What is a Caveat in the Delhi High Court?

A caveat is a formal request by a person who expects that an application may be made in a suit or proceeding and who claims a right to be heard before the Court passes an order on that application. In civil proceedings, the statutory right to lodge a caveat is contained in Section 148A of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.

A caveat can be particularly relevant where a party apprehends an appeal, petition or other application arising from an order and wants notice before the Court considers the anticipated application. Whether a caveat is maintainable in a particular proceeding depends on the nature of the jurisdiction and the relief likely to be sought.

Section 148A CPC: Important Caveat Rules

90-day validity: Under Section 148A(5) CPC, a caveat does not remain in force after 90 days from the date it is lodged unless the anticipated application is made before that period expires.

Section 148A CPC permits a person claiming a right to appear at the hearing of an expected or already-made application to lodge a caveat. The caveator is also required to serve notice of the caveat on the person by whom the application has been, or is expected to be, made, in the manner prescribed by law.

Once the caveat is validly lodged and the relevant application is filed, the Court is required to serve notice of the application on the caveator. The applicant, after receiving notice of the caveat, is required to furnish the caveator with copies of the application and supporting papers at the caveator's expense, as provided in Section 148A.

Delhi High Court e-Filing Rules: Current Position

The Delhi High Court publishes its e-Filing Rules, FAQs, filing directions, tutorials and common objections on its official e-Filing page. Rule 15 of the e-Filing Rules provides for filing of caveats online in the High Court.

The High Court amended Rule 3.4 in January 2026. The current maximum size of an e-file for the Delhi High Court is 300 MB. The applicable technical and formatting requirements should always be checked on the official e-Filing page before submission because filing specifications may be updated by notification.

PDF preparation: The e-Filing Rules prescribe electronic filing standards, including A4 formatting and OCR-searchable PDF/PDF-A requirements. Follow the current portal instructions and Registry requirements for the particular filing.

Register for Delhi High Court e-Filing

The current Delhi High Court e-Filing Management System provides registration for both advocates and parties in person. If you already have a valid login, proceed directly to the filing steps below.

Open the official portal. Visit Delhi High Court e-Filing Management System.

Select registration. Use the "Register as Advocate/Party In-Person" option shown on the login page.

Enter the required details. Complete the registration form accurately and provide the information requested by the portal.

Upload identification. Advocates should keep their Bar Council registration certificate or ID ready. A party in person should keep a government-issued identity document ready, subject to the current portal requirements.

Complete verification. Submit the registration and follow the verification instructions issued by the e-filing system/Registry.

How to File a Caveat Online in Delhi High Court

After successful registration, sign in to the e-Filing Management System and use the caveat filing option. The Delhi High Court's official caveat-filing instructions require the filer to select the case type, enter party details, provide impugned-order information where applicable, add e-court fee details, upload the filing document and save/submit the filing.

Log in. Enter your Login ID, password and validation code on the official e-filing portal.

Open Caveat Filing. From the e-Filing menu, choose the available caveat filing option.

Select case type. Choose the appropriate case type for the proposed/anticipated proceeding.

Enter party details. Fill in the caveator and non-caveator / proposed applicant details carefully.

Add impugned order details. For an appellate-side caveat, enter the relevant impugned judgment/order details as required by the system.

Add court-fee information. Enter the applicable e-court fee receipt/payment details.

Upload the caveat. Upload the properly prepared PDF and any documents required by the current filing rules or portal.

Verify and submit. Review all data, complete the required declaration/certification and save or submit the filing.

Record the filing number. Preserve the diary/filing number and any acknowledgement generated by the portal for tracking and curing objections.

Documents and Information to Keep Ready

Caveat petition in the required format, properly signed/authenticated.
Complete names and addresses of the caveator and expected applicant/non-caveator.
Details and copy of the impugned order/judgment where relevant, especially for appellate-side filing.
Applicable e-court fee receipt/details.
Supporting documents required for the particular case type.
Proof/details relating to service of notice under Section 148A(2) CPC, as applicable.
OCR-searchable PDF/PDF-A prepared according to the current e-Filing Rules and portal specifications.

Filing requirements can vary with case type and Registry directions. Check the official rules, FAQs, common objections and current portal notices immediately before filing.

After Filing: Diary Number, Scrutiny and Objections

After submission, retain the acknowledgement or diary/filing number generated by the system. The Registry may scrutinise the filing and raise objections if mandatory information, fee, formatting, service details or documents are incomplete. Check the e-filing account regularly and cure objections within the applicable time.

Do not wait until the last day. Limitation and filing-date rules apply to e-filing. Technical difficulty by itself should not be assumed to extend a statutory or procedural deadline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a party in person file a caveat online?

Yes. The Delhi High Court e-filing portal provides registration for a Party In-Person, subject to the applicable e-Filing Rules and verification requirements.

How long does a caveat remain valid?

Under Section 148A(5) CPC, a caveat ordinarily ceases to remain in force after 90 days from the date of lodging unless the anticipated application is made before expiry of that period.

What is the current Delhi High Court e-file size limit?

The maximum e-file size for the High Court was increased to 300 MB by the 2026 amendment to Rule 3.4 of the Delhi High Court e-Filing Rules.

Where can I get technical e-filing help?

The Delhi High Court's official e-Filing page lists the Online e-Filing System helpline as 14611.

Delhi High Court Caveat Filing Online

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