SEBI Extends Digital Accessibility Deadlines to Boost Inclusion for Disabled Investors

SEBI issued a formal circular extending the deadline for listed companies and market intermediaries to achieve digital accessibility compliance, shifting the target date for website and mobile app upgrades and giving firms a longer window to align with mandated accessibility standards.

Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 provides the legal basis for the regulator’s action, obligating financial service providers to ensure their digital platforms are usable by people with visual, auditory or motor impairments, and prompting SEBI to allow additional time for implementation.

Financial platforms such as stock‑exchange websites, brokerage portals and mobile trading apps must now incorporate screen‑reader compatibility, captioning for video content and keyboard navigation enhancements, steps that SEBI says will broaden market participation for disabled investors without imposing immediate penalties.

Regulators noted that the extended timeline aims to balance inclusion goals with operational realities, urging firms to submit compliance roadmaps and report progress quarterly, while warning that failure to meet the final deadline could trigger enforcement actions under securities law.