How to Prepare an Index for an SLP (Civil) in the Supreme Court

An Index of Record of Proceedings is one of the first documents examined by the Registry of the Supreme Court of India when a Special Leave Petition (SLP) is filed. A properly prepared index enables the Court and Registry to locate documents quickly and ensures that the paper book is arranged in the prescribed order.

Whether you are represented by an advocate or appearing as a Petitioner-in-Person, preparing an accurate and well-organized index is essential to avoid Registry objections and unnecessary delays.

What Is an Index of Record of Proceedings?

The Index is a table containing every document filed with the Special Leave Petition in chronological and page-wise order. It acts as a roadmap to the entire paper book.

A properly prepared index generally includes:

• Court fee details

• Office Report

• Listing Proforma

• Cover Page

• Index

• Synopsis and List of Dates

• Special Leave Petition

• Affidavit

• Impugned Judgments

• Appendices

• Annexures

• Interlocutory Applications (IAs)

Why Is the Index Important?

A properly drafted index helps:

• The Supreme Court Registry verify the completeness of the paper book.

• Judges locate documents during hearings.

• Opposite parties understand the record.

• Reduce defects raised by the Registry.

• Ensure smooth processing of the petition.

Typical Structure of an SLP Index

A standard Index generally follows this sequence:

Part I

• Court Fees

• Office Report

• Listing Proforma

• Cover Page

• Index

• Limitation Report

• Defect List

• Note Sheet

Part II

Synopsis and List of Dates

This section provides a concise summary of the dispute and the chronological sequence of important events.

Impugned Judgment(s)

The index should clearly mention:

• Date of the judgment

• Name of the Court

• Case Number

• Page Numbers

Where multiple impugned orders are challenged, each should be separately identified.

Special Leave Petition

This portion usually contains:

• Cause Title

• Questions of Law

• Grounds

• Prayer

• Interim Relief

• Declaration

• Affidavit

Appendices

Where statutory provisions or public documents are relied upon, they may be included as appendices.

Examples include:

• Relevant statutory provisions

• Government notifications

• Rules

• Educational regulations

• Official public documents

Annexures

Every supporting document should be separately numbered.

For example:

• Educational Certificates

• Advertisements

• Selection Lists

• Orders

• Judgments

• Affidavits

• Correspondence

• Government Notifications

Each annexure should contain:

• Annexure Number

• Brief Description

• Date

• Page Number

Interlocutory Applications

The index should also include every IA filed with the petition, such as:

• Application for Condonation of Delay

• Application for Exemption from Filing Certified Copy

• Application for Permission to Appear and Argue in Person

• Application for Exemption from Official Translation

• Any other miscellaneous application

Best Practices While Preparing the Index

Before filing your SLP:

• Arrange documents chronologically wherever appropriate.

• Ensure page numbers match the paper book.

• Verify every annexure number.

• Use short and clear descriptions.

• Avoid duplicate entries.

• Confirm that every document mentioned in the petition appears in the index.

Common Registry Objections

Many SLPs receive Registry objections because of:

• Incorrect page numbering.

• Missing annexures.

• Wrong annexure references.

• Inconsistent dates.

• Missing affidavits.

• Missing impugned orders.

• Incorrect sequencing of documents.

Carefully checking the index before filing can prevent many of these defects.

Tips for Petitioners-in-Person

If you are filing your own Special Leave Petition:

• Number every page consecutively.

• Label each annexure clearly.

• Use a separate index for annexures if the record is voluminous.

• Ensure that all documents referred to in the SLP are included in the paper book.

• Recheck the page references after final compilation.

A well-prepared index reflects diligence and assists the Court in understanding your case efficiently.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is an Index mandatory in an SLP?

Yes. The paper book should contain a properly arranged Index to facilitate scrutiny by the Registry and consideration by the Court.

Can additional annexures be filed later?

Yes, where permitted by law and subject to the Court's directions. Appropriate applications may be required depending on the stage of the proceedings.

Should every annexure be dated?

Yes. Wherever possible, each annexure should include the date, a brief description, and the corresponding page number.

Conclusion

The Index of Record of Proceedings is more than a simple list of documents—it is the foundation of a well-organized Special Leave Petition. A clear, accurate, and properly structured index enables the Registry to process the matter efficiently and assists the Supreme Court in navigating the record with ease.

For Petitioners-in-Person, investing time in preparing a precise index can significantly reduce procedural objections and contribute to the smooth presentation of the case.

Disclaimer

This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not legal advice. Filing requirements are governed by the Supreme Court Rules, Practice Directions, and orders issued by the Supreme Court of India. Readers should verify the latest procedural requirements before filing any case.

REALSTIC EXAMPLE GIVEN BELOW

INDEX 

Sr.		Particulars of Document		Page No. of part  to which it belongs					Remark
				Part-I (Contents of Paper book )		Part-II (Contents of file along)
(i).		(ii)		(iii)		(iv)			(v)
(1).		Court Fees							...............
(2).		O/R on Limitation		A		A			...............
(3).		Listing Performa		A1-A2		A1-A2			...............
(4)		Cover Page of Paper book				A3			...............
(5).		Index of Record of Proceedings				A4			...............
(6).		Limitation Report Prepared by the Registry				A5			...............
(7).		Defect List				A6			...............
(8).		Note Sheet				NS-1 to 2			...............
(9).		Synopsis & List of Dates		B-Y					...............
(10)		Impugned Judgment and order dated .................. and passed by Hon’ble High court of Punjab & Haryana in ................. of ................ (O & M).		...............					...............
(11).		SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION (CIVIL) WITH AFFIDAVIT.		...............					...............
(12).		APPENDIX: a, b, c (a). Relied Upon Statute / Act {Section 2(g) of AICTE Act 1987} passed in the Houses of Parliament in Hindi and English both Languages. Dated: 23.12.1987 (b). Relied Upon Nomenclature of Courses {Approved by UGC} Appendix (2). Well settled by Hon’ble Supreme court of India. Dated 28.02.2014 (C). Relied Upon Civil Code Procedure 1908 {Doctrine of Non-traversal, Order 8, Rule 5, and Rule 10, Rule Audi Altrem partem}. Dated 21.03.1908		...............           ...............					...............
ANNEXURE: - P-..................To ANNEXURE: - P-.................. {Noticeable and cognizable Annexures given below}
Sr. No	Description						Date			Page No.
(13)	Annexure: P-.................. True Copy of Matric Certificate with ............... Marks of Respondent the Selected Candidate.						................			...............
(14).	Annexure: P-2 True Copy of Matric Certificate with ............... Marks of Petitioner.						................			...............
(15).	Annexure: P-3 True Copy of Diploma in ............... passed by Respondent opposite to the requisite Qualification, admitted by Hon’ble Single Bench. Against the Stipulated Conditions.									................
(16).	Annexure: P-4 True Copy of Experience Certificate of Respondent (Only One Year)						...............			...............
(17).	Annexure: P-5 True Copy of ............... as per Prescribed Qualification, passed by Petitioner. As per the stipulated Conditions confirmed by Respondent No. 1 (Annexure ...............)						...............			...............
(18).	Annexure: P-6 True Copy of Experience Certificate of Petitioner (Two Years) double than Selected Candidate experience.						...............			...............
(19).	Annexure: .................. True    Copy of Advertisement (..................), Post: ..................						...............			...............
(20).	Annexure: P-.................. True Copy of Duplicate Admit card, petitioner got   after long Struggle,						...............			...............
(21).	Annexure: P-.................. True Copy of Final Result of Selection.						...............			...............
(22).	Annexure: P-.................. True Copy of Order passed by Hon’ble Justice ................., Wherein, Recorded .................						...............			...............
(23).	Annexure: P-11 True Copy of Interim Order passed by Hon’ble Justice ................. deposited ................. cost by Respondent No. ...... to Legal Aid.						...............			...............
(24).	Annexure: P-12 True Copy of Judgement (CWP ............ of ..................)						...............			...............
(25).	Annexure: P-13   True Copy of Judgement (..................)						...............			...............
(26).	Annexure: P-14    True Copy of Judgement (..................)						...............			...............
(27).	Annexure: P-15   True Copy of Judgement (..................)						...............			...............
(28).	Annexure: P-16   True Copy of Judgement (..................)						...............			...............
(29).	Annexure: P-17   True Copy of Review Application (RA-LP ..................) with CM .............. of .......... filed under Order 47 Rule 1 CPC.						...............			...............
(30).	Annexure:  P-18   True Copy of C.M. No. ......... of ........... (Application seeking Permission to file Additional Documents)						...............			...............
(31).	Annexure: P-19   True Copy of C.M. No. ......... of ............ (Application to seek Exemption from filing Certified Copy of Order / Judgment)						...............			...............
(32).	Annexure: P-20   True Copy of C.M. No. .......................						...............			...............
(33).	Annexure: P-21   True Copy of Returnable Notice issued by Hon’ble Chief Justice on Review Application for ..........						...............			...............
(34).	Annexure: P-22 True Typed Copy of written Statement, which was filed by way of Reply of Returnable Notice by ..........., on behalf of Respondent No. 1						...............			...............
(35).	Annexure: P-23 True Copy of Receipt of Rejoinder Affidavit diarized ...... with Paper book on the Receipt of Copy Served to Respondent No. ...						...............			...............
(36).	Annexure: P-24 True Copy of Available Vacant Post .......						...............			...............
(37).	Annexure: P-25 True Copy of Application, seeking permission to get Actual Date of hearing. (After a Long Delay of Three Year)						...............			...............
(38).	Annexure: P-26 True Typed Copy of Proof of presence of Deputy Advocate General in all the proceedings of State of Haryana on dated .........						...............			...............
(39).	Annexure: P-27 True Copy of BAR COUNCIL OF INDIA, Part –IV, Rules of Legal Education						...............			...............
(40).	Annexure: P-28     True Copy of ...................						...............			...............
(41).	Annexure: P-29     True Copy of ...................						...............			...............
(42).	Annexure: P-30      True Copy of ...................						...............			...............
(43).	Annexure: P-31      True Copy of ...................						...............			...............
(44).	Annexure: P-32      True Copy of ...................						...............			...............
(45).	Annexure: P-33     True Copy of ...................						...............			...............
(46).	Annexure: P-34      True Copy of ...................						...............			...............
(47).	Annexure: P-35      True Copy of ...................						...............			...............
(48).	Annexure: P-36       True Copy of ...................						...............			...............
(49).	Annexure; P-37       True Copy of ...................						...............			...............
(50).	Annexure: P-38       True Copy of ...................						...............			...............
(51).	Annexure: P-39       True Copy of ...................						...............			...............
(52).	Annexure: P-40       True Copy of ...................						...............			...............
(53).	Annexure: P-41       True Copy of ...................						...............			...............
(54).	Annexure: P-42       True Copy of ...................						...............			...............
(55).	Annexure: P-43      True Copy of ...................						...............			...............
(56).	Annexure: P-44      True Copy of ...................						...............			...............
INTRALOCUTORY APPLICATION’S FILED WITH SLP (CIVIL)………….
(57).	I.A. No………OF ........... An Application of Condonation of delay in filing the Special Leave Petition.		...............					...............
(58).	I.A. No………OF........... An application for permission to argue the case in-Person.		...............					...............
(59).	I.A. No………OF ........... An application for exemption from filing official translation of Annexure] (Annexure: - ...........).		...............					...............
(60).	I.A. No………OF ........... An Application for Exemption from filing Certified Copy of impugned Order dated ...........		...............					...............