Guide
eCourts e-filing: step-by-step guide to filing a case online
The eCourts e-filing portal lets advocates and parties in person file cases and documents online before district courts and High Courts that have adopted it. This guide walks through the sequence on the portal and the points where filings are most often returned.
Last updated 9 October 2026
E-filing on the eCourts portal follows the same order in every state: register, choose the court, fill in a series of forms, upload and sign the documents, pay the court fee, verify and submit. The registry then scrutinises the filing and either accepts it or returns it with defects to be cured.
The detailed requirements are set by each High Court's e-filing rules and practice directions. They differ on matters such as page size, bookmarking, whether a physical set must also be lodged, and which case types must be e-filed. Read the rules for your court before your first filing. Several High Courts also run their own e-filing portals alongside or instead of the national one.
Steps to e-file a new case
Register on the e-filing portal
Go to the eCourts e-filing portal at filing.ecourts.gov.in (earlier efiling.ecourts.gov.in) and register with your mobile number and email, verified by OTP. An advocate registers with a Bar Council enrolment number; a litigant may register as a party in person where the court's rules allow. You cannot file until registration is complete.
Log in and start a new case
After logging in, choose New Case from the e-filing menu on the dashboard. Select whether you are filing in a High Court or a district court, then the state, district and court establishment, the case type, and whether the matter is ordinary or urgent.
Fill in the party and case forms
Complete the forms in order: petitioner or complainant, respondent, additional parties, and case details such as the cause of action, the amount claimed, the prayer and the relief. Then enter the Acts and sections relied on. An e-filing number is generated when the first form is saved, and you can leave and resume a draft filing. Details of additional parties generally cannot be changed after final submission, so check them now.
Prepare and upload the documents
Convert the petition or plaint, affidavits, vakalatnama, annexures and applications to PDF as your court's rules require, typically text-searchable, paginated and bookmarked. For each file choose the document type, give it a title and upload it. The portal's guide puts the limit at 50 MB per file. A file uploaded by mistake can be deleted and replaced before submission.
Sign the documents
The portal offers e-signing through Aadhaar, a digital signature token, or mobile OTP, depending on what the court accepts. Some courts instead accept scanned copies of documents signed by hand. Follow your court's rule on which documents must be signed by the party and which by the advocate.
Pay the court fee
Pay online through the payment gateway linked to the portal, or pay by challan or e-stamp where the state requires it and enter and upload the payment details. Keep the receipt; a deficit in court fee is one of the commonest reasons a filing is held back.
Verify and make the final submission
Complete the affirmation step, in which the applicant and the advocate are each verified by an OTP sent to their mobile numbers. Review all the forms using the preview, then select Final Submit. The filing is sent to the registry for approval.
Track scrutiny and cure defects
On the dashboard, the filing appears under statuses such as pending acceptance, pending scrutiny, deficit court fee or defective. Download the e-filing acknowledgment for your record. If the registry raises objections, correct them and resubmit within the time allowed. Once the filing is accepted and registered, the case receives its case number and CNR number and is listed before the court.
Documents to keep ready before you start
- The petition, plaint or complaint with the verification, and the supporting affidavit.
- Vakalatnama signed by the client and accepted by the advocate, with the welfare stamp required in the state.
- Annexures, each marked and paginated, with an index.
- Any interim applications, with their own affidavits.
- Proof of identity of the party where the court requires it for e-verification.
- The court fee calculation and the means of payment.
Why e-filings are returned
- Scanned image PDFs where the rules require searchable text, or missing bookmarks and pagination.
- Cause title or party details in the forms that do not match the pleading.
- Unsigned pages, a missing verification or an affidavit that is not attested as required.
- Deficit court fee or a payment that does not match the valuation.
- A missing or defective vakalatnama.
- Annexures that are illegible or not translated where a translation is required.
eCourts e-filing steps: common questions
Is e-filing mandatory?
It depends on the court and the case type. Several High Courts have made e-filing mandatory for specified categories, such as commercial matters or filings by government, and optional for others. Check the current practice directions of the court where you are filing.
Do I still need to file a physical copy?
Some courts require a physical set to be lodged within a few days of e-filing, and others have dispensed with it. This is governed by the e-filing rules of the High Court concerned.
Can a litigant e-file without an advocate?
Where the court's e-filing rules permit, a litigant can register as a party in person and file directly. The requirements for signing, verification and court fee are the same.
When is an e-filed case treated as filed?
E-filing rules usually treat the date and time of successful submission as the time of filing, subject to the filing being accepted after scrutiny, and often provide that filings after a stated hour count as made on the next working day. Do not leave a filing to the last day of limitation.
Prepare the filing set from the matter record
Settl generates filing-suite drafts from the matter's facts on your letterhead, and its e-Filing Companion copies the fields you need and opens the court portal. Submission, signing and payment still happen on the court's portal.
Not legal advice. This guide is general information. Portals, fees, forms and court rules change, and practice differs between courts. Check the current rules and the official portal, and consult a qualified advocate about your own matter. Settl is not a law firm.