Section 63 CrPC: Service of summons on corporate bodies and societies

Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973

Section 63 CrPC at a Glance

Section 63 CrPC deals with service of summons on corporate bodies and societies. From 1 July 2024 it is replaced by Section 65 BNSS.

Now BNSS

Section 65 →

What Section 63 CrPC Says

63. Service of summons on corporate bodies and societies

Service of a summons on a corporation may be effected by serving it on the secretary, local manager or other principal officer of the corporation, or by letter sent by registered post, addressed to the chief officer of the 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, “corporation” means an incorporated company or other body corporate and includes a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 (21 of 1860).

Source: Section 63, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973

Section 63 CrPC in Simple Words

Section 63 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 deals with the service of a summons on a corporation. Service may be effected by serving the summons on the secretary, local manager or other principal officer of the corporation, or by letter sent by registered post, addressed to the chief officer of the corporation in India.

In the case of the letter, the service shall be deemed to have been effected when the letter would arrive in ordinary course of post. The Explanation says that corporation means an incorporated company or other body corporate and includes a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.

When Section 63 CrPC Applies

  • Service of a summons on a corporation may be effected by serving it on the secretary, local manager or other principal officer of the corporation.
  • Service may instead be effected by letter sent by registered post, addressed to the chief officer of the corporation in India.
  • Where the summons is sent by letter, the service shall be deemed to have been effected when the letter would arrive in ordinary course of post.
  • In Section 63 CrPC, corporation means an incorporated company or other body corporate and includes a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.

Time Limits Under Section 63 CrPC

  • 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 63 CrPC

A Court issues a summons to Sunrise Traders Limited, an incorporated company with its office in Pune. Anita is the secretary of the company. Under Section 63 CrPC, the summons may be served on Anita as the secretary of the corporation. The summons may instead be sent by letter by registered post, addressed to the chief officer of the corporation in India, and the service is deemed to have been effected when the letter would arrive in ordinary course of post.

When Section 63 CrPC Does Not Apply

  • Section 63 CrPC speaks of the service of a summons on a 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 63 CrPC speaks of a corporation, which includes a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. It does not deal with the service of a summons on a firm.

Section 63 CrPC Under BNSS 65: What Changed

Section 63 CrPC is now covered under Section 65 BNSS.

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.

View detailed comparison (CrPC 63 vs BNSS 65) →

FAQs on Section 63 CrPC

How may a summons be served on a corporation under Section 63 CrPC?▼

Section 63 CrPC says that service of a summons on a corporation may be effected by serving it on the secretary, local manager or other principal officer of the corporation, or by letter sent by registered post, addressed to the chief officer of the corporation in India.

When is service by registered post deemed to have been effected under Section 63 CrPC?▼

Section 63 CrPC says that the service shall be deemed to have been effected when the letter would arrive in ordinary course of post.

What does corporation mean in Section 63 CrPC?▼

The Explanation to Section 63 CrPC says that corporation means an incorporated company or other body corporate and includes a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.

Where is Section 63 CrPC found in the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023?▼

Section 63 CrPC has no sub-sections, and maps as a whole to Section 65 BNSS. Its main text is found in Section 65(1) BNSS. The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 replaced the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 from 1 July 2024.

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Sources: Bare Act Text, Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 · Last updated: 22 Oct 2026 ·