The Lok Sabha on August 03, 2026, issued the Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill, 2026.
The following has been stated:
• The Bill, 2026 seeks to replace the Bankers’ Books Evidence Act, 1891 to align the legal framework with the digital banking ecosystem. The Bill broadens the definition of bankers’ books to include electronic records, digital databases, cloud-based systems, emails, and other electronically stored information maintained by banks.
• It provides that certified copies or authenticated electronic records from bankers’ books shall be admissible as evidence in legal proceedings without requiring production of original records, subject to prescribed safeguards.
• The Bill also prescribes the manner of certification and authentication of electronic records, recognises the use of secure digital technologies for maintaining banking records, and aims to reduce the compliance burden on banks while ensuring the authenticity and integrity of evidence.
• Overall, the legislation modernises evidentiary provisions for banking records, facilitates digital governance, and strengthens the legal framework for the use of electronic banking records in judicial and regulatory proceedings.
[Bill No. 147 of 2026]
