his, in the Proof Affidavit dated 01.03.2010 as also cross-14 examination dated 08.03.2010. No doubt, he (respondent) has denied its voluntary execution and contended that it was under coercion and threat, but no evidence was brought or led by him to support this plea. The Division Bench opined, correctly, that “It is true that there was no supporting evidence adduced by him to show as to how he was threatened and forced to execute Ex.P1.” Pausing here, we may emphasise that for every fact which is pleaded, there has to be evidence, either oral or documentary, to substantiate the same. A bald averment or mere statement by a defendant bereft of evidentiary material to back up such averment/statement takes such defendant’s case nowhere. While deciding a statutory appeal under Section 116A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 against an order of the Gauhati High Court rejecting an Election Petition, this Court in Kalyan Kumar Gogoi v Ashutosh Agnihotri, (2011) 2 SCC 532