Legal Forms and Court Formats: Vakalatnama, Bail Bond, Caveat, SLP

Can I download legal forms from this page?

Not as files yet. The website does not host PDF or Word formats at present, mainly because court formats change and an outdated one can do more harm than good. Instead, send a WhatsApp message to +91 96259 61599 naming the court, the type of case and the form you need, and we will send the format currently in use. There is no charge for sending a standard format.

Official versions are available from the courts themselves. The Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court publish rules, practice directions and many formats on their websites, district courts make common forms available through their filing and copying sections, and tribunals such as the NCLT, DRT and consumer commissions prescribe forms in their own rules. Stationers outside the Delhi district court complexes also sell printed vakalatnamas and bond forms, though their quality varies.

Which court form do I need?

A quick guide to the formats people ask about most often.

What is a vakalatnama and how is it filled in?

A vakalatnama is the written authority that lets an advocate appear, plead and act for you in a particular case. Without one on record, the court will not hear an advocate on your behalf, except in limited situations covered by a memo of appearance. It names the court, the case title and number, the party giving the authority, and the advocate or advocates authorised, with their enrolment numbers, addresses and contact details. The client signs it, and the advocate signs to accept it.

In Delhi, a vakalatnama must carry the advocates' welfare stamp of the Delhi High Court Advocates Welfare Fund before it is filed, and many bar associations issue their own printed forms with the stamp. Courts in Uttar Pradesh have their own stamp and form requirements, so a Delhi form should not be used at the Ghaziabad district court or the Surajpur court in Noida. Ask us for the right one.

For a company, society or RWA, the vakalatnama is signed by the person authorised by a board or committee resolution, and a copy of the resolution is usually filed with it. Where there are several clients, each should sign. A vakalatnama is case-specific: a fresh one is generally needed for an appeal or a different proceeding.

How to fill in a vakalatnama correctly

1. Write the court and case exactly

   Use the full name of the court, the case type and number, and the case title as it appears on the order sheet, for example 'In the Court of the Judicial Magistrate, Dwarka Courts, New Delhi'. For a fresh case not yet numbered, leave space for the number and write the parties' names.

2. Fill in the party details

   Give your full name, parentage, address and your role in the case: petitioner, plaintiff, complainant, accused or respondent. The name must match your identity documents and the rest of the case papers.

3. Name the advocates

   List the advocates authorised, with enrolment numbers, chamber or office address, phone and email. Naming more than one advocate of the same firm means one can appear if the other is in another court.

4. Sign and date in the right places

   Sign where the form says the executant signs. If you cannot sign, a thumb impression identified by someone who knows you is acceptable. The advocate then signs to accept.

5. Affix the welfare stamp and file

   In Delhi, affix the Delhi High Court Advocates Welfare Fund stamp. File the vakalatnama with the first pleading or at the first hearing, and keep a photocopy for your own records.

If you later want to change your advocate, the new advocate usually files a fresh vakalatnama along with a no-objection from the previous advocate, or with the court's leave if no-objection is not available. A dispute over unpaid fees does not entitle an advocate to keep your case papers and stall your case; the fee dispute is settled separately.

What is a memo of appearance and when is it used?

A memo of appearance is a short document by which an advocate records that he or she is appearing for a party, without that advocate filing a separate vakalatnama. It is used, for example, by counsel briefed by the advocate who holds the vakalatnama, by government counsel appearing for the State, and in the Supreme Court, where Advocates-on-Record file memos of appearance in certain situations.

For most clients the practical point is simple: if your advocate brings in another counsel to argue a particular hearing, that counsel may appear on a memo of appearance rather than a fresh vakalatnama. The requirement differs between courts, so the advocate on record checks it.

What is a bail bond and what happens after bail is granted?

Bail is granted by an order, but the person is released only after the bail bond and surety bond are furnished and accepted. The bail bond is the accused person's own undertaking to appear on every date and to follow the conditions set by the court. The surety bond is a guarantee by another person that the accused will appear, backed by an amount the surety may have to pay if the accused does not. Bonds of the accused and sureties are dealt with in Section 485 of the BNSS, and sureties make a declaration under Section 486.

The court that grants bail fixes the bond amount and the number of sureties. If bail is granted by the Sessions Court or the Delhi High Court, the bonds are usually furnished before the trial court or the duty magistrate, as the order directs. Once the bonds are accepted, the court issues a release order to the jail, whether Tihar, Mandoli or Rohini in Delhi, or the district jails at Dasna for Ghaziabad and Luksar for Gautam Buddh Nagar. Release usually follows the same evening or the next day, depending on when the order reaches the jail.

Courts often ask for the surety's documents to be verified, sometimes through the investigating officer. This verification is the most common cause of delay after a bail order. The bail lawyer page explains the bail process itself.

What documents does a surety need to bring?

Requirements vary from court to court and with the bond amount. These are what courts in Delhi NCR commonly ask for.

Bring originals for verification and a set of self-attested photocopies to file. A surety from the same city as the court is often preferred, and some orders specify a local surety.

What are the risks of standing surety for someone?

Standing surety is a legal obligation, not a formality. If the accused stops appearing, the court can issue notice to the surety, forfeit the bond and recover the amount from the surety, including by attaching property. The surety is also expected to inform the court if the accused is about to abscond. A person who stands surety for a stranger for money, as sometimes happens around court complexes, takes a real risk and may commit an offence if false documents are used.

A surety who no longer wishes to continue can apply to the court to be discharged. The court then requires the accused to furnish a fresh surety. If you are thinking of standing surety, ask yourself honestly whether the accused will turn up for every date over what may be several years of trial.

What goes into a Delhi High Court filing?

A fresh petition or application in the Delhi High Court is filed as a set in a fixed order, most commonly through the High Court's e-filing portal. A typical set contains an index, an urgent application where early listing is sought, a notice of motion or proof of advance service on the other side or government counsel, a memo of parties, the listing proforma, a synopsis and list of dates, the petition itself with a supporting affidavit, any accompanying applications (such as exemption from filing certified copies, condonation of delay or interim relief), the annexures marked in order, the vakalatnama and the court fee.

The High Court's rules and practice directions fix the page size, margins, font, line spacing, pagination and bookmarking of electronic filings, and they are revised from time to time. Check the current practice directions before preparing a set; the registry will raise defects for non-compliance. Criminal matters, such as bail applications under Section 483 of the BNSS or quashing petitions under Section 528, follow the same broad structure with the FIR copy, chargesheet where filed, and the orders of the lower courts as annexures.

Once filed, the registry scrutinises the set and may raise objections, called defects. These must be cured and the matter refiled within the time allowed. Delay in refiling can itself need condonation, and it has cost litigants their limitation in appeals. Advocate Sadhna Singh keeps a running check on defects for every matter the firm files.

What is a listing proforma?

A listing proforma is the summary sheet that goes at the front of a fresh matter so the registry can classify it and list it before the right bench. In the Delhi High Court it records details such as the nature of the case, the statute and provision under which it is filed, the lower court or authority whose order is challenged, whether a caveat has been filed, the court fee paid, and the advocate's details. Getting the category right matters, because a matter listed before the wrong roster bench may simply be sent back.

The Supreme Court uses a 'proforma for first listing' at the start of an SLP or writ petition. It records the subject category, the parties, the High Court case details, the date of the impugned judgment, whether a caveat exists and the Advocate-on-Record's details. The registry uses it, along with the synopsis, to decide where the matter is listed for admission.

What is the format of a Supreme Court SLP?

A special leave petition under Article 136 of the Constitution asks the Supreme Court for permission to appeal against a judgment or order, usually of a High Court. It must be filed within 90 days of the High Court judgment, and only an Advocate-on-Record can file it, unless the petitioner appears in person. Other advocates can argue the matter once it is on record. The format is set by the Supreme Court Rules 2013 and the registry's practice.

A standard SLP paper book contains the proforma for first listing, the cover page and index, the synopsis and list of dates, a copy of the impugned judgment, the petition setting out questions of law and grounds, a declaration that the annexures were part of the record before the High Court, the supporting affidavit, the annexures marked as P-1, P-2 and so on, applications for interim relief, condonation of delay or exemption from filing a certified copy, and the vakalatnama with the Advocate-on-Record's memo. In a criminal SLP by a person sentenced to imprisonment, the petitioner must have surrendered or must file an application for exemption from surrendering.

The synopsis and list of dates are the parts the judges read first at admission, and they decide whether notice is issued. The Supreme Court practice page explains how SLPs, transfer petitions and writ petitions run, and the Supreme Court lawyer page covers working with an Advocate-on-Record.

What is a caveat and how long does it last?

A caveat is a notice to the court that you expect someone to file a case or application against you and want to be heard before any order is passed. It is provided for in Section 148A of the Code of Civil Procedure. Typical uses: a decree-holder who expects the judgment-debtor to seek a stay in appeal, a landlord who expects a tenant to rush to court for an injunction, or a party who has won before a tribunal and expects a writ petition in the High Court.

The caveator must send notice of the caveat by registered post, acknowledgement due, to the person expected to file. If that person then files, they must serve a copy of the application on the caveator, and the court gives the caveator a hearing before passing orders. A caveat remains in force for 90 days from filing; if nothing is filed in that time, a fresh caveat is needed. The Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court maintain caveat registers, and the listing proforma asks whether one exists.

Caveats are mainly a civil procedure tool. Whether and how a caveat can be filed in a criminal matter depends on the court and the proceeding, so ask before relying on one.

How do I apply for a certified copy of a court order?

A certified copy is a copy of an order, judgment, decree or document on record that the court's copying section has authenticated. You need one to file most appeals and revisions, to execute a decree, and to use an order in another forum, for example a DRT order before the DRAT or a High Court judgment before the Supreme Court. An ordinary photocopy or a downloaded copy is often not enough for these purposes, though courts sometimes accept an application for exemption while the certified copy is awaited.

Applications are made to the copying agency or copy branch of the court, and many courts, including the Delhi High Court, now accept them online; check each district court's website for its current system. The application names the case, the document needed and whether it is ordinary or urgent; copying fees are higher for urgent copies. Parties to the case and their advocates can apply directly; third parties usually need the court's permission.

The time spent obtaining a certified copy of the judgment or order is excluded when calculating the limitation for an appeal under Section 12 of the Limitation Act 1963. That exclusion only works if you apply promptly. People lose appeals by waiting weeks before applying and then finding the time is not fully excluded.

Which other everyday formats do people ask for?

• Affidavit. A sworn statement of facts, signed by the deponent and attested by an oath commissioner or notary. Court affidavits must say which paragraphs are true to personal knowledge and which are based on records or legal advice.
• Application for exemption from personal appearance. Asks the court to excuse a party's presence on a date, with the reason and supporting document, such as a medical certificate.
• Application for inspection of the court file. Allows a party or advocate to inspect the record, usually to check what has been filed or to prepare for a hearing.
• Process fee and summons forms. Filed to have summons or notice issued to the other side, with addresses. Missing these is a common reason for cases not moving.
• Memo of parties. Lists all parties with full addresses in the order they appear in the case title. Errors here lead to notices going to the wrong address.
• Legal notice. Not a court form but often the first formal step, for example under Section 138 of the NI Act or before a civil suit. The civil law practice page explains when one is needed.

How do I ask for a form on WhatsApp?

Send a message to +91 96259 61599 with three things: the court or tribunal (for example 'Tis Hazari civil court', 'Delhi High Court', 'Ghaziabad district court', 'DRT Delhi'), the type of case, and the form you need. If you are filing in person without an advocate, say so, because some formats need different wording for a party-in-person. We will send the format in use, usually as a PDF or Word file.

We do not charge for sending a standard format. If you want us to fill in or draft the document for your particular case, that is legal work, and the fee is discussed and agreed first like any other matter. We will also tell you frankly if the step you are about to take needs an advocate rather than a form. You can reach the office through the contact page as well.

Before you hand any form in at the filing counter

• The court name, case number and case title match the latest order sheet exactly
• Names and addresses match identity documents and the rest of the file
• Every page that needs a signature is signed, and every page is numbered
• The vakalatnama carries the welfare stamp required in that court
• Affidavits are attested by an oath commissioner or notary, as the court requires
• Section numbers are current: BNSS and BNS for cases registered from 1 July 2024
• Annexures are legible, in order and marked as true copies
• Court fee is paid and the receipt is attached
• You have kept a complete copy of what you filed

What mistakes do people make with court forms?

The most frequent mistake since July 2024 is using an old format that cites CrPC or IPC sections for a case registered under the BNSS and BNS, or the reverse. Cases registered before 1 July 2024 generally continue under the old law, so the right section depends on the date of the FIR, not the date you file. The second is using a Delhi format in a UP court, or a district court format in the High Court.

Others are small but costly: unsigned pages, a name spelt differently from the Aadhaar card, a notarised affidavit where the court expects attestation by an oath commissioner, missing page numbers, annexures that are illegible photocopies, and an address in the memo of parties that is years out of date. Each can lead to a defect, an adjournment or a notice that never reaches the other side. None of these mistakes is fatal on its own, but together they add months to a case.

When is a format not enough and you need an advocate?

A format is enough for routine steps: a certified copy application, an inspection application, a surety's documents, an affidavit of service. It is not enough where the document decides what you are asking the court for and why. Bail applications, anticipatory bail, quashing petitions, plaints, written statements, replies to SARFAESI notices, consumer complaints and SLPs all depend on choices about facts, law and relief that no template can make.

If you are filing on your own in a consumer commission, for example, the commission's format will help you structure the complaint, but the consumer court lawyer page explains the limitation and jurisdiction points that templates leave out. Similarly, a borrower filing before the DRT needs more than the form; the DRT lawyer page explains the 45-day limit and the pre-deposit rules on appeal. For criminal matters in Delhi's courts, see the criminal lawyer in Delhi page.

Where are tribunal forms such as NCLT, DRT and consumer forms available?

Tribunals prescribe their own forms in their rules. The NCLT has forms under its rules for company petitions and insolvency applications, and IBC applications under Sections 7, 9 and 10 have prescribed forms under the insolvency rules; the NCLT lawyer page explains how those applications are put together. The DRTs follow the procedure under the Recovery of Debts and Bankruptcy Act and their own regulations for Original Applications and Section 17 SARFAESI applications.

Consumer complaints are filed online through the e-Daakhil and e-Jagriti portals, which guide you through the required fields and documents; no fee is payable for claims up to ₹5 lakh. The National Green Tribunal and the Central Administrative Tribunal also prescribe application formats under their rules. In each case, the official website of the tribunal is the safest source, and we can send you the version currently in use.