How can I raise a complaint against a stockbroker?

You start with the broker’s own grievance redressal channel, typically through the app’s help or support section, a dedicated complaint form on the website, or email to their designated grievance officer, since SEBI requires every registered broker to have a formal, accessible complaint process and to acknowledge and respond within specific regulatory timelines. You keep a clear, factual record of the issue (dates, transaction details, screenshots, any prior correspondence) when filing, since a well-documented complaint tends to get resolved faster than a vague one. If the broker doesn’t resolve it satisfactorily within their stated timeline, or the response is inadequate, you escalate to SEBI SCORES (SEBI Complaints Redress System), the centralised regulatory portal for investor grievances against SEBI-registered intermediaries. For a growing category of disputes, SEBI’s Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) portal, launched to provide faster, more structured resolution through conciliation and arbitration, is also available as an escalation path if the broker-level and SCORES routes don’t fully resolve the issue.