Service when persons summoned cannot be found
Full Text
66. Service when persons summoned cannot be found.—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.
Plain English Summary
Allows for service of summons on any adult family member residing with the summoned person if they cannot be found despite due diligence; explicitly excludes servants.
Key Legal Elements
- Requirement for due diligence in locating individual
- Service on any adult family member (gender-neutral)
- Requirement of co-residence
- Exclusion of domestic servants from being family members
Practical Note
The BNSS has made this provision gender-neutral by using 'adult member' instead of 'adult male member' (as in the old CrPC), reflecting a modern legal approach to family responsibility.
हिंदी पाठ
66. जब समन किए गए व्यक्ति न मिल सकें तब तामील—जहाँ समन किया गया व्यक्ति, उचित परिश्रम करने के बावजूद, नहीं मिल सकता है, वहाँ समन उसके लिए उसके साथ रहने वाले परिवार के किसी वयस्क सदस्य को उसकी एक प्रति परिदत्त करके तामील किया जा सकता है, और जिस व्यक्ति को समन इस प्रकार परिदत्त किया जाता है, वह, यदि तामील करने वाले अधिकारी द्वारा ऐसी अपेक्षा की जाए, तो दूसरी प्रति के पीछे उसकी रसीद पर हस्ताक्षर करेगा।
स्पष्टीकरण—नौकर इस धारा के अर्थ के भीतर परिवार का सदस्य नहीं है।