#signature authentication

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has ruled that refusing a party’s request to examine disputed signatures through a handwriting expert, when authenticity is contested, undermines the right to a fair trial under natural justice. This sets a critical precedent for civil property cases where documentary evidence hinges on signature verification, ensuring procedural fairness under the new evidence law.

Madhya Pradesh High Court mandates courts to obtain expert opinion on disputed signatures under Section 39 of the Bhartiya Shakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, when doubt exists. The ruling underscores judicial caution, citing Supreme Court precedents that self-comparison of handwriting without expert aid is inadvisable, especially in cases hinging on signature authenticity.