Rules 20 explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Part III of the Rules opens with three rules on how a petition must look. Rule 20 sets language, typing, margins, paragraphs, parties and the cause title; rule 21 lists what an address for service should contain; rule 22 requires corrections to be initialled. These rules apply to every "appeal or petition or application or caveat petition or objection or counter" presented to the Tribunal.
A filing must be in English (or accompanied by an English translation) and typed, lithographed or printed in double spacing on one side of standard petition paper, with a left margin of 5 cm and a right margin of 2.5 cm, paginated, indexed and stitched as a paper book. The cause title reads "Before the National Company Law Tribunal", names the Bench and sets out the order challenged, if any. Parties are numbered consecutively, and every erasure or correction is initialled. These Rules are read as amended up to the National Company Law Tribunal (Amendment) Rules, 2020 (G.S.R. 80(E), 3 February 2020); none of these three rules was changed by the amendments held.
Rule 20: procedure
Rule 20(1): language and layout
Every appeal, petition, application, caveat petition, objection or counter presented to the Tribunal must be in English. If it is in another Indian language, a copy translated into English must accompany it. It must be fairly and legibly typewritten, lithographed or printed in double spacing on one side of standard petition paper, with an inner margin of about four centimetres on top, a right margin of 2.5 cm and a left margin of 5 cm, duly paginated, indexed and stitched together in paper book form.
Rule 20(2): cause title
The cause title states "Before the National Company Law Tribunal", specifies the Bench to which it is presented, and sets out the proceedings or order of the authority against which it is preferred. For a petition under a section of the Act, the form for the main filing is Form NCLT-1; our post on the Form NCLT-1 petition format shows a drafting specimen, and our dispute resolution team prepares petitions to this layout.
Rule 20(3) to (4): paragraphs and dates
- The filing is divided into consecutively numbered paragraphs, each containing, as nearly as may be, a separate fact, allegation or point.
- Where Saka or other dates are used, the corresponding Gregorian dates are also given.
Rule 20(5) to (8): parties
- The full name, parentage, age, description of each party and address, and any representative capacity, are set out at the beginning and need not be repeated later in the same proceeding.
- Names of parties are numbered consecutively, a separate line for each (rule 20(6)).
- The numbers are not changed. If a party dies while the matter is pending, legal heirs or representatives, if more than one, are shown by sub-numbers (rule 20(7)).
- Fresh parties brought in are numbered consecutively in the category in which they come in (rule 20(8)).
Rule 20(9): provision of law
Every proceeding states, immediately after the cause title, the provision of law under which it is preferred.
Rule 21: particulars in the address for service
The address for service of summons is filed with every appeal, petition, application or caveat on behalf of a party and, as far as possible, contains:
| Item | Contents |
|---|---|
| (a) | name of the road, street, lane and Municipal Division or Ward, Municipal Door and other number of the house |
| (b) | name of the town or village |
| (c) | post office, postal district and PIN Code |
| (d) | any other particulars necessary to locate and identify the addressee, such as fax number, mobile number and a valid e-mail address, if any |
A correct address matters because the notice and service rules (rules 37 and 38) depend on it; see the article on rules 38 and 38A.
Rule 22: initialling alteration
Every interlineation, erasure, correction or deletion in any appeal, petition, application or document is initialled by the party or the authorised representative presenting it.
Pre-filing checklist
| Check | Rule |
|---|---|
| English, or English translation attached | 20(1) |
| Double spacing, one side, left margin 5 cm, right margin 2.5 cm | 20(1) |
| Paginated, indexed, stitched as a paper book | 20(1) |
| Cause title "Before the National Company Law Tribunal", Bench named, order challenged set out | 20(2) |
| Numbered paragraphs, one point each | 20(3) |
| Gregorian dates for any Saka date | 20(4) |
| Party details with parentage and age; one numbered line per party | 20(5)-(6) |
| Provision of law after the cause title | 20(9) |
| Address for service with PIN code and contact details | 21 |
| Corrections initialled | 22 |
An example
Amber Realty Private Limited drafts a petition. The draft names the Bench, numbers the three respondents on separate lines and, because one respondent has died, shows his two legal heirs as 3(a) and 3(b) under the existing number. The company's representative initials two hand corrections before the petition goes to the filing counter. For the wider practice before the Tribunal, see our post on appearing before the NCLT.
Same as before the NCLAT?
Largely. The NCLAT rule 19 applies to an "appeal" only and does not mention lithographed copies, and its cause title reads "In the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal". The NCLAT party rule does not ask for age, and the NCLAT Rules have no caveat. See Rules 19 to 21 of the NCLAT Rules.
What a practitioner checks before filing
- Language, spacing, margins, pagination, index and stitching.
- The cause title names the Bench and the order or proceeding challenged.
- Party numbering, with sub-numbers for legal heirs.
- The provision of law is stated after the cause title.
- A complete address for service for every party.
- All corrections initialled.
Need help drafting a petition in the right format?
Format defects are avoidable. If you want a petition drafted, checked and filed as the Rules require, speak to our dispute resolution team.
Key takeaways
- Filings are in English, double spaced, on one side, left margin 5 cm, right margin 2.5 cm, stitched as a paper book (rule 20(1)).
- The cause title is "Before the National Company Law Tribunal", names the Bench and the order challenged (rule 20(2)).
- Parties are numbered consecutively; legal heirs take sub-numbers (rule 20(6)-(7)).
- The provision of law follows the cause title (rule 20(9)).
- The address for service has postal details and PIN code (rule 21); corrections are initialled (rule 22).
Read next
- Rules 23, 23A and 24: presentation in triplicate and joint petition
- Rule 34: general procedure and Forms NCLT-1 to NCLT-6
- Form NCLT-1 petition format
- Rules 19-21 of the NCLAT Rules
Disclaimer: Based on the National Company Law Tribunal Rules, 2016 (G.S.R. 716(E)) as amended up to the National Company Law Tribunal (Amendment) Rules, 2020 (G.S.R. 80(E)), consulted on 3 October 2026. Later amendments, fees, forms, NCLT practice directions and the Companies Act, 2013 provisions referred to should be checked. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.