Criminal Law  ·  Supreme Court

Supreme Court
Special Leave Petition
The Final Appellate Remedy

The Supreme Court does not hear every grievance. LegalRaahi builds special leave petitions around a real question of law or a manifest injustice, with the record, the synopsis and the limitation date handled correctly.

Article 136 Petition
Question of Law Focused
Limitation and Condonation
Synopsis and Paper Book
350
Supreme Court Petitions Filed
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Years of Experience
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Home / Legal Services / Criminal Law / Supreme Court SLP
What Is an SLP?

Special Leave
Is Discretionary

Legal Framework

"The Supreme Court may, in its discretion, grant special leave to appeal from any judgment, decree, determination, sentence or order in any cause or matter passed or made by any court or tribunal in the territory of India." — Article 136, Constitution of India.

A special leave petition is the route to the Supreme Court when no statutory appeal is available or when a statutory appeal has already been decided. Article 136 gives the Court wide discretionary power, but discretion is exercised sparingly. The petition must show a question of law of general importance, a manifest miscarriage of justice, or a departure from settled precedent.

Criminal SLPs usually challenge a High Court order refusing bail, quashing or refusing to quash an FIR, upholding a conviction, or declining suspension of sentence. A statutory appeal lies in a narrower set of cases, including a death sentence. The two routes are different, and filing the wrong one can be fatal to the remedy.

The Supreme Court is not a third trial court. Repeating the facts and asking for a different view rarely succeeds. The petition must be short, focused and supported by the relevant portions of the record. Delay is also a serious obstacle, so the limitation date must be calculated before anything else.

Article 136
Special Leave Jurisdiction

Discretionary power to grant leave against any order of a court or tribunal. Leave is not a matter of right.

DiscretionaryQuestion of law preferredNo automatic stay
Article 134
Statutory Criminal Appeals

Confers a right of appeal in specified criminal cases, including a death sentence and cases certified by the High Court.

Death sentenceHigh Court certificateRight of appeal

Which Route to the Supreme Court

The remedy depends on the order challenged and whether a right of appeal exists.

RouteWhen It AppliesNature
Article 134 appealDeath sentence or a case certified by the High CourtStatutory right, subject to the article
Article 136 SLPAny other judgment or order of a High Court or tribunalDiscretionary leave
Review petitionError apparent on the face of the Supreme Court orderLimited, before the same court
Curative petitionRarest of rare cases after review is dismissedExceptional remedy
Writ petitionViolation of fundamental rights by an authorityConstitutional remedy, not an appeal
Why Preparation Matters

The Petition Must
Earn the Court’s Time

Correct Route

A statutory appeal and an SLP are different remedies. Filing the wrong one can end the case on maintainability.

One Clear Question

The Court is more likely to intervene on a clean question of law than on a broad request to re-examine the facts.

Limitation and Delay

An SLP is generally filed within 90 days of the order. Delay requires a separate condonation application with reasons.

Synopsis and List of Dates

Judges read the synopsis first. A precise two-page summary decides whether the record is opened at all.

Interim Protection

Where liberty or a sentence is involved, interim bail or stay must be sought in the petition itself.

Realistic Advice

If the proposed ground is weak, we say so. A dismissed SLP closes the case and can attract costs.

Our Process

How We Handle
Your Supreme Court Petition

Viability first, then a focused petition with the record and limitation in order.

1
Step 1  ·  Viability Review
Is There a Question of Law?

We read the High Court judgment and identify the legal error, the patent injustice or the precedent conflict. If none exists, we say so.

72 hours
2
Step 2  ·  Route Selection
Article 134 or Article 136

We confirm whether a statutory appeal lies or an SLP is required, and calculate the limitation date.

Within 1 week
3
Step 3  ·  Drafting
Petition, Synopsis and Affidavit

The petition is kept concise, with a synopsis, list of dates, grounds and the relevant extracts from the record.

5–10 days
4
Step 4  ·  Filing
Registry and Defects

We file with the certified order, annexures and the required number of copies, and clear registry objections promptly.

1–2 weeks
5
Step 5  ·  Listing and Hearing
Leave, Notice and Interim Relief

We seek listing, press for interim relief where needed, and argue the petition on the leave stage and thereafter.

As listed
Checklist

Information We Need
to Prepare the Petition

The High Court order and the record extracts are essential. Delay in receiving them costs time.

The Order Challenged
Certified High Court Order
Complete with the date of the order
Judgment Copy
If separate from the order
Lower Court Record
Relevant pleadings and evidence
Date of Pronouncement
For limitation calculation
Supporting Material
Depositions
Key witness statements
Exhibits
Documents relied on in the courts below
Custody or Bail Papers
If liberty is involved
Medical Records
Where health is a ground

Important: Do not wait for every annexure before consulting. The limitation date and the route must be fixed first; the record can be assembled while the petition is drafted.

Why Choose Us

Why LegalRaahi for
Supreme Court SLPs?

Our Commitment

Focused Petitions
for a Discretionary Court

01
Viability First

We assess whether the Supreme Court is likely to interfere before taking the engagement. Not every loss is an SLP.

02
Question-of-Law Focus

The petition is built around a legal error or precedent conflict, not a request to re-read the evidence.

03
Drafting Discipline

Synopsis, list of dates and grounds are kept short and accurate, because that is what gets read.

04
Limitation Control

The date of the order is diarised immediately, and condonation is prepared where delay is unavoidable.

05
Interim Relief

Where liberty or sentence is at stake, interim bail or stay is sought in the first listing itself.

350+
Supreme Court Petitions and SLPs Filed
4.9★
Client Rating for Apex Court Work
Our Promise
  • Viability reviewed first
  • Limitation tracked
  • Interim relief sought
  • Named advocate appears
Client Stories

Apex Court
Relief Secured

SLP Admitted · Notice
★★★★★

"The High Court had refused bail in a case with a long investigation delay. The SLP was filed within time and notice was issued with interim protection."

AV
Amit V.
Family member · Delhi
Conviction Stayed · Bail
★★★★★

"The Supreme Court stayed the conviction and granted bail, which preserved my employment while the appeal is heard."

SD
Suresh D.
Bank employee · Chennai
SLP Dismissed · Review Advised
★★★★★

"The SLP was dismissed, but the team explained the review route honestly instead of promising another miracle."

KN
Kavita N.
Business owner · Surat
Leave Granted
★★★★★

"The petition raised a clear conflict between two High Court decisions. Leave was granted and the matter was listed for final hearing."

MJ
Mohit J.
Professional · Bengaluru
FAQs

Frequently Asked
Questions

How long do I have to file an SLP?+
Generally 90 days from the date of the High Court order. Delay can be condoned under Article 136, but a separate application with reasons is required and is not always allowed.
Is an SLP a matter of right?+
No. Special leave under Article 136 is discretionary. The Supreme Court can refuse to entertain the petition without a detailed hearing.
Can I get bail in an SLP?+
Yes. Interim bail or suspension of sentence can be sought in the petition. The Court considers the merits, the period of custody and the risk of delay.
What is the difference between SLP and criminal appeal?+
A statutory criminal appeal under Article 134 arises as a right in specified cases. An SLP under Article 136 is a discretionary remedy for other orders.
Can new documents be filed with the SLP?+
The record should be the one before the High Court. Additional documents can be filed only with leave and an explanation for why they were not produced earlier.
What happens if the SLP is dismissed?+
The order generally becomes final. A review petition can be filed only on a limited ground such as an error apparent, and a curative petition is exceptional.
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