SEBI Extends Digital Accessibility Compliance Deadline for Regulated Entities to January 31, 2027
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has granted additional time to capital market intermediaries and institutions to make their websites, trading applications, and digital platforms fully accessible to persons with disabilities. In a circular issued on October 30, 2026, the market regulator extended the deadline to January 31, 2027, for key accessibility milestones.
The mandate stems from SEBI's regulatory framework enforcing compliance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, and its accompanying statutory rules. The extension was notified following multiple representations from market participants seeking procedural leeway to address technical and infrastructural bottlenecks.
Scope of the Extension
The relief applies to three interconnected compliance activities outlined by the regulator:
- Appointment of an accessibility auditor certified by the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP).
- Comprehensive accessibility audits across all web assets, portals, and mobile platforms.
- Remediation and retesting of issues, non-compliances, and accessibility barriers identified during the audit.
SEBI explicitly clarified that all other terms and conditions stipulated in its earlier digital accessibility circulars remain unaltered and in force. The extended timeline does not dilute the regulatory obligation but provides a phased runway for entities to execute system-level software overhauls.
Entities Covered Under the Mandate
The directive applies across India's financial market infrastructure, encompassing:
- Recognised stock exchanges, clearing corporations, and registered depositories.
- Registered market intermediaries, including stock brokers, merchant bankers, and registrar and transfer agents.
- Asset management companies through the Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI).
- Portfolio managers overseen by the Association of Portfolio Managers in India (APMI).
- Registered Investment Advisers (IAs) and Research Analysts (RAs) supervised through BSE's administrative bodies, IAASB and RAASB.
Significance for Market Participants and Retail Investors
In recent years, the retail investing boom in India has been driven by smartphone apps and low-cost digital brokerage platforms. However, many platforms still lack foundational features required under global and domestic accessibility standards, such as full screen-reader compatibility, keyboard navigation, high-contrast visual modes, and accessible KYC workflows.
Compliance requires market intermediaries to overhaul complex user interfaces, conduct third-party code reviews, and coordinate with underlying enterprise software vendors. By mandating IAAP-certified audits and remediation, SEBI is setting a uniform standard of financial inclusion. The revised January 31, 2027 deadline offers market participants an operational window to execute and test these changes without disrupting existing market infrastructure.
