Section 65 BNSS: Service of summons on corporate bodies, firms, and societies

Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023

Section 65 BNSS at a Glance

Section 65 BNSS deals with service of summons on corporate bodies, firms, and societies. It replaced Section 63 CrPC on 1 July 2024.

Was CrPC

Section 63 →

Section 65 BNSS Bare Act Text

(1) Service of a summons on a company or corporation may be effected by serving it on the Director, Manager, Secretary or other officer of the company or corporation, or by letter sent by registered post addressed to the Director, Manager, Secretary or other officer of the company or corporation in India, in which case the service shall be deemed to have been effected when the letter would arrive in ordinary course of post.

Explanation.

In this section, "company" means a body corporate and "corporation" means an incorporated company or other body corporate registered under the Companies Act, 2013 or a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.

(2) Service of a summons on a firm or other association of individuals may be effected by serving it on any partner of such firm or association, or by letter sent by registered post addressed to such partner, in which case the service shall be deemed to have been effected when the letter would arrive in ordinary course of post.

Source: Section 65, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023

Section 65 BNSS in Simple Words

Section 65 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 deals with the service of a summons on corporate bodies, firms and societies. Under Section 65(1) BNSS, service on a company or corporation may be effected by serving the summons on the Director, Manager, Secretary or other officer of the company or corporation, or by letter sent by registered post addressed to the Director, Manager, Secretary or other officer of the company or corporation in India.

Under Section 65(2) BNSS, service on a firm or other association of individuals may be effected by serving the summons on any partner of such firm or association, or by letter sent by registered post addressed to such partner. In the case of a letter, the service shall be deemed to have been effected when the letter would arrive in ordinary course of post.

When Section 65 BNSS Applies

  • Under Section 65(1) BNSS, service of a summons on a company or corporation may be effected by serving it on the Director, Manager, Secretary or other officer of the company or corporation.
  • Under Section 65(1) BNSS, service may instead be effected by letter sent by registered post addressed to the Director, Manager, Secretary or other officer of the company or corporation in India.
  • The Explanation to Section 65 BNSS defines company as a body corporate and corporation as an incorporated company or other body corporate registered under the Companies Act, 2013 or a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.
  • Under Section 65(2) BNSS, service of a summons on a firm or other association of individuals may be effected by serving it on any partner of such firm or association.
  • Under Section 65(2) BNSS, service may instead be effected by letter sent by registered post addressed to such partner, and the service shall be deemed to have been effected when the letter would arrive in ordinary course of post.

Time Limits Under Section 65 BNSS

  • Service by letter sent by registered post is deemed to have been effected when the letter would arrive in ordinary course of post.Act text: “in which case the service shall be deemed to have been effected when the letter would arrive in ordinary course of post”

Example of Section 65 BNSS

A Court issues a summons to Sunrise Traders Limited, an incorporated company with its office in Pune. Mohan is the Manager of the company. Under Section 65(1) BNSS, the summons may be served on Mohan as the Manager of the company. The Court also issues a summons to Kapoor and Sons, a firm. Under Section 65(2) BNSS, the summons may be served on any partner of the firm, such as Ramesh, or sent by letter by registered post addressed to Ramesh, and the service is deemed to have been effected when the letter would arrive in ordinary course of post.

When Section 65 BNSS Does Not Apply

  • Section 65(1) BNSS speaks of a company or corporation. It does not deal with the service of a summons on a person summoned who cannot be found by the exercise of due diligence.
  • Section 65 BNSS speaks of the service of a summons on a company, corporation, firm or other association of individuals. It does not deal with the form of a summons.

Section 65 BNSS in the CrPC (Previous Law)

Section 65 BNSS replaced Section 63 CrPC from 1 July 2024.

Section 65 BNSS reads Service of summons on corporate bodies, firms, and societies as its heading where Section 63 CrPC read Service of summons on corporate bodies and societies. Section 65(1) BNSS reads a company or corporation where Section 63 CrPC read a corporation, and names the Director, Manager, Secretary or other officer of the company or corporation where Section 63 CrPC named the secretary, local manager or other principal officer of the corporation and the chief officer of the corporation in India. The Explanation to Section 65 BNSS adds a definition of company and words the definition of corporation differently from the Explanation to Section 63 CrPC. Section 65(2) BNSS adds service on a firm or other association of individuals. Section 65 BNSS is divided into Section 65(1) BNSS and Section 65(2) BNSS where Section 63 CrPC has no sub-sections.

Each sub-section below names its own source.

FAQs on Section 65 BNSS

How may a summons be served on a company or corporation under Section 65 BNSS?▼

Section 65(1) BNSS says that service of a summons on a company or corporation may be effected by serving it on the Director, Manager, Secretary or other officer of the company or corporation, or by letter sent by registered post addressed to the Director, Manager, Secretary or other officer of the company or corporation in India.

How may a summons be served on a firm under Section 65 BNSS?▼

Section 65(2) BNSS says that service of a summons on a firm or other association of individuals may be effected by serving it on any partner of such firm or association, or by letter sent by registered post addressed to such partner.

What do company and corporation mean in Section 65 BNSS?▼

The Explanation to Section 65 BNSS says that company means a body corporate and corporation means an incorporated company or other body corporate registered under the Companies Act, 2013 or a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.

What changed from Section 63 CrPC to Section 65 BNSS from 1 July 2024?▼

Section 65 BNSS reads Service of summons on corporate bodies, firms, and societies as its heading where Section 63 CrPC read Service of summons on corporate bodies and societies. Section 65(1) BNSS reads a company or corporation where Section 63 CrPC read a corporation. Section 65(1) BNSS reads the Director, Manager, Secretary or other officer of the company or corporation where Section 63 CrPC read the secretary, local manager or other principal officer of the corporation, and reads the same words for the addressee of the letter where Section 63 CrPC read the chief officer of the corporation in India. The Explanation to Section 65 BNSS defines company as a body corporate and corporation as an incorporated company or other body corporate registered under the Companies Act, 2013 or a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, where the Explanation to Section 63 CrPC defined corporation as an incorporated company or other body corporate and included a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. Section 65(2) BNSS adds service of a summons on a firm or other association of individuals, and Section 63 CrPC has no counterpart to it. Section 65 BNSS is divided into Section 65(1) BNSS and Section 65(2) BNSS where Section 63 CrPC has no sub-sections.

Section 65 BNSS: Sub-sections Explained

Section 65(1) BNSS: Service of summons on corporate bodies and societies

▶

Bare Act Text

(1) Service of a summons on a company or corporation may be effected by serving it on the Director, Manager, Secretary or other officer of the company or corporation, or by letter sent by registered post addressed to the Director, Manager, Secretary or other officer of the company or corporation in India, in which case the service shall be deemed to have been effected when the letter would arrive in ordinary course of post.

Explanation.

In this section, "company" means a body corporate and "corporation" means an incorporated company or other body corporate registered under the Companies Act, 2013 or a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.

Previous Law

CrPC 63 → Section 65(1) BNSS

Section 65(2) BNSS: Service of summons on corporate bodies, firms, and societies

▶

Bare Act Text

(2) Service of a summons on a firm or other association of individuals may be effected by serving it on any partner of such firm or association, or by letter sent by registered post addressed to such partner, in which case the service shall be deemed to have been effected when the letter would arrive in ordinary course of post.

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Disclaimer: This is for informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified advocate for legal advice.

Sources: Bare Act Text, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · Last updated: 22 Oct 2026 ·