ARIVAZHAGAN vs STATE, REPRESENTED BY INSPECTOR OF POLICE

The Supreme Court addressed the issue of a defendant's right to examine witnesses under Section 243(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure and the limitations a trial court can impose. The Court held that while an accused has the right to present a defense, the trial court has the discretion to limit the number of witnesses to those necessary for the defense, as per Section 134 of the Indian Evidence Act. The Court upheld the trial court's decision to restrict the number of witnesses, affirming that the accused could examine a reasonable number rather than an excessive list of 267 witnesses.