criminal court, or of any previous award of punishment under section 82 or section 86, and may
further inquire into and record the general character of such person, and such other matters as may be
prescribed.
(2) Evidence received under this section may be either oral or in the shape of entries in, or
certified extracts from service records ; and it shall not be necessary to give notice before trial to the
person tried that evidence as to his previous convictions or character will be received.
143. Lunacy of accused.___(1) Whenever, in the course of a trial by a court‑martial, it appears to
the court that the person charged is by reason of unsoundness of mind incapable of making his
defence, or that he committed the act alleged but was by reason of unsoundness of mind incapable of
knowing the nature of the act or knowing that it was wrong or contrary to law, the court shall record a
finding accordingly.
(2) The President of the court shall forthwith report the case to the con firming officer.
(3) The confirming officer to whom a case is reported under subsection (2) may, if he does not
confirm the finding, take steps to have the accused person tried by the same or another court‑martial
for the offence with which he was charged.
(4) The confirming officer confirming a finding in any case so reported to him under subsection
(2) shall order the accused person to be kept in custody in the prescribed manner and shall report the
case for the orders of the 1[Federal Government].
(5) On receipt of a report under subsection (4) the 1[Federal Government] may order the
accused person to be detained in a lunatic asylum or other suitable place of safe custody.
1 Subs. by F.A.O., 1975, Art. 2 and Table, for “Central Government”.
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