Code of Civil Procedure

CPC 1908 § Order V, Rule 20 — Substituted service

This page reproduces the English text stored for section Order V, Rule 20 of Code of Civil Procedure. The statute citation and data status are shown below.

Statutory text (English)

1[
(1) Where the Court is satisfied that there is reason to believe that
the defendant is keeping out of the way for the purpose of avoiding service, or that for any other reason
the summons cannot be served in the ordinary way, the Court shall order for service of summons by—
(a) affixing a copy of the summons at some conspicuous part of the house, if any,
in which the defendant is known to have last resided or carried on business or
personally worked for gain; or
(b) any electronic device of communication which may include telegram,
telephone, phonogram, telex, fax, radio and television; or
(c) urgent mail service or public courier services; or
(d) beat of drum in the locality where the defendant resides; or
(e) publication in press; or
(f) any other manner or mode as it may think fit:

Provided that the Court may order the use of all or any of the aforesaid manners and modes of
service simultaneously.]

(2) Effects of substituted service. Service substituted by order of the Court shall be as effectual
as if it had been made on the defendant personally.

(3) Where service substituted, time for appearance to be fixed. Where service is substituted
by order of the Court, the Court shall fix such time for the appearance of the defendant as the case may
require 1[which shall not ordinarily exceed fifteen days.]

Source and verification

Source citation: CPC (Act V of 1908) First Schedule, Order V, Rule 20 (ISSUE AND SERVICE OF SUMMONS): Pakistan Code portal consolidated official PDF 'THE CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE, 1908' (First Schedule, Orders I-LI, pp. 58-185), p. 66, ingested 2026-09-15. Automated transcription from official source (pypdf extraction, audited artifact repair); human admin re-check required before production.

Verification status: verified · Text status: auto_transcribed_verified_source

The record cites an official source, but its transcription is automated or only partly checked; a human re-check is pending.

Official Urdu text status: pending_official_urdu_text. Where official Urdu wording has not been sourced, Qanoon does not substitute an unverified translation for the statutory text.

Historical text notes

1 historical record is linked to this section. Historical wording may be incomplete or pending verification; it is not presented as current law.

Date not confirmed: Consolidated current text as published in the official Pakistan Code PDF (p. 66) — reflects all amendments recorded in the official footnotes up to ingest date 2026-09-15. Automated transcription; per-amendment version…

Read this provision with care

This is a public reference to a stored statute record, not legal advice or a case-specific interpretation. Check the latest official gazette, applicable amendments and jurisdiction before relying on the text. A citation and verification label describe the record in this app; they cannot confirm that no later change has occurred. For a real legal matter, consult a licensed advocate.

Use the full CPC 1908 section index to compare nearby provisions, or return to search.