(1)A summons issued by a Revenue-officer shall, if practicable, be served (a) personally on the person to whom it is addressed, or, failing him (b) his recognised agent or (c) an adult male member of his family usually residing with him.(2)If service cannot be so made, or if acceptance of service so made is refused, the summons may be served by posting a copy thereof at the usual or last known place of residence of the person to whom it is addressed, or if that person does not reside in the district in which the Revenue-officer is employed and the case to which the summons relates has reference to land in that district, then by posting a copy of the summons on some conspicuous place in or near the estate wherein the land is situate.(3)If the summons relates to a case in which persons having the same interest are so numerous that personal service on all of them is not reasonably practicable, it may, if the Revenue-officer so directs, be served by delivery of a copy thereof to such of those persons as the Revenue-officer nominates in this behalf and by proclamation of the contents thereof for the information of the other persons interested.(4)A summons may, if the Revenue-officer so directs, be served on the person named therein, either in addition to, or in substitution for, any other mode of service, by forwarding the summons by post in a letter addressed to the person and registered under Part III of the [Indian Post Office Act, 1866 (XIV of 1866).] [See now Chapter VI of the Indian Post Office Act, 1898 (VI of 1898).](5)When a summons is so forwarded in a letter, and it is proved that the letter was properly addressed and duly posted and registered, the Revenue- officer may presume that the summons was served at the time when the letter would be delivered in the ordinary course of post.(6)[ If it is not possible to serve summons in accordance with any the modes, as provided in sub-sections (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) then,-(a)summons may be sent by the Revenue-officer by whom it is issued whether within or out of the State by post, courier service, fax message or by electronic mail service;(b)where the person is confined in prison, the summons may be delivered by post, courier service, fax message or by electronic mail service to the officer-in charge of the prison for service to the person;(c)where the person resides out of India and has no agent India empowered to accept service, the summons may be addressed to the person at the place where he is residing or may be sent to him by post, courier service, fax message or by electronic mail service, if there is postal communication between such place and the place where office of such Revenue-officer is situated; and(d)where the Central Government, by notification in the Official Gazette, has declared in respect of any foreign country that summons shall be served on the person actually and voluntarily residing or carrying business or personally working for gain in that foreign country through an officer of the Government of foreign country, as specified by the Central Government, the summons may be sent to such officer through the Ministry of Government of India dealing with foreign affairs or in such other manner, as may be specified by the Central Government and if such officer returns any such summons with an endorsement purporting to have been made by him that the summons have been served on the person, such service shall be deemed as evidence of service.]
