CrPC Forms 1 to 4: Summons, Arrest Warrant, Bail Bond and Proclamation

Forms 1 to 4 form part of the Second Schedule to the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (CrPC). This page presents the statutory forms used for a summons to an accused person, a warrant of arrest, a bond and bail-bond after arrest under a warrant, and a proclamation requiring an accused person to appear.

Legal position covered: This article explains the CrPC framework applicable before the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS) came into force. The CrPC has since been repealed, subject to the repeal and savings provisions governing pending matters. For a proceeding governed by the earlier Code, the applicable procedural law and any transitional provision should be checked.

Relevant CrPC provisions

Section 61 - Form of summons: A summons issued by a Court under the CrPC is required to be in writing, in duplicate, signed by the presiding officer or another officer authorised by High Court rules, and to bear the seal of the Court.
Section 70 - Form and duration of warrant of arrest: A warrant of arrest issued by a Court must be in writing, signed by the presiding officer and bear the seal of the Court. It remains in force until cancelled by the issuing Court or executed.
Section 71 - Security endorsement on warrant: The Court issuing a warrant may endorse a direction that, if the person executes a bond with sufficient sureties for attendance at the specified time and thereafter as directed, the executing officer shall take the security and release that person.
Section 81 - Procedure by Magistrate before whom arrested person is brought: Where a person arrested under a warrant executed outside the issuing Court's jurisdiction is brought before the competent Magistrate or authority, Section 81 regulates the procedure, including release on bail or security where legally permissible.
Section 82 - Proclamation for person absconding: Where the Court has reason to believe that a person against whom it has issued a warrant has absconded or is concealing himself so that the warrant cannot be executed, it may publish a written proclamation requiring appearance at a specified place and time in accordance with the section.

Form No. 1

Summons to an Accused Person

See Section 61

To ______ (name of accused) of ______ (address)

WHEREAS your attendance is necessary to answer to a charge of ______ (state shortly the offence charged), you are hereby required to appear in person (or by pleader, as the case may be) before the (Magistrate) of ______ on the ______ day of ______. Herein fail not.

Dated, this ______ day of ______, 20______

(Seal of Court)

(Signature)

Form No. 2

Warrant of Arrest

See Section 70

To ______ (name and designation of the person or persons who is or are to execute the warrant).

WHEREAS (name of accused) of (address) stands charged with the offence of ______ (state the offence), you are hereby directed to arrest the said ______ and to produce him before me. Herein fail not.

Dated, this ______ day of ______, 20______

(Seal of the Court)

(Signature)

Endorsement for bail

See Section 71

If the said ______ shall give bail himself in the sum of rupees ______ with one surety in the sum of rupees ______ (or two sureties each in the sum of rupees ______) to attend before me on the ______ day of ______ and to continue so to attend until otherwise directed by me, he may be released.

Dated, this ______ day of ______, 20______

(Seal of the Court)

(Signature)

Form No. 3

Bond and Bail-bond after Arrest under a Warrant

See Section 81

I, ______ (name), of ______ being brought before the District Magistrate of ______ (or as the case may be) under a warrant issued to compel my appearance to answer to the charge of ______, do hereby bind myself to attend in the Court of ______ on the day of ______ next, to answer to the said charge, and to continue so to attend until otherwise directed by the Court, and in case of my making default herein, I bind myself to forfeit, to Government, the sum of rupees ______.

Dated, this ______ day of ______, 20______

(Seal of the Court)

(Signature)

I do hereby declare myself surety for the above-named ______ of ______, that he shall attend before ______ in the Court of ______ on the day of ______ next, to answer to the charge on which he has been arrested, and shall continue so to attend until otherwise directed by the Court; and in case of his making default therein, I bind myself to forfeit, to Government, the sum of rupees ______.

Dated, this ______ day of ______, 20______

(Signature)

Form No. 4

Proclamation Requiring the Appearance of a Person Accused

See Section 82

WHEREAS complaint has been made before me that ______ (name, description and address) has committed (or is suspected to have committed) the offence of ______, punishable under section ______ of the Indian Penal Code, and it has been returned to a warrant of arrest thereupon issued that the said ______ (name) cannot be found, and whereas it has been shown to my satisfaction that the said ______ (name) has absconded (or is concealing himself to avoid the service of the said warrant);

Proclamation is hereby made that the said ______ of ______ is required to appear at ______ (place) before this Court (or before me) to answer the said complaint on the ______ day of ______.

Dated, this ______ day of ______, 20______

(Seal of the Court)

(Signature)

Official legal text

For the authoritative statutory text, refer to India Code. The Second Schedule contains the prescribed CrPC forms, while Sections 61, 70, 71, 81 and 82 provide the related procedural framework.