only
Answer: B. Courts weigh documents and testimony based on reliability and context.

BSA’s framework for authentication allows use of technical affidavits: a technical affidavit by an IT custodian can:
A. Replace any need for cross-examination forever
B. Support admissibility by explaining systems/processes, subject to challenge and cross-examination
C. Make the evidence conclusive without question
D. Be treated as privileged always
Answer: B. Custodian affidavits support technical foundation but can be tested in court.

Under BSA, prior recorded statements made under oath are:
A. Always treated as hearsay
B. Admissible as evidence if recorded in accordance with law and with opportunity for challenge
C. Never admissible unless the witness is present live
D. Only admissible if a judge made the original recording
Answer: B. Properly recorded prior statements can be used with due safeguards.

BSA allows in-camera proceedings for sensitive evidence to protect privacy; in-camera means:
A. The evidence is filmed for TV broadcast
B. The hearing or part of it is closed to public, with records preserved under confidentiality
C. Only the police may attend the hearing
D. The judge alone hears the case with no record
Answer: B. Sensitive testimony may be taken in camera to protect witnesses while preserving a record for review.

The overall object of the BSA is to:
A. Make evidence procedure more obscure and outdated
B. Modernise and clarify evidence law (including digital evidence), ensure reliability and fairness in trials
C. Eliminate judicial scrutiny of evidence entirely
D. Convert all disputes into administrative matters
Answer: B. BSA is a comprehensive modernisation of evidence law to fit contemporary judicial needs.