New Delhi [India], August 3 (ANI): The government on Monday introduced a bill aimed at strengthening existing provisions to meet the requirements of the modern banking system through a legal framework that recognizes digital banking records and aligns the law with contemporary banking practices.
According to the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill, the existing law was enacted at a time when banking records were maintained only in physical form and no longer reflects the technological changes that have transformed the banking sector.
The Bankers’ Books Evidence Bill, 2026, expands the definition of “bankers’ books” to include records maintained in both physical and electronic forms. It also covers records stored on digital media, cloud platforms and other electronic systems, recognizing the shift toward technology-driven banking operations.
The Bill seeks to broaden the definition of “bankers’ books” to include all forms of records maintained by banks, whether in physical, electronic, digital, virtual, cloud-based or any other format, thereby creating a comprehensive, technology-neutral and future-ready legal framework.
The proposed legislation also seeks to standardize the certification process for producing bank records as evidence and formally recognizes the admissibility of electronic banking records in legal proceedings, subject to conditions laid down in the Bill.
It further empowers the Central Government to prescribe additional certification requirements and extend the law to entities engaged in banking activities through notification.
According to the Bill, the objective is to ensure that the legal framework governing banking evidence keeps pace with evolving technology while maintaining the authenticity and reliability of records presented before courts and other authorities.
The Bankers’ Books Evidence Act, 1891, was enacted to facilitate the use of certified copies of bank records as evidence in legal proceedings without requiring the production of original records. The law was introduced at a time when banking records were predominantly maintained in physical form.
The Statement of Objects and Reasons noted that with the advancement of technology and the growth of digital banking, bank records are increasingly created, stored and maintained using modern technology.
“It has, therefore, become necessary to modernize and strengthen the existing legal framework to meet the requirements of the present banking system,” it said.
The Bill seeks to establish a legal framework for the admissibility and certification of bank records in an increasingly digital banking environment. (ANI)
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