Supreme Court e-Filing: How to File and Track a Case Online (2026)

How-To Guide · Supreme Court Procedure

Updated for 2026 · Claw Editorial

To e-file a matter at the Supreme Court of India, you register on the official eFiling portal as an Advocate-on-Record (AOR), an advocate, or a party-in-person, create a new filing, upload your documents, pay the court fee online, and submit to receive a diary number. Many first-time filers get stuck on registration, document format, or the defects that come back after filing. This guide walks through each step in order, explains the scrutiny stage, and shows what to do once your diary number is issued. Last verified: October 2026.

01Why e-filing at the Supreme Court trips people up

E-filing at the Supreme Court is not hard in theory, but small errors cost days. A wrongly named file, a missing annexure, or a profile that is not yet approved can all stop a filing from going through.

The process has several stages, not one

Filing is not finished when you press submit. The matter is first lodged, then it goes through registry scrutiny, defects may be raised, and only after you cure them is the matter listed. Many people think the job is done at submission and miss the defect notice.

The rules and the portal change

The Supreme Court has upgraded its eFiling system more than once, and the formats, practice directions, and screens can change. Always check the notices on the official portal before you file. This page explains the general flow, and the portal is the final authority.

02Who can e-file at the Supreme Court

The eFiling portal allows registration in three ways, and what you can do depends on which one you choose.

• Advocate-on-Record (AOR): An AOR can register and then file petitions, documents, and caveats directly. Under the Supreme Court rules, a matter before the Court is generally filed through an AOR.
• Advocate: An advocate registers a profile, and that profile needs to be approved by an AOR before it is active.
• Party-in-person: A litigant who wants to file without a lawyer can register as a party-in-person. The portal offers more than one way to complete this registration, and the account is activated after the registration steps are done.

If you are a litigant and want a lawyer to handle the filing, you will need to work through an AOR.

03Before you start: what to keep ready

Good preparation saves the most time. Keep these ready before you open the portal.

• Registration details: a working mobile number and email, and the identity details the portal asks for.
• The case documents in digital form: the petition or appeal, the impugned order or judgment, annexures, vakalatnama where needed, and any affidavit or application.
• Clean, searchable PDFs: the portal expects documents in the format and size it specifies. Check the current limits on the portal before scanning.
• Details of the lower court case: the case number, court name, date of the order, and party names, because the portal asks for them.
• A way to pay the court fee online: for example net banking, card, or UPI, as the portal allows.

Name each file clearly, such as "Impugned Order" or "Annexure P-1", so the registry can read your bundle without guessing.

04Step by step: how to e-file at the Supreme Court

Here is the general flow, from registration to diary number. Screens may differ slightly, so follow the portal prompts alongside this list.

Step 1: Register on the eFiling portal

Go to the official portal and choose to register. Select whether you are an AOR, an advocate, or a party-in-person, and fill in the details asked. Verify your mobile number and email when prompted.

Step 2: Create and complete your profile

Log in and complete your profile. An advocate profile waits for approval by an AOR. A party-in-person profile is activated once the registration steps are complete. You cannot start a filing until your account is active.

Step 3: Start a new filing

From your dashboard, start a new filing and choose the type of matter, such as a special leave petition, appeal, writ petition, or other category. Enter the case details, including the lower court or tribunal, the impugned order, and the parties.

Step 4: Upload your documents

Upload each document in the correct section: main petition, impugned order, annexures, and applications. Check that pages are in order, readable, and complete. A missing or unreadable page is a common reason for defects.

Step 5: Pay the court fee

The portal calculates the fee payable for your matter and lets you pay online. Keep the payment receipt. The correct fee depends on the type of matter, and the portal and the Supreme Court rules govern the amount.

Step 6: Submit and get your diary number

Review everything, then submit. The matter is lodged and a diary number is generated. Save the acknowledgement. This number is how you identify your matter from here on.

05The defects and scrutiny stage

After you file, the Registry scrutinises the matter. If something is wrong or missing, it raises defects, and you must cure them before the matter can move forward.

Typical defects relate to missing documents, wrong or unclear annexures, incomplete court fee, missing certificates or affidavits, and formatting problems. The portal shows defects against your filing. Read them carefully, correct the documents, and re-submit within the time allowed.

Filing is not finished when you submit. It is finished when the defects are cured and the matter is registered.

Check your dashboard regularly after filing. Do not wait for someone to call you. If the defects are not cured in time, the matter can be delayed or the filing can be returned.

06What your diary number means

A diary number is the number given to your matter when it is lodged at the Supreme Court registry. It is not the same as a regular case number.

Once defects are cured and the matter is registered, it is given a regular case number, such as a Special Leave Petition number, along with the year. Until then, you identify the matter by its diary number. After registration, the matter can be listed before a bench, and you will see it on cause lists and hearing dates.

So the practical sequence is: file, receive a diary number, cure any defects, get registered, and then wait for listing. For how to look up the current stage of a matter on the official site, see how to check Supreme Court case status in India.

07Common mistakes to avoid

• Starting before your profile is active. Advocate profiles need AOR approval first.
• Poor scans. Blurry, skewed, or missing pages are an easy way to get a defect.
• Wrong document in the wrong section. Put the impugned order, annexures, and applications where the portal asks for them.
• Not saving the receipt and acknowledgement. You will need them if there is any dispute about payment or lodging.
• Not watching for defects. Check the dashboard after every filing.
• Losing track after filing. A matter can be listed or adjourned without you noticing if you only check by hand.

For help following listing and hearings, see our guides on using the daily cause list and Supreme Court case tracking software. If your underlying dispute started in a consumer forum, our explainer on moving from CONFONET to e-Jagriti covers that separate portal.

08Where Claw fits

Claw does not file cases on your behalf. Filing is done by you or your AOR on the official eFiling portal. Claw helps after filing, when you need to follow the matter.

Claw is an all-in-one legaltech platform for Indian advocates, law firms, and corporate legal teams, combining AI-based case search, an AI legal assistant (Legal GPT), case management, and compliance automation across all Indian courts and tribunals.

Once you have a diary or case number, you can track the matter in Claw by party name or case number, and get hearing dates, cause list entries, and order updates by WhatsApp and email. Claw tracks matters across 9,102 forums, and updates can show in under 5 seconds. Claw has a free plan for individual advocates, while paid plans are available for teams and enterprises.

After filing, create a FREE Claw account to track your diary/case number with hearing and order alerts.

09Sources and further reading

• Supreme Court eFiling portal: efiling.sci.gov.in
• Supreme Court of India: sci.gov.in
• Claw: clawlaw.in

This guide is general information, last verified in October 2026. Portal screens, fees, and rules can change, so always confirm on the official site. It is not legal advice.

10Frequently asked questions