Section 78 · Processes

(1) Every summons issued by a Gram Panchayat shall be drawn up in such form and shall be signed or sealed in such manner as may be prescribed. (2) When the person on whom the summons is to be served resides within its jurisdiction such summons shall ordinarily be served by one of the Chaukidars of the local area but the Gram Panchayat may in its discretion have it served by any other person willing to do so. (3) If the accused or the defendant resides at the time of the issue of the summons outside the local area of its jurisdiction the Gram Panchayat may forward the summons to the Gram Panchayat within the local area of whose jurisdiction the accused or the defendant resides and such Gram Panchayat shall cause it to be served as if it were a summons issued by itself. (4) If the accused or the defendant resides at the time of the issue of the summons outside the jurisdiction of a Gram Panchayat, the Gram Panchayat may, where it is not possible to serve the summons, through another Gram Panchayat forward the summons to the nearest Judicial Magistrate who shall cause it to be served as if it were a summons issued by himself.