Legal format guides for Indian courts
33 procedural guides to the documents advocates in India file most often. Each one sets out the governing provision, where the document is filed, who files it, the limitation period, the court fee, the contents in filing order, and the defects that get the paper returned at the counter.
These are reference guides, not templates to copy. They tell you what a document must contain and which provision governs it, so you can check any format against the statute before you file it. Where State law governs court fee, stamp or the rules of practice, the guide says so.
General and appearance
- Vakalatnama format for Indian courtsWhat a vakalatnama must contain, which provision governs it, the welfare-fund stamp to affix, and how it is filed in district courts. Written for practising advocates in India.Drafts in English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam
- Affidavit format for Indian courtsThe correct structure of a court affidavit in India: deponent details, paragraph numbering, verification clause, attestation and the common defects that get an affidavit rejected.Drafts in English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam
Criminal and bail
- Regular bail application format under the BNSS, 2023How a regular bail application is drafted and filed under the BNSS, 2023: the governing sections, the grounds that courts look for, the structure of the petition, and the undertakings to include.Drafts in English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam
- Anticipatory bail application format under Section 482 BNSS, 2023Drafting an anticipatory bail application under Section 482 of the BNSS, 2023: apprehension of arrest, the grounds courts weigh, structure of the petition, and the conditions usually imposed.Drafts in English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam
- Bail bond and surety bond formatWhat a bail bond and a surety bond must contain after bail is granted, the documents a surety must produce, and the conditions that lead to forfeiture.
- Petition to quash an FIR or criminal proceedingHow a quash petition is drafted under the inherent powers of the High Court: the grounds recognised in Bhajan Lal, the structure of the petition and the record to annex.
- Private criminal complaint formatHow to draft a private complaint to a Magistrate under the BNSS, 2023: the contents, the list of witnesses, sworn statement procedure and the orders that follow.
Cheque bounce (Section 138)
- Cheque bounce notice format under Section 138 of the NI ActThe statutory demand notice under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881: the 30-day window, what the notice must demand, how to serve it, and the mistakes that destroy the complaint.Drafts in English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam
- Cheque bounce complaint format under Section 138 NI ActHow a Section 138 complaint is drafted: the ingredients to plead, the one-month limitation, jurisdiction under Section 142(2), interim compensation under Section 143A and the documents to file.Drafts in English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam
Notices
- Legal notice formatHow a legal notice is drafted and served in India: what it must contain to be effective, the notice period, service by registered post, and the special two-month notice against government under Section 80 CPC.Drafts in English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam
- Reply to legal notice formatDrafting a reply to a legal notice in India: paragraph-wise denial, what to admit, what never to concede, counter-demands and the timing of the reply.
Civil suits
- Plaint format under Order VII of the CPCThe particulars a plaint must contain under Order VII CPC, cause of action and limitation pleading, valuation and court fee, verification, and the grounds on which a plaint is rejected.Drafts in English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam
- Written statement format under Order VIII of the CPCHow a written statement is drafted: the 30-day and 90-day time limits, specific denial, preliminary objections, set-off and counter-claim, and what happens on failure to file.Drafts in English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam
- Suit for recovery of money formatDrafting a suit for recovery of money in India: computing the claim and interest, the three-year limitation, acknowledgement under Section 18 of the Limitation Act, court fee and the summary suit alternative.
Civil applications
- Temporary injunction application format under Order XXXIX CPCDrafting an interim injunction application under Order XXXIX Rules 1 and 2 CPC: the three tests, the ex parte procedure under Rule 3, the 30-day rule in Rule 3A and the supporting affidavit.
- Caveat petition format under Section 148A CPCHow to file a caveat under Section 148A of the CPC, what it must contain, the 90-day validity, and the notice the caveator becomes entitled to.
Property and injunctions
- Suit for permanent injunction formatHow a suit for permanent injunction is drafted: possession and title pleading, the Specific Relief Act provisions, valuation and court fee, and when a bare injunction suit fails.
- Suit for partition formatDrafting a suit for partition of joint family or co-owned property: the genealogy, the schedule of properties, computation of shares, court fee, and the preliminary and final decree procedure.
- Suit for specific performance of contract formatDrafting a suit for specific performance under the Specific Relief Act, 1963 as amended in 2018: pleading readiness and willingness, the three-year limitation, and the relief structure.
- Eviction notice format for a tenantHow a landlord's eviction notice is drafted in India: the notice period, the grounds available under State rent legislation, and what must be established before an eviction petition.
Execution
Family and matrimonial
- Divorce petition format under the Hindu Marriage ActDrafting a contested divorce petition in India: the grounds under Section 13 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, jurisdiction of the family court, pleading cruelty or desertion, and the documents to file.Drafts in English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam
- Mutual consent divorce petition format under Section 13BHow a joint petition for divorce by mutual consent is drafted under Section 13B of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955: the two motions, the six-month cooling-off period and when it can be waived.Drafts in English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam
- Maintenance petition format under the BNSS, 2023Drafting a maintenance petition for a wife, child or parent under Section 144 of the BNSS, 2023: who can claim, proving the respondent's income, interim maintenance and enforcement.Drafts in English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam
- Domestic violence application format under Section 12 of the DV ActHow an application under Section 12 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 is drafted: the reliefs available under Sections 18 to 22 and the Domestic Incident Report.Drafts in English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam
- Child custody petition formatDrafting a child custody petition under the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890 and the Hindu Minority and Guardianship Act, 1956: the welfare principle, jurisdiction and interim custody.
Succession and probate
- Succession certificate petition format under Section 372How a succession certificate petition is drafted under Section 372 of the Indian Succession Act, 1925: the particulars required, the schedule of debts and securities, court fee and the publication procedure.
- Probate petition format under the Indian Succession ActDrafting a petition for probate or letters of administration under the Indian Succession Act, 1925: when probate is mandatory, the contents of the petition, citation and court fee.
Deeds and agreements
Consumer
Motor accident (MACT)
Arbitration
High Court and writs
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find reliable legal formats for Indian courts?
The most reliable source is the court you are filing in: most High Courts and district courts publish their own prescribed formats, and those are the ones the filing section will accept without objection. The guides here set out what each document must contain, which provision governs it, and the time limits and court fee that apply, so a format from any source can be checked against them.
Do these guides give the exact wording of the document?
No. They describe the structure, the statutory basis and the particulars each part must carry. Operative legal wording depends on the facts of the matter and the practice of the court, and is left to the drafting advocate. PleadEasy itself generates drafts from court-norm templates that the advocate must review and approve.
Are these formats valid across all Indian states?
The central legislation applies across India, but court fee, stamp duty, rules of practice and the format prescribed by the filing section vary by State and often by district. Each guide notes where State law governs. Tamil Nadu and Kerala are covered in the most detail.
Can PleadEasy draft these documents in Tamil, Malayalam or Hindi?
Yes. Drafts are produced natively in English, Hindi, Tamil or Malayalam rather than translated from an English draft, and are formatted for the state, district and court establishment selected.
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