Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) lets you resolve a dispute with Rupeezy, a listed company, or another market intermediary through online conciliation and arbitration on SEBI's SMART ODR platform — the step after you've raised the complaint with the intermediary and with SEBI SCORES.
What is SMART ODR?
SMART ODR (Securities Market Approach for Resolution Through Online Dispute Resolution) is a platform built by the seven Market Infrastructure Institutions — the stock exchanges NSE, BSE and MSE, the depositories CDSL and NSDL, and the commodity exchanges MCX and NCDEX — together with independent ODR institutions. It makes it easier to resolve securities-market disputes online, without going to court, at smartodr.in.
When can I use it?
ODR is the last step, not the first:
1. Raise it with Rupeezy — raise a ticket and, if it isn't resolved, escalate it to Rupeezy's grievance desk.
2. File on SEBI SCORES — if you're still dissatisfied, take the complaint to SEBI SCORES (see How do I escalate a complaint?).
3. File on SMART ODR — if you're dissatisfied with the resolution on SCORES too, file the dispute on SMART ODR. Your dispute is taken up for redressal within 90 days, and you can track it on the portal as it moves through the resolution cycle.
What disputes does it cover?
- Trading issues with Rupeezy
- Problems with a listed company
- Issues with a share transfer agent (RTA)
- Demat account problems
How does the resolution work?
- Registration — create an account on smartodr.in and file your dispute against the intermediary, with your supporting documents.
- Pre-conciliation — the platform contacts both sides to try to settle the matter amicably. This stage is free for both you and the intermediary.
- Conciliation — if pre-conciliation doesn't settle it, a neutral conciliator helps both sides reach an agreement. A successful conciliation gives you a binding settlement.
- Arbitration — if conciliation fails, an independent arbitrator decides the case, and the award is binding on both parties.
What does it cost?
Pre-conciliation is free. If the dispute moves to conciliation or arbitration, SEBI's ODR fee schedule applies — conciliation fees depend on whether the dispute settles, and arbitration fees on the size of your claim. Rupeezy can't charge you any fee of its own for this process.
Things to keep in mind
- You can't use ODR if the same matter is already before a court or another forum.
- The arbitrator's decision is legally binding and enforceable.
- The whole process runs online — you don't need to travel.