SEBI SCORES Complaint Process: How to File and Escalate
SCORES is SEBI’s online complaint portal, and it is where you go when a broker, depository participant, listed company, or mutual fund has not resolved your grievance. The process now has a fixed order: complain to the entity first, then file on SCORES, then escalate to SEBI, and finally use the Online Dispute Resolution portal if you still want a decision.
One limit matters up front. The portal covers service failures, not investment losses. A delayed payout, an unauthorised trade, a missing dividend, or an ignored transmission request all belong there. A stock falling 30 percent does not.
Filing is free and needs no lawyer. What it needs is a paper trail.
Step One: Complain to the Entity Directly
SCORES expects you to have approached the intermediary first and given it a reasonable window to reply, usually stated as 21 days in SEBI’s guidance. Write to the compliance officer or the designated investor grievance email listed on the entity’s website, not to your relationship manager on chat.
Keep the complaint factual. State the date, the order or folio number, the amount, and what you want done. Save the acknowledgement, because SCORES asks whether you approached the entity and when.
- PAN and client code or folio number
- Contract note, ledger extract, or account statement showing the issue
- The email you sent the entity, with date and any reply
- The exact amount in dispute, in rupees
Step Two: File on SCORES
Register on the SCORES portal with your PAN, mobile number, and email, then lodge the complaint against the registered entity by name. Pick the right category, since the routing depends on it, and attach documents as a single readable PDF where possible.
The complaint is auto forwarded to the entity, which must respond through the portal. You get a unique registration number and can track status online.
What SCORES Will Not Take Up
Complaints outside SEBI’s remit get closed without action, so check before filing.
- Losses from your own trading or investment decisions
- Matters already in court or arbitration
- Complaints against unregistered entities and unregulated schemes
- Disputes with banks or insurers, which sit with RBI and IRDAI
Step Three: The Two Level Review
The current version of SCORES routes your complaint through a designated body first. For a broking issue that is usually NSE or BSE, for a depository matter it is CDSL or NSDL, and for mutual funds it is handled through the AMFI linked process. If the entity’s reply does not satisfy you, you ask for a first level review by that designated body.
Unhappy after that, you seek a second level review, which goes to SEBI. Each stage has a filing window measured in days after you receive the response, so act promptly rather than waiting months. Timelines are revised from time to time, so read the current SEBI circular on the portal before you file.
Step Four: Online Dispute Resolution
SCORES is a grievance redress mechanism, not an adjudicator of money claims. When you want a binding outcome, use the Online Dispute Resolution portal, commonly called Smart ODR, which SEBI set up for market disputes. It runs conciliation first, and if that fails, online arbitration.
ODR involves fees that depend on the claim size, though small claims are kept cheap, and the fee is often refundable in part if you succeed. An arbitration award is enforceable, which is the real difference from SCORES.
SCORES and ODR Compared
| Point | SCORES | Smart ODR |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Grievance redress and follow up | Conciliation and binding arbitration |
| Cost | Free | Fee linked to claim value |
| Outcome | Entity response, review by designated body and SEBI | Settlement or an enforceable award |
| Best for | Service failures and no reply cases | Quantified money claims |
| Order of use | Use first | Use after SCORES, or directly for claims |
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a SCORES complaint usually take?
The entity is expected to respond within a defined period set by SEBI, and reviews add further stages. Straightforward cases often close in a few weeks, while disputed ones stretch longer. Check the timeline shown on your complaint page rather than assuming a fixed number.
Can I claim compensation for a loss through SCORES?
SCORES can push an entity to correct a service failure and return wrongly charged amounts, but it does not award damages. For a quantified claim against a broker, ODR or the exchange investor protection route is the right forum.
What if my broker has defaulted or been declared a defaulter?
Claims then go through the exchange’s investor protection fund process, which has its own eligibility limits and filing window. File on SCORES too, so your grievance is on record with SEBI.
Do I need to file separately against the exchange and the broker?
No. File against the entity whose action caused the problem, usually the broker or the DP. The exchange or depository enters the process as the designated body reviewing that entity.
Is an anonymous complaint possible?
No. SCORES requires PAN based registration so the complaint can be linked to your account and verified. Anonymous tip offs about market misconduct go through SEBI’s separate informant mechanism.
Key Takeaways
- Approach the intermediary first and keep the acknowledgement.
- SCORES covers service failures, not trading losses.
- Escalation runs entity, then designated body review, then SEBI review.
- Smart ODR gives a binding award, SCORES does not.
- Filing windows are short, so respond as soon as you get a reply.
