Start with the portal's own rules
Courts in India use different e-filing systems. The eCourts e-filing portal is used by many High Courts and district courts, while the Supreme Court and some High Courts run their own. Each sets its own limits on file size, format and scanning resolution, and they change. Before preparing a bundle, check the current instructions on the portal you will use, especially:
- the maximum size per file and per filing
- whether files must be text-searchable (OCR) or in PDF/A format
- the required paper size, margins, font and line spacing for pleadings
- whether annexures go in separate files or one combined file
- how signatures are accepted (digital signature, e-sign or a scanned signed page)
The steps below work with almost any set of rules.
1. Fix the page order and index first
Arrange documents in the order the court expects: usually index, synopsis and list of dates, the petition or plaint, affidavit, then annexures in the order they are referred to. Number annexures consistently (Annexure P-1, P-2, …) and make sure the index page numbers match the final PDF, not the draft.
Merge the parts only after the order is final. Re-numbering pages after merging is the most common source of index mismatches.
2. Make phone photos readable
Many annexures arrive as photos on WhatsApp: tilted, shadowed, with a table or a hand in the frame. Before they go into a court bundle:
- Crop to the page edges so only the document is visible.
- Correct the perspective so the page is a straight rectangle, not a trapezium.
- Clean the background: remove shadows and make the paper white. Grayscale is usually best for typed documents; black and white for faint photocopies; colour only when colour matters (stamps, photographs, maps).
- Keep resolution sensible: around 200 to 300 DPI keeps small print legible without huge files.
Our Image Tools do all four in the browser, and can also resize to exact centimetre sizes and compress to a target size in KB.
3. Bring the file size down without losing legibility
Large PDFs usually come from scanned pages saved at high resolution in full colour. To reduce size:
- Convert colour scans of black-and-white documents to grayscale.
- Reduce image resolution to what the portal needs; 600 DPI scans are rarely necessary.
- Compress images inside the PDF. Check the result at 100% zoom: if small text or stamps become blurred, use lighter compression.
- If a single file is still too large, split it at logical points (for example Annexures P-1 to P-5 and P-6 to P-12) rather than in the middle of a document.
4. Final checks before upload
- Open the final PDF and scroll through every page at normal zoom. Look for blank, duplicated, rotated or cut-off pages.
- Check that the index page numbers match.
- Confirm the file name follows the portal's convention, if it has one, and avoids special characters.
- Remove passwords and restrictions. Portals cannot process locked PDFs.
- Sign where required, in the manner the portal accepts.
- Keep the exact uploaded version in a dated folder; it is the version on the court's record.
A word on client confidentiality
Court bundles contain personal and often sensitive information. Avoid online tools that upload files to unknown servers. Tools that run in the browser, like our PDF and Image Tools, process the files on your own computer, so the documents never leave it.
Frequently asked questions
What file size is allowed for court e-filing?
It depends on the court and the portal, and limits change. Always check the current instructions on the e-filing portal you are using before preparing the bundle.
Should I scan in colour or black and white?
Grayscale is the best default for typed documents. Use black and white for faint photocopies and colour only when colour carries meaning, such as stamps, photographs or maps.
Can I edit a PDF to add a signature?
You can place an image of your signature on a PDF with our Edit PDF tool. Whether a placed signature image is acceptable depends on the court; many require a digital signature or a scanned physically-signed page.
Merge, split, compress, convert and sign PDFs in your browser, with nothing uploaded to a server. Open PDF Tools →
Sources and further reading
This guide explains the law and portal procedures as they stood on the date shown above. Rates, forms and due dates change; check the official sources before filing. It is general information, not professional advice for your particular case.