The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has extended the deadline for regulated entities to complete key digital accessibility requirements to January 31, 2027, following requests from market participants, PTI reported. In a circular dated October 30, SEBI said the extension covers the appointment of an International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP) auditor, conducting accessibility audits of digital platforms and remediation of findings arising from the audits.

Source: PTI via The Hindu BusinessLine

The circular, No. HO/53/12/13(2)2026-ITD5-M2IPC/I/24856/2026, was issued under Section 11(1) of the SEBI Act, 1992. It is addressed to all recognised stock exchanges, clearing corporations, depositories and registered intermediaries, as well as the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) and the Association of Portfolio Managers in India (APMI). SEBI said it had received representations from regulated entities seeking more time and had reviewed their compliance status before granting the extension.

Source: SEBI circular via TaxGuru

January 31, 2027New deadline for auditor, audit and fixes
3 stepsIAAP auditor, platform audit, remediation
5Earlier SEBI circulars the framework rests on

The requirements are part of SEBI's earlier circulars on mandatory compliance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 and the rules framed under it. The circular refers to five earlier communications - issued on July 31, August 29, September 25 and December 8, 2025, and on July 31, 2026 - and the regulator said all other provisions of those circulars will remain unchanged and must be complied with by regulated entities.

Source: PTI via The Hindu BusinessLine

This is the third time the deadline for fixes has moved. The framework followed a Supreme Court ruling on April 30, 2025 that digital access is part of the right to life and personal liberty; SEBI's July 2025 circular first gave firms about six months, a date later moved to July 31, 2026 and then to October 31, 2026, before this latest shift to January 31, 2027. By the new date, a rule that first allowed six months will have allowed about 18 months in total.

Source: Transclew, from SEBI circulars

The rest of the framework still applies in the meantime. Alternatives through the KYC identity check for disabled users, such as human-assisted video KYC, remain in place, and under the December 2025 circular an investor who has trouble with a firm's app or website can complain on SCORES, SEBI's complaints portal, under the 'Accessibility' category - the firm has to fix the problem to close the complaint. The October 30 circular does not say how many firms have finished their audits or how many asked for more time.

Source: Transclew, from SEBI circulars