Securities and Exchange Board of India (Intermediaries) (Amendment) Regulations, 2021 - SEBI/LAD-NRO/GN/2021/07 - SEBI

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE BOARD OF INDIA NOTIFICATION Mumbai, the 21st January, 2021 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE BOARD OF INDIA (INTERMEDIARIES) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 2021 No. SEBI/LAD-NRO/GN/2021/07. -In exercise of the powers conferred by section 30 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India Act, 1992 (15 of 1992) the Board hereby makes the following regulations to further amend the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Intermediaries) Regulations, 2008 , namely: 1. These regulations may be called the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Intermediaries) (Amendment) Regulations, 2021. 2. They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. 3. In the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Intermediaries) Regulations, 2008 , - (I) The regulation 25 , shall be substituted by the following, namely: Holding of enquiry 25. (1) The designated authority shall issue a notice to a person against whom an enquiry has been initiated, to show cause as to why the action, as contemplated against such person should not be recommended. (2) The noticee shall be called upon to submit, within a period to be specified in the notice, not exceeding twenty-one days from the date of service thereof, a written reply to the notice, along with documentary evidence, if any, in support of such written reply: Provided that the designated authority may extend the time specified in the notice for sufficient grounds shown by the noticee and after recording reasons in writing. (3) Every notice issued under sub-regulation (1) shall specify the contravention alleged to have been committed by the noticee by indicating the provisions of the securities laws or the direction or the order of the Board alleged to have been contravened. (4) There shall be annexed to the notice issued under sub- regulation (1), copies of documents relied upon by the Board along with the extracts of relevant portions of the reports containing the findings arrived at in an inquiry, investigation or inspection, if any. (5) If the noticee demands inspection of such documents within the period specified in sub-regulation (2) and the designated authority is of the opinion that the same may be granted, then the designated authority may issue or cause to issue a notice fixing a date for inspection of documents: Provided that the date for inspection of documents shall be within thirty days from the date of receipt of such request. (6) The designated authority shall grant an opportunity of personal hearing and issue or cause to issue a notice scheduling a date for hearing the notice: Provided that no opportunity of personal hearing may be granted in the cases where the noticee is alleged to have failed to pay the registration fee or any other applicable fees to the Board as per the provisions of the relevant regulations or the notice has been declared a wilful defaulter or a fugitive economic offender. (7) If the noticee does not reply to the notice issued under sub-regulation (1) or fails to appear on the scheduled date of hearing and the designated authority is satisfied that sufficient opportunity has been given to the noticee, the designated authority may conclude the proceedings after recording the reasons for doing so, on the basis of the material available on record. (II) The regulation 26 , shall be substituted by the following, namely:- Recommendation of action 26. (1) After considering the material available on record and the reply, if any, the designated authority may by way of a report, recommend the following measures, (i) disposing of the proceedings without any adverse action; (ii) cancellation of the certificate of registration; (iii) suspension of the certificate of registration for a specified period; (iv) prohibition of the noticee from taking up any new assignment or contract or launching a new scheme for such the period as may be specified; (v) debarment of an officer of the noticee from being employed or associated with any registered intermediary or other person associated with the securities market for such period as may be specified; (vi) debarment of a branch or an office of the noticee from carrying out activities for such period as may be specified; (vii) issuance of a regulatory censure to the noticee: Provided that in respect of the same certificate of registration, not more than five regulatory censures under these regulations may be recommended to be issued, thereafter, the action as detailed in clause (ii) to (vi) of this sub-regulation may be considered. (2) The designated authority shall endeavour to submit the report within one hundred and twenty days from the date of receipt of reply to the notice or date of personal hearing, whichever is later. (III) The regulation 27 , shall be substituted by the following, namely,- Order 27. (1) On receipt of the report containing the measures recommended by the designated authority, the designated member shall cause to forward a copy of the report submitted by the designated authority and call upon the noticee to make its submission, in writing, as to why the measures recommended by the designated authority or any other action as contemplated in these regulations, should not be taken. (2) The noticee shall submit, within a period as specified in the notice, but not exceeding twenty-one days from the date of service thereof, a written submission, along with documentary evidence, if any, in support of the written submission: Provided that upon the request of the noticee, the designated member, after recording reasons, in writing may cause to extend the time specified for submitting reply to the notice. (3) After considering the submission of the noticee, the designated member may if deemed fit, for reasons to be recorded by it in writing, remit the matter to the designated authority to enquire afresh or to further enquire and resubmit the report. (4) The designated member may grant an opportunity of personal hearing where the designated authority has recommended cancelation of certificate of registration or the designated member is of the prima facie view that it is a fit case for cancellation of certificate of registration. Explanation : It shall not be necessary for the designated member to give the noticee any opportunity of personal hearing if neither the designated authority has recommended cancelation of certificate of registration nor the designated member is of the prima facie view that it is a fit case for cancellation of certificate of registration. (5) After considering the facts and circumstances of the case, material on record and the written submission, if any, the designated member shall endeavor to pass an appropriate order within one hundred and twenty days from the date of receipt of submissions under sub-regulation (2) or the date of personal hearing, whichever is later. (IV) The regulation 28 , shall be omitted. AJAY TYAGI, Chairman [ADVT.-III/4/Exty./474/2020-21] Footnote: 1. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Intermediaries) Regulations, 2008 was published in the Gazette of India, Part III Section 4 on May 26, 2008 vide notification No. LAD-NRO/GN/2008/11/126538. 2. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Intermediaries) Regulations, 2008 was subsequently amended on:- a. August 11, 2008 by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Stock Brokers and Sub-Brokers) (Amendment) Regulations, 2008, vide notification No. LADNRO/ GN/2008/20/134766. b. July 14, 2009 by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Intermediaries) (Amendment) Regulations, 2009, vide notification No. LAD-NRO/GN/2009-10/12/169546. c. January 7, 2014 by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Foreign Portfolio Investors) Regulations, 2014, vide notification No. LAD-NRO/GN/2013-14/36/12. d. May 25, 2016 by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Intermediaries) (Amendment) Regulations, 2016, vide notification No. SEBI/LAD-NRO/GN/2016-17/006. e. November 21, 2017, by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Intermediaries) (Amendment) Regulations, 2017, vide notification no. SEBI/LAD-NRO/GN/2017-18/021. f. April 17, 2020, by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Regulatory Sandbox) (Amendment) Regulations, vide notification no. SEBI/LAD-NRO/GN/2020/10.