means of letters, figures or marks, or by more than one of those means, intended to be used, or which may be used, for the purpose of recording that matter. As per the illustrations, a writing is a document; words printed, lithographed or photographed are documents; a map or plan is a document; an inscription on a metal plate or stone is a document; a caricature is a document, etc. A document may, thus, contain several ‘things’, such as writing, figures, marks, print, inscription, etc. It may also contain various other things than mere writing. ‘Fact’, as per Section 3 of the Evidence Act, means and includes any ‘thing’ which is capable of being perceived by the senses. That a man said certain words is a fact; that a man heard or saw something is a fact; that a person did something is also a fact since all such things can be perceived by the senses. Section 59 of the Evidence Act lays down how a ‘fact’ can be proved. It says that all facts, except the contents of documents or electronic records, may be proved by oral evidence. Therefore, all the things as may be contained in the ‘document’, as defined under S.3, constitute ‘contents of a document’. That a document contains a particular writing; that it contains a typewritten matter or a particular handwriting, a writing in ink, an erasure, interpolation, painting, fold, etc., constitute ‘contents of documents.’ If, on perusal or inspection of a document, it is found to contain a writing, figures, marks, print, inscription, signature, painting and date, those
