Researched investor-awareness guide | Updated 21 September 2026
A complaint becomes easier to assess when it identifies the transaction, the regulated entity, the problem and the remedy requested. A folder containing dozens of unexplained screenshots is less useful than a short chronology supported by clearly labelled records.
SEBI’s SCORES platform facilitates grievances involving listed companies, registered intermediaries and market-infrastructure institutions. It does not guarantee that every disagreement is eligible or that the investor will receive the outcome requested.
Prepare a clear description, communication records, transaction documents and a dated timeline before filing an investor grievance.
Approach the entity before escalating
The current SCORES portal tells investors to first raise the grievance with the concerned entity through its designated compliance or grievance officials. Use contact details obtained through the entity’s independently accessed official website or authenticated application.
Keep proof of submission and the complete response. A public social-media post may draw attention but should not replace the formal record required for investigation.
Write a clear problem statement
Describe what happened in chronological order. Include the relevant dates, product or service, transaction or application reference and the specific question that remains unresolved.
An investor should prepare the evidence, file through the appropriate channel, track updates, respond to queries and review the closure communication.
Separate evidence from inference. A statement showing a debit is evidence that an amount was recorded. It does not by itself establish why it happened or that a named person acted improperly.
Ask for a specific remedy
State what would resolve the complaint: an explanation, correction of a record, review of a transaction or another supportable action. If requesting a monetary amount, show how it was calculated.
Avoid adding an arbitrary compensation figure merely to make the complaint appear serious. Keep the request connected to the issue and documents being submitted.
Use the current portal
SCORES facilitates complaints concerning eligible securities-market grievances involving SEBI-regulated entities.
SCORES says its previous portal was closed for new complaints from 28 March 2024. New complaints should use the current platform. The older system remains relevant to the status of complaints that were pending there on that date.
The current portal describes a sequence of registration, complaint lodging, status tracking, review and feedback. It also states that grievances sent to SEBI email addresses will not be entertained as complaint submissions through that route.
Select the entity and category carefully
Choose the regulated entity and complaint category that match the records. If you select an unrelated category, the reviewer may struggle to identify the issue or the correct respondent.
SCORES distinguishes complaints from suggestions, requests for information, sub-judice matters, certain matters already in online dispute resolution and market intelligence. Read the current FAQs when uncertain about scope.
Prepare an evidence index
- Initial grievance submitted to the entity.
- Acknowledgement and complaint reference.
- Relevant transaction or account records.
- The entity’s complete reply.
- A short explanation of what each attachment supports.
Mask information that is not required, but keep unaltered originals privately. Never include passwords, PINs or one-time passwords in a complaint attachment.
Track the response and review windows
The portal states that automatic reminders are sent to entities and that complainants can track status. It currently describes two review levels, with a request for review within 15 days of receiving the relevant Action Taken Report at each stated level.
Read the live portal and applicable circular before calculating your own deadline. Preserve the date on which the response became available. If the interface or rule appears inconsistent with your record, use the official technical or investor-assistance route.
Conclusion
A useful SCORES complaint is factual, chronological and supported by evidence. Approach the entity first, identify the unresolved point and request a remedy connected to the records. Track the current portal rather than assuming that an email or social-media post has started the formal process.
Sources and verification
- SEBI SCORES: Current complaint process and portal notices
- Credit: AI-generated editorial illustration; not an official SEBI graphic or complaint status.
Fact-check: 21 September 2026, 19:18 IST. Eligibility, limitation and dispute-resolution requirements require case-specific checking.
