#Nullity of Proceedings

The Punjab & Haryana High Court held that non-compliance with mandatory procedural requirements under CrPC 82 - including service at the accused’s actual residence and public posting - renders a proclamation order a legal nullity, not a curable irregularity. This reinforces that procedural rigor in declaring proclaimed offenders is non-negotiable, protecting accused persons from arbitrary state action even when they appear to have absconded.