Report No. 28
66. Section 14-obligation tc state the truth-significance.--Section 14 provides that every person giving evidence on any subject before any court or person "hereby authorised" to administer oaths and affirmations shall be bound to state the truth on such subject. The significance of this section can be best understood by a reference to the relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code. Thus, under section 179 of the Code, whoever, being "legally bound" to state the truth on any subject to any public servant, refuses to answer any question demanded of him touching that subject by such public servant in the exercise of the legal powers of such public servant, is punishable with the punishment provided in the section. Similarly, under section 181 of that Code, a person so legally bound is punishable if he makes a false statement. Lastly, under section 191 of that Code whoever being legally bound by an oath or by an express provision of law to state the truth makes a false statement, is said to give false evidence and punishable under section 193.