Mumbai, Feb. 20 -- In a significant legal interpretation, the Bombay High Court has upheld the validity of serving criminal summons via electronic communication such as WhatsApp under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS).

The ruling by the Nagpur bench quashed a lower court order that had penalised a police constable for issuing summons through a mobile phone message.

A special court under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) in Nagpur had earlier imposed costs on Constable Santosh Ramteke on the ground that WhatsApp service was 'not allowed.' The High Court, however, set aside that order after the Maharashtra government challenged it.

The state pointed out that under Section 70 of BNSS, summons se...