BNSS Section 66 — Service when persons summoned cannot be found
CHAPTER VI PROCESSES TO COMPEL APPEARANCE — A.—Summons
Criminal
Summary
If a person who is supposed to receive a summons cannot be found even after a careful and reasonable effort, the summons can be given to an adult family member who lives with that person. The person receiving the summons must sign a receipt for it if the officer serving it asks them to. A servant who lives in the house is not considered a family member for this purpose.
Official Text
Where the person summoned cannot, by the exercise of due diligence, be found, the summons may be served by leaving one of the duplicates for him with some adult member of his family residing with him, and the person with whom the summons is so left shall, if so required by the serving officer, sign a receipt therefor on the back of the other duplicate.
Explanation.—A servant is not a member of the family within the meaning of this section.
Referred to by
- BNSS §67 — Procedure when service cannot be effected as before provided
- BNSS §70 — Proof of service in such cases and when serving officer not present
- BNSS §183 — Recording of confessions and statements
- BNSS §218 — Prosecution of Judges and public servants
- BNSS §397 — Treatment of victims
- BNSS §415 — Appeals from convictions
- BNSS §418 — Appeal by State Government against sentence
Related Judgments
- IMRAN PRATAPGADHI vs STATE OF GUJARAT AND ANR — Supreme Court of India (2025)
- Hanumante Traders vs 1. The State of Maharashtra,, ] — Bombay High Court (Mumbai Principal Seat) (2025)
- Uvais Ahmed Abdul Tayab Patrawala And Anr. vs The State Of Maharashtra And Anr — Bombay High Court (Mumbai Principal Seat) (2026)
Old <-> New Code Mapping
- CrPC §64 — Service when persons summoned cannot be found
