How to File a Complaint Against a Broker: SCORES and SMART ODR
Published 2026-10-16 · Aadarna Stock Broking Pvt. Ltd.
Key takeaways
- Start with the intermediary: your Authorised Person and then the stock broker's grievance team.
- If unresolved, file on SEBI SCORES, the regulator's online complaint system.
- If still unresolved, the SMART ODR portal offers online conciliation and arbitration.
- Good records and a clear, written complaint make resolution much faster.
Problems in a trading or demat account are not common, but when they happen you need to know where to go. India has a clear, step-by-step system for investor complaints, and most of it works online. This guide explains the order to follow and how to make your complaint effective.
Step 1: Raise it with the intermediary
Start with the people closest to the problem. If you deal with an Authorised Person (AP), tell them first, as they can often fix service issues quickly. Then, or at the same time, write to the stock broker's grievance or compliance team using the official email or support channel listed on its website.
For Aadarna clients, that means writing to Aadarna first and then to Angel One Ltd. The grievance contacts are listed on our homepage. Always complain in writing, so there is a record.
What to include in your complaint
- Your name, client code and PAN (never your password, TPIN or OTP).
- A short, clear description of what went wrong.
- Dates, order numbers, trade numbers or contract note numbers.
- What you want: a correction, a refund of a charge, an explanation, a transfer.
- Copies of supporting documents such as contract notes, statements, emails or screenshots.
Keep the acknowledgement or ticket number you receive.
Step 2: SEBI SCORES
If the intermediary does not resolve your complaint, or you are not satisfied with the response, you can file on SCORES, SEBI's online complaint redress system, at scores.sebi.gov.in. A mobile app is also available.
You register with your PAN and contact details, choose the entity you are complaining about, and describe the issue with documents. The complaint is sent to the intermediary, which must respond within the timelines SEBI sets. You can track the status and give feedback on the response. When you file a complaint about a trading account, name the stock broker as the entity, since the broker is the SEBI-registered intermediary responsible for its Authorised Persons.
Step 3: SMART ODR
If the matter is still not resolved, you can use the Online Dispute Resolution system through the SMART ODR portal. It connects investors and intermediaries with independent conciliators and, if needed, arbitrators, entirely online.
Conciliation tries to reach an agreed settlement. If that fails, the matter can go to online arbitration, which results in a binding decision. Fees, if any, depend on the type of dispute and are shown on the portal.
Which issues belong where
- Trading, charges, contract notes, payouts: stock broker, then SCORES and SMART ODR.
- Demat holdings, pledges, transfers: Depository Participant, then the depository, then SCORES.
- Mutual funds: the fund house or its registrar, then SCORES.
- Products that are not exchange-traded, such as those sold outside the stock exchanges: these do not have access to the exchange investor redressal or arbitration mechanisms, so check the relevant regulator's process.
Keeping good records from day one
Complaints are resolved fastest when the facts are easy to check. Make it a habit to save your contract notes, depository statements and important emails in one folder, and to note down the date and reference number of every service request you raise.
If you ever speak to someone on the phone about a problem, follow up with a short email summarising what was said. That written trail is what SCORES and the dispute resolution process will rely on.
Tips for a faster resolution
- Complain early. Delays make records harder to find.
- Stick to facts and attach evidence.
- Keep all communication in one email thread where possible.
- Do not pay anyone who offers to get your complaint resolved for a fee. The official channels do not need middlemen.
Frequently asked questions
Can I go straight to SCORES?
You should first give the intermediary a chance to resolve the issue. SCORES expects that you have approached the entity first, and complaints are routed back to it in any case.
Can I complain about an Authorised Person on SCORES?
Yes. Name the stock broker the Authorised Person is attached to, since the broker is the SEBI-registered intermediary responsible for its Authorised Persons.
Is there a cost to file on SCORES?
Filing a complaint on SCORES does not require paying anyone. Be wary of anyone who asks for money to file or speed up a complaint.