SEBI Extends Accessibility Compliance Deadlines for Market Entities

1 Sep 2025 , 01:32 PM

The Securities and Exchange Board of India has given market entities more time to meet its new accessibility requirements for digital platforms.

In July, the regulator asked all stock exchanges, brokers, depositories, mutual funds and other intermediaries to make their websites and apps easier to use for people with disabilities. The move was aimed at aligning the markets with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and followed a Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that recognised digital access as a basic right.

Many participants had asked for more time, and SEBI has now agreed to push back the timelines. Reports on compliance and action taken, along with details of the digital platforms offered to investors, must be filed by September 30. The earlier deadline was August 30.

The appointment of certified accessibility professionals as auditors has been extended until mid-December. Accessibility audits, which were supposed to be finished by the end of October, can now be completed by April 2026. Entities have also been given until the end of July 2026 to act on the findings of those audits. The first annual accessibility reports will now be due in April 2027.

SEBI has also tweaked the reporting structure. Investment advisers and research analysts will now file reports with BSE, while brokers and depository participants will continue reporting to their respective exchanges and depositories. Other institutions will report directly to SEBI.

The regulator said the changes are meant to give firms reasonable time to prepare while keeping the focus on inclusivity. It added that once implemented, the framework will ensure that investors with disabilities are not left out of the financial system.

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