What Is a Diary Number in the Supreme Court?
How to check Supreme Court case status by diary number on the official portal, what a diary number means, how it differs from a case number, and how to track it for free in Claw. Last verified 6 October 2026.
Case Status · Supreme Court of India
To check Supreme Court diary number case status, go to sci.gov.in, open Case Status, choose Diary Number, enter the number and year, and search. You can also track the case in Claw with a free account. A diary number is the number given when a case is first filed, before it becomes a registered case number.
- Official portal: sci.gov.in, Case Status, Diary Number tab. Enter the number and year, add the captcha, search.
- A diary number is the receipt number the Registry gives when a case is first filed, before it becomes a registered case number.
- It is temporary. After registration the case number becomes the main reference.
- Not a CNR number. CNR belongs to district courts on eCourts and does not work at the Supreme Court.
- Track it in Claw: create a free account, search by party name or number, and get hearing and order alerts.
01What is a Supreme Court diary number?
A Supreme Court diary number is the number the Registry assigns to a case when it is first filed, before scrutiny and before it becomes a registered case number. It is written as a serial number and the filing year, such as 36329/2026. It works like a receipt number and is used to track the filing until a case number is given.
Every petition, appeal or application gets one, whether it is filed online on the e-filing portal or physically at the counter. Not every filing becomes a registered case at once. If the papers have defects, the filing stays under its diary number until those are cured.
A diary number is a receipt, not a verdict on the filing. It only tells you the Registry has received the papers, not that they are in order.
02How to check status by diary number on the official portal
The official source is the Supreme Court of India website. Always treat it as the primary record. These are the steps.
- Open the diary number search page at sci.gov.in/case-status-diary-no.
- Type the diary number in the Diary Number box. Use only the serial part, the digits before the slash.
- Select the diary year from the list. This is the year of filing, the part after the slash.
- Enter the captcha shown on the page and click Search.
- Read the result. It shows the case title, whether the case is pending or disposed, the case number if the filing is registered, the next listing date and the latest order.
- If the filing is registered, you can also use the case number search at sci.gov.in/case-status-case-no for listing dates and orders.
The portal checks one number at a time and you have to come back and search again to see changes. That is where a tracking layer helps, as explained below. For a wider walkthrough of all Supreme Court search routes, see how to track Supreme Court cases online.
Last verified
Portal steps were last verified on 6 October 2026. Portal layouts change from time to time, so if a field looks different, follow the labels on the official page.
03Methods to find a Supreme Court case
The diary number is the best method for a fresh filing. Once a case is registered, other methods become useful too. This table covers the common "by" searches in one place.
| Method | What you need | Where | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| By diary number | Diary number and diary year | sci.gov.in case status, Diary Number tab, or Claw | Best for a new filing. Works before a case number exists, and shows defects and registration status. |
| By case number | Case type, case number and year, e.g. SLP(C) 12375/2026 | sci.gov.in case status, Case Number tab, or Claw | Use after registration. This is the permanent reference. |
| By party name | Name of petitioner or respondent, and year | sci.gov.in party name search, or Claw | Useful when you lost the number. Common names return many results, so add the year. |
| By advocate name | Advocate or AOR name | sci.gov.in advocate search | Lists matters handled by that advocate. |
| By CNR number | Not applicable | Not used at the Supreme Court | CNR belongs to the eCourts network of district courts. Use the diary or case number instead. |
Searching on the official portal and in Claw both give you the same underlying court data. The difference is convenience: Claw lets you search by party name or number across courts and keeps watching the case for you.
04Check it in one step with Claw
Claw is an all-in-one legaltech platform for Indian advocates, law firms, and corporate legal teams, combining AI-based case search, an AI legal assistant (Legal GPT), case management, and compliance automation across all Indian courts and tribunals.
Create a free Claw account and search Supreme Court Diary Number by party name or case number across every bench, with hearing and order alerts. A free account (sign up free) is needed to run the search. There is no payment step to start.
- One search box. Search the Supreme Court along with High Courts, tribunals and district courts, 9,102 courts, benches and forums in all, in results that usually return in under 5 seconds.
- Alerts. Get hearing date and order alerts by WhatsApp and email, so you do not need to revisit the portal.
- Case law next to the case. Search 30 crore+ judgments from the same account when you need precedent.
- Many matters, one calendar. A fresh diary number awaiting scrutiny and an old matter nearing final hearing sit in one view.
Claw does not change how the Registry assigns diary numbers. It sits above the official portal and saves you the repeat checking. For tools built specifically for Supreme Court matters, see Supreme Court case tracking software in India and case search at the Supreme Court of India.
05What the status fields mean
These are the words you will see on a case status result. Each one is short and plain.
| Status term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Pending | The case is still alive and has not been decided. It may be awaiting listing, hearing or orders. |
| Disposed | The case is finished. The court has passed a final order, or the matter was withdrawn or dismissed. |
| Listed | The case has been put on the cause list for a hearing on a given date. |
| For orders | The matter is listed only so the court can pass an order, often after arguments are over or for a procedural step. |
| Reserved | Arguments are complete and the bench has kept the judgment for a later date. The date is not fixed in advance. |
| Defects notified | The Registry found defects in the filing. They must be cured before the matter is registered. |
| Registered | Scrutiny is cleared and the matter has a case number, for example SLP(C) or Civil Appeal. |
06Diary number vs case number vs CNR number
These three are often mixed up. They are not interchangeable.
| Identifier | Assigned when | Applies to | Format (typical) | Stays fixed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diary number | On the day of filing, before scrutiny | Supreme Court filings only | Serial number / filing year, e.g. 36329/2026 | Superseded once a case number is registered |
| Case number | After defects are cured and the matter is registered | Supreme Court filings only | Case type + number + year, e.g. SLP(C) No. 12375/2026 | Yes, for the life of the matter |
| CNR number | On filing, in district and subordinate courts | District and subordinate courts on the eCourts network | 16-character alphanumeric code | Yes, for the life of the case |
In short, a diary number is temporary and Supreme Court only. A case number is permanent and also Supreme Court only. A CNR number belongs to a different system, used by district courts. For that identifier, see what a CNR number is.
07How a diary number is assigned
The diary number is the first automatic step in the filing process, online or in person.
- Filing. The petition and annexures are submitted through the e-filing portal or at the filing counter.
- Diary number generated. The Registry system assigns a diary number and gives the filer an acknowledgement.
- Scrutiny. A scrutiny assistant checks pagination, indexing, annexures, the vakalatnama and the court fee.
- Defects, if any. Defects are notified against the diary number and must be cured within the allowed window.
- Registration. Once scrutiny is cleared, the matter gets a case number and moves toward listing.
The diary number usually keeps appearing next to the case number in listings, but the case number becomes the main reference after registration. For the full filing process, see Supreme Court e-filing explained.
08How to find your diary number
If you do not have the number, there are three reliable places to look.
- The filing acknowledgement. The Registry issues one at filing, online or physical. Save it and share it with everyone tracking the matter.
- Your Advocate-on-Record. Most Supreme Court filings go through an AOR, whose office will have the diary number.
- Registry notices. Any defects notice or Registry message carries the diary number.
If you only know the party name, search by party name on the official portal or in Claw, then note the diary number from the result.
If a case number already exists
You do not need the diary number once the matter is registered and you know the case number. Either one works on the case status pages.
09Cause list and next hearing date
The next hearing date appears in the status result once the matter is listed. The Supreme Court also publishes daily cause lists on its website, and these show the court, bench and serial number for each listed matter. Search the cause list by case number or diary number to see whether your matter is listed tomorrow.
A matter with a diary number but no case number is usually still in scrutiny, so it will not be on a cause list yet. Once it is registered and listed, the date shows in the status result. In Claw, hearing alerts tell you when the date is set or changes.
10Common problems and fixes
The diary number search returns nothing
Check that the year matches, since the same serial number repeats every year. A very recent filing may also take a short time to show on the portal.
Using the diary number after registration
If the result shows a case number, use that for future searches and correspondence.
A defects notice was missed
Defects are posted against the diary number. Check the status regularly until registration, or set an alert so a change does not go unseen.
Trying a CNR number at the Supreme Court
A CNR number will not work here. If the case began in a lower court, use the diary or case number issued by the Supreme Court.
11Sources and further reading
Primary sources, last verified 6 October 2026:
- Supreme Court of India, Case Status by Diary Number: sci.gov.in/case-status-diary-no
- Supreme Court of India, Case Status by Case Number: sci.gov.in/case-status-case-no
- Supreme Court of India, e-Filing: sci.gov.in/e-filing
- SC-eFM e-Filing Portal: efiling.sci.gov.in
Registry practice on formats and timelines can be revised, so confirm current details on the official Supreme Court website before relying on them for an active filing.
12Frequently asked questions
What is a diary number in the Supreme Court of India?
A diary number is the number the Supreme Court Registry assigns to a petition or application on the day it is filed, before it is checked or registered. It works as a receipt number and is the only reference until the filing clears scrutiny and gets a case number.
Which is the official portal to check Supreme Court case status?
The official portal is the Supreme Court of India website, sci.gov.in. Its Case Status section has search by diary number, case number, party name and advocate name.
How do I check Supreme Court case status by diary number?
Open the diary number search page on sci.gov.in, enter the diary number and the diary year, add the captcha and click Search. The result shows whether the matter is pending or disposed, the case number if registered, and the next listing date.
Can I check Supreme Court case status by case number?
Yes. Once the matter is registered, use the case number search on sci.gov.in with the case type, number and year. You can also search by case number in Claw after creating a free account.
Can I check Supreme Court case status by party name?
Yes. The official portal has a party name search, and Claw lets you search by party name across every bench. Add the year to narrow common names.
Is it free to check Supreme Court case status?
Checking on the official sci.gov.in portal is free. In Claw you need a free account to run the status search, so sign up free first. There is no payment step to start.
Is a diary number the same as a case number or a CNR number?
No. A diary number is temporary and assigned at filing. A case number is permanent and assigned after registration. A CNR number is a 16-character code from the eCourts system for district courts and does not apply at the Supreme Court.
How often is Supreme Court case status updated?
Status on the official portal changes as the Registry and court update records, usually when a matter is registered, listed or an order is passed. Orders and the next listing are generally visible soon after the hearing. Claw alerts you when these change.
What if my diary number search shows no result?
Check that the diary year matches the filing year, since serial numbers repeat every year. A very new filing may take a short while to appear. If it still shows nothing, ask your Advocate-on-Record to confirm the number.