66. Procedure for defence .-(1) At the close of the evidence for the prosecution if the plea for "no case" is not offered by the accused, or if offered is overruled, the accused may, if he so desires, make an opening address.
(2)The accused shall be asked if he has anything to say in his defence and may make a statement in his defence.(3)Any statement allowed under this or any other of these rules to be made by the accused, may be made either orally or in writing; but the accused making the statement shall not be sworn.(4)The Court or the judge-advocate, if any, may question the accused for the purpose of enabling him to explain any circumstances appearing in his statement or in the evidence against him. The accused shall not render himself liable to punishment by refusing to answer such questions or by giving answers to them which he knows not to be true, but the Court may draw such inference from such refusal or answers as it thinks fit.(5)The accused shall then be asked if he intends to call any witness to the facts of the case. If the accused does not state that he intends to call witnesses to the facts of the case, the procedure shall be as specified in rule 67, and if he states that he intends to call witnesses to the facts of the case, the procedure shall be as specified in rule 68.[66-A. Accused competent witness for defence.-A person accused of an offence before a Court-Martial shall be a competent witness for the defence and may give evidence on oath or affirmation in disproof of the charges made against him or any person charged together with him at the same trial:Provided that,-(a)he shall not be called as a witness except on his own request in writing; or(b)his failure to give evidence shall not be made the subject of any comment by any of the parties or the Court or give rise to any presumption against himself or any person charged together with him at the same trial.]
