Vakalatnama Generator
Create a court-ready vakalatnama in minutes — fill the form, preview, and download a print-ready PDF. Free and bilingual.
Court & case
Parties
Client (appointing the advocate)
Advocate details
Place & date
Live preview — this is exactly what prints. · Draft auto-saved on this device
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD
Civil Suit of ______
| ________________ | … Plaintiff |
| VERSUS | |
| ________________ | … Defendant |
VAKALATNAMA
I/We, ________________, S/o ________________, aged about __ years, resident of ________________, the Plaintiff in the above suit, do hereby appoint and retain ________________, Advocate to appear, act and plead for me/us in the above suit, and I/We hereby authorise the said Advocate to do the following acts:
- To appear, act, plead and address the Court on my/our behalf in the above matter and in all proceedings arising therefrom or connected therewith, before this Court and before any Court, Tribunal or forum to which the matter may be transferred, remanded, referred or continued.
- To conduct, prosecute or defend the above matter and all applications, interlocutory or otherwise, arising in the course thereof.
- To draw, settle, sign, verify, present, file and submit plaints, written statements, petitions, applications, replications, rejoinders, objections, memoranda of appeal, revision and review, and all other pleadings and documents.
- To affirm, swear and file affidavits, verifications, declarations and undertakings, and to depose to the truth of the contents thereof where permissible.
- To lodge, file and prosecute caveats, and to receive and act upon notices of caveat.
- To make, oppose and reply to interlocutory applications, including applications for interim relief, injunction, stay, attachment, appointment of receiver, amendment of pleadings and condonation of delay.
- To prefer, present, prosecute or contest appeals, cross-appeals, revisions, reviews and references arising from or connected with the above matter.
- To apply for, obtain and receive certified copies of judgments, orders, decrees, depositions, documents and record.
- To apply for and inspect the record and proceedings of the Court and of any other Court, Tribunal or authority connected with the matter.
- To summon and examine witnesses, to produce, tender and admit documents, and to cross-examine the witnesses of the opposite party.
- To receive, take back and grant receipts for documents, papers and exhibits filed or produced in the matter.
- To receive any money, costs, compensation or property adjudged, decreed or payable to me/us in the matter, and to grant valid receipts and full discharge thereof.
- To deposit, withdraw, draw and receive money, cheques and securities from the Court, its office or any authority, and to grant receipts therefor.
- To apply for refund of court fee, security and any amount deposited, and to receive the same.
- To withdraw, adjust, compromise, settle or refer to arbitration the above matter or any part thereof, and to sign consent terms and compromise deeds, with my/our express instructions.
- To confess or withdraw claims or defences, to admit or deny facts and documents, and to make statements and concessions on my/our behalf.
- To apply for and prosecute execution of any decree or order, and to do all acts necessary for realisation of the fruits of the decree.
- To engage, appoint and instruct Senior Advocate(s) and additional Advocate(s), and, where required, an Advocate-on-Record, to appear and assist in the matter with the like authority.
- To substitute and appoint another Advocate in my/our place with the same or limited authority, and to revoke such appointment.
- To make and receive tenders of payment, to give and receive notices, and to serve and accept service of process.
- To apply for and obtain police protection or assistance in implementation of any order, where necessary.
- To claim, tax, file bills of and receive costs, and to do all acts relating thereto.
- To do all such other lawful acts, deeds and things as may be necessary or proper for the conduct, prosecution or defence of the above matter, though not expressly mentioned herein.
- And I/We agree to ratify and confirm all acts lawfully done by the said Advocate or their substitute in the above matter as if done by me/us.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF I/We have signed this Vakalatnama on this ______ day of ____________, ______ at ________________.
____________________________
(________________)
Plaintiff
Accepted,
____________________________
________________
Advocate, Advocate
(Advocate Welfare Fund Stamp to be affixed)
What is a Vakalatnama?
A vakalatnama (also spelt vakalatnama, vakalat, or vakil-nama) is the written authority by which a party to a case authorises an advocate to appear, act, and plead on their behalf before a court, tribunal, or forum. It is filed in almost every matter — civil, criminal, writ, appeal, or execution — and is the document that formally places an advocate "on record" for a party. This free vakalatnama format generator produces a clean, court-ready draft you can print or save as a PDF.
Legal purpose and effect
The vakalatnama creates the advocate–client relationship for the specific case and empowers the advocate to conduct it — to file pleadings, argue, receive notices and money, compromise with the client’s consent, and prosecute or defend appeals. Once accepted by the advocate and filed, the advocate is on record and the court communicates through them. It is limited to the case for which it is executed.
When a vakalatnama is required
A fresh vakalatnama is required whenever an advocate is engaged to appear in a matter — at the time of filing a suit, petition, complaint, appeal, revision, execution, bail application, or any application; when a new advocate is engaged; and when the matter moves to a higher court. Each court in which the party is represented needs its own vakalatnama on record.
Vakalatnama vs Power of Attorney
A vakalatnama is not the same as a power of attorney. A vakalatnama authorises an advocate to represent a party in a specific case before a court. A general power of attorney is a much broader instrument used for a wide range of acts outside litigation (managing property, banking, executing documents). The vakalatnama is confined to the conduct of the case named in it.
Who signs it, and court requirements
The vakalatnama is signed by the client (the party), and accepted (signed) by the advocate engaged. It should identify the court and case, the parties and the client’s role, the advocate’s name and enrolment, and the standard authorities granted, with the place and date. Most High Courts and District Courts also require an Advocate Welfare Fund stamp to be affixed; some benches have identification or witness requirements. Always confirm the local court’s rules.
High Court vs District Court, and state variations
The core content of a High Court vakalatnama and a District Court vakalatnama is the same, but the cause title and some formalities differ — the High Court format names the High Court and its bench, while a District Court format names the District Judge and station. Welfare-stamp values, court-fee stamps, and acceptance formats vary by State Bar Council and High Court rules. This generator lets you pick the court so the cause title is set correctly, and flags where a welfare stamp is expected.
How advocates use this generator
Junior advocates, clerks, and law firms use it to produce a first-pass vakalatnama draft in under a minute instead of retyping a format for every new matter — selecting the court, case type, and client role, adding all plaintiffs or petitioners, and filling the advocate block once. The draft is then reviewed, stamped, signed, and filed. Litigants and law students use it to understand the format and prepare a draft to take to their advocate.
Common mistakes to avoid
Frequent errors include: wrong cause title for the court, mismatched party labels (e.g., "Plaintiff" in a writ where it should be "Petitioner"), missing the client’s role or relation particulars, forgetting the Advocate Welfare Fund stamp, leaving the advocate’s enrolment number blank, and not obtaining the client’s signature and the advocate’s acceptance. This generator fixes the first two automatically by adapting labels to the selected court and case type.
Related legal documents
A vakalatnama is usually filed alongside the main pleading. Related documents advocates prepare in the same matter include the plaint or petition, the memo of parties, an affidavit or verification, a legal notice (for example under Section 138 of the Negotiable Instruments Act for a cheque bounce), a bail application in criminal matters, and — where interest is claimed — an interest computation. More free DharaSetu drafting and calculator tools cover these.
Frequently asked questions
- Is a vakalatnama the same as a power of attorney?
- No. A vakalatnama authorises an advocate to represent a party in a specific case before a court. A general power of attorney is broader and is used for acts outside litigation.
- Does a vakalatnama need a stamp?
- Most High Courts and District Courts require an Advocate Welfare Fund stamp to be affixed. Check your State Bar Council / High Court rules for the current value and any court-fee requirement.
- Can I use this format for the High Court and District Court?
- Yes. Select the court and the cause title is set for a High Court, District Court, tribunal, or the Supreme Court. Confirm the local court’s stamping and format rules before filing.
- Can I add multiple plaintiffs or petitioners?
- Yes. You can add unlimited plaintiffs/petitioners and defendants/respondents; the document numbers them and uses the correct singular or plural label.
- Is the generated vakalatnama legally valid?
- It produces a correctly formatted draft. It becomes valid when signed by the client, accepted by the advocate, properly stamped, and filed per the court’s rules. It is a reference draft, not legal advice — have it reviewed by the advocate on record.
- Can I get the vakalatnama in Hindi?
- Yes. Switch the site language to Hindi and the document, labels, and clauses are produced in Hindi; switch to English for an English vakalatnama.
- Can I download it as a PDF or edit it in Word?
- Use “Print / Save as PDF” for a court-formatted PDF. Use “Copy text” to paste the draft into Word or any editor for further changes.
- Is this vakalatnama generator free?
- Yes — unlimited vakalatnamas, free, with no sign-up. Your draft auto-saves in your browser so you can return to it.
Reference only — not legal advice. Verify with the official bare act and consult an advocate.