The Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024
Administered Ministry: Ministry of Civil Aviation
Act details
| Short title | The Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Long title | An Act to provide for regulation and control of the design, manufacture, maintenance, possession, use, operation, sale, export and import of aircraft and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. |
| Act number | 16 of 2024 |
| Act year | 2024 |
| Enactment date | 11 Dec 2024 |
| Ministry | Ministry of Civil Aviation |
| Jurisdiction | Central (Parliament of India) |
| Sections | 43 |
| Status | Not repealed |
| Last checked on India Code | 28 Oct 2026 |
| Source | India Code, Government of India |
Summary
Summary of Bharatiya Vayuan Adhiniyam , 2024
To consolidate and provide general rules and principles of evidence for a fair trial.
Key Provisions
1. Application and Scope
• Applies to all judicial proceedings in or before any Court in India, excluding affidavits and arbitrator proceedings.
2. Definitions
• Court: Includes all Judges, Magistrates, and legally authorized persons to take evidence.
• Conclusive Proof, Disproved, Document (including electronic/digital records), Evidence (oral and documentary), and Fact are defined with detailed illustrations for clarity.
3. Evidence and Documentation
• Recognizes electronic and digital records (e.g., emails, server logs, digital messages) as documents.
• Evidence includes all statements (oral and electronic) and documents permitted or required by the Court.
4. Provisions on Facts and Evidence
• Defines how facts are to be proven or disproven, with explanations on conclusive proof and its implications.
• Specifies "facts in issue" and their determination in legal proceedings.
Legislative history
Legislative History:
The Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024
Source: Official Record of Parliament, India Code, and Ministry of Civil Aviation
Act Title - The Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024
Act Number - Act No. 16 of 2024
Act ID (India Code) - 202416
Presidential Assent date - December 11, 2024
Enforcement Date - December 11, 2024
Nodal Ministry - Ministry of Civil Aviation
Precedent & Historical Rationale
● Overhaul & Repeal of Colonial Aircraft Act: Repeals the 90-year-old Aircraft Act, 1934 (15 of 1934) to align India's civil aviation framework with modern international standards, technology, and commercial requirements.
● Statutory Backing for Regulatory Authorities: Provides explicit statutory recognition and streamlined powers to key aviation bodies—the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), and the Aircraft Accidents Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
● Ease of Doing Business & Penal Reforms: Codifies regulations covering 'design', 'manufacture', and 'maintenance' of aircraft, introduces internal multi-tier administrative appeals within DGCA/BCAS before central government escalation, and simplifies licensing procedures (including Radio Telephone Operator certificates).
Parliamentary Trajectory & Enactment
● Formulation: Introduced by the Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Shri Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, as the Bharatiya Vayuyan Vidheyak, 2024 (Bill No. 74 of 2024) to reduce regulatory overlap and support growth across the Indian aviation sector.
● Parliamentary Passage: Introduced in the Lok Sabha on July 31, 2024; passed by the Lok Sabha on August 9, 2024; and passed by the Rajya Sabha on December 5, 2024.
● Presidential Assent: Received the assent of the President of India on December 11, 2024.
● Enforcement: Enforced on December 11, 2024.