Studies in Ancient Hindu Polity (Based on the Arthashastra of Kautilya), Vol. I c13.28

c13.28

The fact of relationship with the plaintiff or defendant affected the competence of a person as witness. The following persons were not eligible as witnesses, viz., (1) wife's brother (साला), (2) helpmate (सहाय), (3) prisoner (आबद्ध), (4) creditor (ऋणिक), (5) debtor (धार्मिक), (6) enemy (वैरी), (7) dependent (न्यस्त), (8) convict (कृतघ्नः). In addition to these a few other persons could not appear as witnesses except in cases which affected their own people: (a) the king (राजा), (b) a person learned in the Vedas (श्रोत्रिय), (c) the village poor (ग्रामभृत), (d) lepers, etc. (कुष्ठि, मद्यपी), (e) an outcast (पतित), (f) a Chaṇḍāla (चण्डाल), (g) a person of mean avocation (कुत्सितकर्मा), (h) a dogmatist (पाखंडवादी), (i) a female (स्त्री), and (j) a Government servant