SEBI Panel Recommends Public Disclosure of Assets by Senior Officials

A government-appointed panel has recommended that the Chairman and senior officers of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) publicly disclose their assets and liabilities to improve transparency and accountability within the market regulator. The recommendations were presented on November 12, 2025, and are expected to be reviewed by SEBI’s board before implementation.

Key Recommendations of the Panel

The panel’s report proposes that top SEBI officials, including the Chairman and members, publish details of their financial holdings and liabilities on an annual basis. It further recommends that applicants for the posts of SEBI Chairman and members disclose all actual, potential, and perceived conflicts of interest, both financial and non-financial, to the Ministry of Finance before appointment.

If accepted, the proposal would bring SEBI’s disclosure norms in line with global regulatory standards, such as those followed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), where senior officials publicly file details of their assets, liabilities, and financial transactions every year.

Additional Governance Proposals

The panel also suggested extending SEBI’s trading and investment restrictions, currently applicable to its employees, to include the Chairman and other senior officers. This would ensure consistent ethical and professional standards across all levels of the organisation.

Alignment with Global Practices

If implemented, SEBI would become one of the few regulators in Asia to mandate public disclosure of financial interests by senior officials. Similar frameworks already exist in the United States, the United Kingdom, and parts of the European Union, where regulatory leaders are required to make annual disclosures of their financial assets and related-party interests.

Read More: SEBI to Review Short Selling and SLB Frameworks.

Conclusion

The panel’s proposal to require SEBI’s top officials to declare their assets and potential conflicts of interest represents a major step toward strengthening transparency and accountability in financial regulation. If approved, the measures would align India’s securities market governance with established global standards and reinforce investor confidence in the regulatory framework.

Disclaimer: This blog has been written exclusively for educational purposes. The securities mentioned are only examples and not recommendations. This does not constitute a personal recommendation/investment advice. It does not aim to influence any individual or entity to make investment decisions. Recipients should conduct their own research and assessments to form an independent opinion about investment decisions.

Investments in the securities market are subject to market risks, read all the related documents carefully before investing.