eCourts India - Case Listing Fetcher Tool

A Python command-line tool to help interact with eCourts India services. This tool fetches metadata and provides structured instructions for case searches that require CAPTCHA verification.

What This Tool Does

✅ Working Features (No CAPTCHA Required)

• Fetch State Codes - Get list of all Indian states and their codes
• Fetch Court Codes - Get district/court complex codes for any state
• Fetch Case Types - Get available case type codes for specific courts
• Prepare Search URLs - Generate properly formatted search URLs

📋 Instruction Features (Manual CAPTCHA Required)

• CNR Search Preparation - Get step-by-step instructions to search by CNR
• Case Details Search - Instructions for case type/number/year searches
• Cause List Download - Instructions to download daily cause lists
• Listing Check Guide - How to verify if case is listed today/tomorrow

Important Limitations

⚠️ CAPTCHA Requirement: The official eCourts website requires CAPTCHA verification for all case searches and downloads. This tool:

• CAN fetch publicly available metadata (state codes, court codes, case types)
• CANNOT bypass CAPTCHA or fully automate searches
• PROVIDES detailed instructions and URLs for manual completion

This is an instructional and preparation tool, not a fully automated scraper.

Requirements

• Python 3.11+
• Internet connection
• Dependencies: requests, beautifulsoup4, python-dateutil

Installation

Dependencies are managed via uv:

# Already installed in this environment
uv add requests beautifulsoup4 python-dateutil

Usage

Run the script:

python ecourts_fetcher.py

Available Options

1. View State Codes

Fetches and displays all Indian state codes from eCourts.

Example Output:
  [7 ] Delhi
  [12] Maharashtra
  [32] Kerala

2. View Court/District Codes

Get court complex codes for a specific state.

Input: State Code (e.g., 7 for Delhi)
Output: List of courts with their codes

3. View Case Types

Get case type codes for a specific court.

Input: State Code + District Code
Output: Available case types (CRL, CIV, etc.)

4. Prepare CNR Search

Generates instructions and URLs for CNR-based case search.

Input: CNR Number (e.g., MHAU019999992015)
Output: Step-by-step manual search instructions

5. Prepare Case Details Search

Provides instructions for searching by case details.

Input: State, District, Case Type, Number, Year
Output: Manual search workflow

6. Prepare Cause List Download

Instructions to download daily court cause lists.

Input: State, District, Date (optional)
Output: Download instructions with proper URLs

7. Get Listing Check Instructions

Learn how to check if a case is listed today or tomorrow.

Output: Instructions on finding serial number and court details

Example Workflows

Get Metadata for Delhi Courts

1. Select option 1 → View State Codes
   Note: Delhi = 7
2. Select option 2 → Enter state code: 7
   View all Delhi court codes
3. Select option 3 → Enter state: 7, district: [your code]
   View case types for that court

Prepare Case Search

1. Use options 1-3 to get correct codes
2. Select option 5 → Enter all case details
3. Follow printed instructions to search on eCourts website
4. Complete CAPTCHA manually
5. View results on eCourts portal

Check Today's Listings

1. Select option 7 → Enter your case reference
2. Follow instructions to access cause list
3. Download PDF and search for your case number
4. Note serial number and court hall from PDF

What You'll Need to Do Manually

1. CAPTCHA Solving - All eCourts searches require CAPTCHA verification
2. Case Search Submission - Use provided URLs and parameters on eCourts website
3. PDF Downloads - Download cause lists and case documents through browser
4. Result Viewing - View case details on the official eCourts portal

Output Examples

State Codes Output

{
  "states": {
    "Delhi": "7",
    "Maharashtra": "12",
    "Karnataka": "14"
  },
  "count": 37
}

CNR Search Preparation

CNR: MHAU019999992015

📍 Manual Steps Required:
  1. Visit: https://services.ecourts.gov.in/ecourtindia_v6/
  2. Enter CNR number: MHAU019999992015
  3. Solve CAPTCHA
  4. Click Search to view case details

🔗 Direct URL: https://services.ecourts.gov.in/...

Listing Check Instructions

To check if your case is listed today or tomorrow:
  1. Visit: https://services.ecourts.gov.in/ecourtindia_v6/
  2. Go to 'Daily Orders/Causelist'
  3. Select your court
  4. Check dates: 2025-10-14 and 2025-10-15
  5. Search for your case number in the PDF

🔍 What to Look For:
  • Serial Number: Case order in the day's list
  • Court Name: Court/Judge name
  • Court Hall: Court room/hall number

Alternative Solutions

For fully automated access, consider:

1. Official eCourts Mobile App (Android/iOS)

   • Free, official, no CAPTCHA for logged-in users

2. Third-Party APIs (Paid Services)

   • Kleopatra E-Courts API: https://court-api.kleopatra.io
   • Surepass eCourts API: https://surepass.io
   • CrimeCheck API: https://crimecheck.in

3. Manual Portal Access

   • Most reliable for legal work
   • Official website: https://services.ecourts.gov.in/

Technical Details

Endpoints Used

• /cases/s_state_qry.php - State codes (working)
• /cases/s_complex_qry.php - Court codes (working)
• /cases/s_casetype_qry.php - Case types (working)
• /cases/cnr_qry.php - CNR search (requires CAPTCHA)
• /cases/case_no_qry.php - Case search (requires CAPTCHA)

Why CAPTCHA Cannot Be Automated

• Legal compliance - eCourts terms of service
• Security measure to prevent abuse
• Protects judicial data integrity
• Ethical scraping practices

Legal & Ethical Use

✅ Appropriate Uses:

• Personal case tracking
• Legal research
• Understanding court procedures
• Educational purposes

❌ Inappropriate Uses:

• Bulk data scraping
• Bypassing security measures
• Commercial resale of data
• Overloading court servers

Support

For eCourts website issues:

• Official Portal: https://services.ecourts.gov.in/
• Helpdesk: Available on eCourts website
• Mobile Apps: Google Play / App Store

For this tool:

• Check code comments
• Review printed instructions
• Follow manual verification steps

License

Educational and research purposes only. Respect eCourts terms of service and Indian judicial system guidelines.