Stock exchanges must dematerialize shares, offering choice to hold certificates or demat form per Regulation 10, 2006.
Regulation 10 of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) (Manner of Increasing and Maintaining Public Shareholding in Recognised Stock Exchanges) Regulations, 2006, mandates that a recognized stock exchange issuing or offering equity shares for sale must enter into an agreement with depositories for the dematerialization of these shares. It also requires the exchange to provide subscribers or transferees the option to receive share certificates or hold shares in dematerialized form with a depository.