Under the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, documents forming the record of the acts of sovereign authority, official bodies and tribunals, and public officers, are 'PUBLIC DOCUMENTS', and certified copies of such PUBLIC DOCUMENTS may be produced as evidence without producing the originals. This provision is found in:

Section 74 of the BSA defines PUBLIC DOCUMENTS (mirroring the old Section 74 of the Indian Evidence Act, the number being retained) as documents forming the records of the acts of sovereign authority; of official bodies and tribunals; of public officers; and certain public records kept in any State of private documents. Certified copies of such public documents may be given in evidence without producing the originals (Section 76/77 in their new numbering). Section 63 concerns electronic records, Section 60 secondary evidence, and Section 39 expert opinions. The public-document regime underpins official records in evidence.