SEBI SCORES Complaint: How to File on SCORES 2.0, Timelines

To file a SEBI SCORES complaint, first complain in writing to the broker, depository participant, mutual fund, company or other SEBI-regulated entity, then file on SCORES 2.0 (scores.sebi.gov.in or the SCORES app) within one year of the transaction or event. The entity must upload an Action Taken Report within 21 calendar days; if you are not satisfied, you can seek a first review within 15 days, and then a second review by SEBI. SCORES is free; for a disputed money claim, SEBI’s SMART ODR portal is usually the better route.

What a SEBI SCORES complaint can cover

SCORES (SEBI Complaints Redress System) handles complaints against listed companies, SEBI-registered intermediaries (stock brokers, depository participants, mutual funds and AMCs, registrars, investment advisers, research analysts, portfolio managers and others) and market infrastructure institutions. It works best for service failures:

• sale proceeds or unused funds not paid out by a broker;
• shares, bonus shares or mutual fund units not credited;
• dividend or redemption delayed;
• KYC, bank details or nomination not updated;
• IPO amount still blocked after allotment;
• statements or contract notes not sent.

SCORES will not take: complaints against unlisted or delisted companies (with limited exceptions), companies under IBC insolvency, struck off or liquidated; matters pending in a court, before a quasi-judicial body or in ODR; matters for other regulators such as banks (RBI) or insurers (IRDAI); and tips about market manipulation, which SEBI treats as intelligence, not a complaint.

How to file a SEBI SCORES complaint, step by step

1. Write to the entity first. Email its grievance ID with your client code, DP ID and client ID, folio or application number, the facts and the remedy you want. Keep the acknowledgement. Phone calls alone do not count.
2. Register on SCORES with your PAN and verify your mobile number and email.
3. Choose the entity and category carefully (for example, “Stock broker: non-receipt of funds”).
4. Write a short, dated statement and a precise request: “Refund ₹48,200 credit balance shown in ledger dated 5 October 2026.”
5. Upload proof: your complaint to the entity, its reply or proof of no reply, contract notes, ledger, statements.
6. Note the registration number and track the status on the portal or app.

SCORES timelines and how reviews work

If you do not ask for a review in time, the complaint closes. Read every ATR critically. Replies such as “resolved as per records” or “client informed” often do not give you what you asked for. Seek a review within 15 days and say exactly what is missing.

Example: Shabana, a pharmacist in Aurangabad, did not receive bonus shares. The registrar ignored her email for two weeks, so she filed on SCORES with the record date and her DP details. The ATR said “under process”. She sought a first review, pointing out that no date was given. The stock exchange, as Designated Body, took it up and the shares were credited.

SCORES or SMART ODR?

SCORES makes an entity answer on a clock and creates a record SEBI uses in supervision. It does not produce a binding money award. For a contested claim, such as unauthorised trades or a disputed loss, use SMART ODR (smartodr.in): online conciliation first, then online arbitration if needed. Registering is free, conciliation costs the investor nothing, and claims up to ₹1 lakh in arbitration are decided on documents.

• Filing on SMART ODR while a SCORES complaint on the same matter is pending treats the SCORES complaint as disposed of.
• Do not file the same dispute in SCORES, ODR and a consumer commission together; parallel cases get rejected.
• Against an unregistered “tips” seller or fake app, SCORES and ODR will not recover money. Go to 1930 and the police: see fake trading app fraud what to do.

Mutual fund selling complaints follow the same ladder: see mutual fund mis-selling complaint.

Frequently asked questions

How do I file a SEBI SCORES complaint against a broker?

Email the broker’s grievance ID first with your client code, facts and the remedy you want. If there is no satisfactory reply, register on scores.sebi.gov.in with your PAN, choose the broker and category, upload your complaint and proof, and note the registration number. The broker must file an Action Taken Report within 21 calendar days.

What is the time limit for a SCORES complaint?

A SCORES complaint should be filed within one year from the date of the transaction or event complained about, after first approaching the entity. Older matters may need a different forum.

Is there any fee for filing a complaint on SEBI SCORES?

No. SCORES is free. Registering a complaint on SMART ODR is also free, and conciliation costs are not charged to the investor; arbitration fees follow a published scale.

What can I do if I am not satisfied with the SCORES reply?

Ask for a first review within 15 calendar days of the entity’s Action Taken Report. The Designated Body reviews it and files a revised report within 10 days. If still unsatisfied, seek a second review by SEBI within 15 days, or move a money claim to SMART ODR.

Quick quiz

Model SEBI SCORES complaint formats and the full ladder are in Legal Rights of Investors (₹349). It teaches rights and remedies, not what to invest in, and gives a Lexfolio certificate of completion, not a professional qualification.

Sources

• SEBI circular on SCORES 2.0, 20 September 2023 (effective 1 April 2024)
• SEBI circular on Online Dispute Resolution in the securities market, 31 July 2023, as consolidated
• Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, s.34

This page is for education and general information, not legal advice for a specific case. Law as on 31 October 2026.