CourtWatch

Field guide

How to track a Supreme Court case by diary number

Published 22 Jul 2026

Verified against the live portal — 22 Jul 2026
In short

Every Supreme Court filing gets a diary number (like 3720/2026) on day one — the case number comes later, only if the matter is registered. Search the diary number on the Supreme Court website or on CourtWatch; the court's captcha appears pre-filled for you to confirm. Track the case and listing dates, status changes and orders come to you on WhatsApp.

The Supreme Court speaks in diary numbers. The moment a matter is filed, the registry stamps it with one — 3720/2026 — and that number follows the case through defects, registration and listing. The case number (SLP (Crl) 4567/2026) arrives later, only if and when the matter is registered. If you have just filed, or you are responding to a fresh matter, the diary number is usually all that exists.

1

Find the diary number

It is on the filing receipt, on the e-filing acknowledgment, and on the defect-notice correspondence from the registry. Your advocate-on-record's office will have it from day one.

2

Search it

On CourtWatch, switch to Supreme Court and enter the diary number and year. Searching by case number or party name works as well once the matter is registered. The Supreme Court's search shows the court's own captcha — on CourtWatch it appears already filled in; you confirm it and the case opens.

The case page shows the parties, current status and stage, listing history, and the orders and judgments the court has published.

3

Track it

Track the matter and it keeps itself current:

  • Listings. The Supreme Court publishes its cause lists daily; when your matter is listed, the next listing date lands on your case page — and your reminder arrives the evening before and the morning of.
  • Changes. Status and date movements are collected into the daily WhatsApp update in the evening.
  • Orders. Published orders and judgments attach to the case as the court uploads them.
Note: a freshly filed diary often shows sparse detail — that is the registry's record at that stage, not a gap in tracking. As the matter moves through scrutiny and registration, the record fills in and the tracking fills with it.

FAQ

What is the difference between a diary number and a case number in the Supreme Court?

The diary number is assigned at filing and never changes. The case number is assigned only on registration — one matter, both identities, and the diary number works for lookup throughout.

Can I track a Supreme Court case before it is registered?

Yes. The diary number exists from the day of filing, and tracking it means you see the matter's progress through the registry — including when it gets registered and numbered.

Where do I find Supreme Court cause lists?

The Supreme Court publishes daily cause lists on its website. If you track a matter on CourtWatch, its listings surface on the case page and in your reminders — you do not need to read the day's full list to find one matter.

Enter a diary number and follow the matter from filing onward.

Track your first case free