var txtbox = document.getElementById('<%=txtsearch.ClientID %>').value;
var str="<"; var str1=">"; var str2="--"; var str3=";"; var str4="'";
if((txtbox.indexOf(str)>=0)||(txtbox.indexOf(str1)>=0)||(txtbox.indexOf(str2)>=0)|| (txtbox.indexOf(str3)>=0)||(txtbox.indexOf(str4)>=0)) { alert('Special Characters are not Allowed.');
// you can focus here that particular control
} }