P26-electronic-evidence-certificate.html" target="_blank" style="color:#3D61D2; text-decoration:underline;">Section 63 BSA / Section 65B electronic-evidence certificate that records the source — the URL, the account and the capture method — together with the integrity hashes, with an explicit MATCH verification against each exhibit. The output follows the familiar Part A / Part B Schedule form — Part A describing the electronic record and how it was produced, Part B listing the device, the source and the hash values — so it reads the way a court expects. If you want to see the structure first, this Section 65B certificate format with an example is a useful reference, and the approach is the same one used to certify a screenshot as evidence in India.

Step 5 — Sign and Timestamp

Finally, make the certificate tamper-evident. e-Dex can apply a PAdES digital signature using a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) on a USB token, binding the signer's identity to the document so any later edit is detectable. It can also attach an RFC-3161 trusted timestamp from a Time-Stamping Authority, providing independent proof that the certificate existed in that exact form at that moment — which matters when the underlying post may later be deleted. Both steps run from your own Windows machine; only the timestamp touches the internet, and everything else stays fully offline.

P26 replaced the Indian Evidence Act 1872 and came into force on 1 July 2024, with Section 63 BSA succeeding Section 65B IEA; the Supreme Court in Arjun Panditrao Khotkar v. Kailash Kushanrao Gorantyal (2020) held that a Section 65B(4) certificate is a mandatory pre-requisite for admitting secondary electronic evidence, while recognising relief where a party genuinely cannot obtain it because the device is in someone else's possession. This is general information only, the law evolves (it is now under the BSA), and you must verify the current position and take advice where the stakes warrant it. For a broader walkthrough of the rules, this guide to electronic-evidence certificates in India is a good starting point. e-Dex does not guarantee that any record will be admitted, because that is for the court to decide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are social media posts admissible as evidence in India?
Social media posts are electronic records, so under Section 63 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 (the successor to Section 65B of the Indian Evidence Act) they generally need a certificate to be admitted as secondary evidence. They are not automatically admissible just because they appear online. e-Dex helps you produce a structured certificate recording the source and integrity hashes, but admissibility is decided by the court on the facts.

How do I preserve a social media post before it is deleted?
Act fast, because posts can be edited or deleted at any time. Capture the original by saving the page as a PDF or MHTML, and record the full URL, the account or handle, and the post date and time. For higher-stakes matters, a forensic web capture or the platform's own data export gives stronger provenance than a plain save.

Do I need a Section 65B certificate for a Facebook or Instagram post?
Generally yes. A Facebook or Instagram post is an electronic record, so to admit it as secondary evidence Indian courts usually expect a certificate under Section 63 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 (the successor to Section 65B). e-Dex helps you generate that certificate recording the URL, the account and the integrity hashes of your captured files.

Is a screenshot of a social media post enough?
Usually not on its own. A screenshot can be cropped, edited or fabricated, and it carries no proof of the source URL, the account or that it has not been altered. A stronger approach is to capture the full page, record the URL and account, hash the captured files and certify them so anyone can verify the exact bytes later.

Who can certify social media evidence?
The certificate is typically given by the person who captured and preserved the post or who is responsible for the device or process used, and who can speak to how it was produced. For higher-stakes matters a qualified forensic examiner may capture and depose to it. e-Dex helps that person produce the certificate; who must sign in your matter is a question for counsel.

Conclusion

A social media post can make or break a case — but only if it still exists when you need it and you can show the court where it came from. Capture the post immediately, record the URL and account, hash the files and wrap them in a signed, timestamped Section 63 certificate, and you give the court something it can actually verify even after the original is gone. Collect and export the post yourself or through a forensic examiner, then let e-Dex — the Digital Evidence Integrity Suite hash the exhibits, capture the details and generate a court-ready certificate on your own Windows machine, fully offline and free to try.