Timeline for ESG rating review: BRSR-triggered reviews permitted to conclude within a longer specified period after publication.
ERPs must review ESG ratings upon material developments affecting an entity's ESG profile and generally complete such reviews immediately, and within ten days of the event; however, where the material development is publication of the BRSR, the review must be completed not later than forty-five days from publication.

Interest waiver: procedure for recovery proceedings-eligibility, exclusions, required documentation, and decision within specified timeline post-demand.
Applications for waiver or reduction of interest in recovery proceedings must be filed to the Recovery Officer with proof meeting the three Section 220(2A) conditions (hardship, circumstances beyond control, cooperation). Relief applies only for periods after service of the demand notice and only where the principal amount is fully paid. The Board has delegated decision-making to a Panel of Executive Directors for smaller interest amounts and to a Panel of Whole-time Members otherwise; specified exclusions apply and incomplete or ineligible applications are to be returned. Applicants must be heard and the Competent Authority must decide within twelve months of receipt of a complete application.

Nomination facilities in securities accounts are streamlined with stricter verification, simplified transmission, and clearer nominee rights.
Nomination facilities for demat accounts and mutual fund folios are revised to standardise transmission rules, strengthen identity verification, and reduce unclaimed assets in the securities market. The framework reiterates survivorship, simultaneous death, HUF transmission, nominee status as trustee for legal heirs, pro rata distribution among surviving nominees, and creditor discharge before transmission. It also prescribes online and physical nomination safeguards, mandatory nominee identifiers, optional nominee KYC during the investor's lifetime, and a limited-document transmission process that excludes affidavits, indemnities, undertakings, attestation, or notarisation.

Research analyst compliance: new certification, deposit, disclosure, segregation and audit obligations require phased implementation and client protections.
SEBI's guidelines require research analysts and entities to obtain prescribed NISM certifications, maintain specified bank deposits with lien to RAASB tied to client counts, segregate research and distribution activities at client level, disclose terms and AI usage, furnish model portfolio disclosures, comply with KYC and five year record retention, conduct annual compliance audits reporting adverse findings and publish audit status on websites, and observe specified phased timelines for bringing existing and new RAs into compliance.

Investment adviser compliance: new SEBI rules tighten deposits, fees, AI disclosures, audit and recordkeeping obligations.
SEBI's circular implements amendments to the Investment Advisers Regulations, 2013 by prescribing tiered deposit requirements tied to client counts with lien to IAASB, conditions for dual registration of research analysts as investment advisers with arms length segregation, criteria and disclaimers for part time IAs, principal officer and entity form transition deadlines for partnership firms, appointment and certification requirements for independent compliance officers, mandatory disclosures and client undertakings for advice on non SEBI products and AI usage, revised fee modes and ceilings with flexibility to change modes, client level segregation rules, standardised MITC in agreements, timestamped call recording retention for execution consents, enhanced annual compliance audit and publication obligations, and website reporting requirements, with specified phased compliance dates.

Revision of timelines to working days for credit rating processes streamlines rating reviews and press-release obligations.
CRAs must treat specified procedural periods in the Master Circular as working days, immediately converting press-release publication, rating-review dissemination after issuer statements, INC migration after NDS non-submission, and follow-up/press-release triggers for missing debenture trustee confirmations into working-day timelines, to ensure uniformity in handling rating actions and disclosures.

Settlement of inactive client funds shifted to monthly running account settlement cycle; trading before that restores client settlement preference.
For clients with a credit balance who have not traded in the thirty calendar days since their last transaction and whose funds remain with the Trading Member beyond that period, the entire credit balance shall be returned to the client on the upcoming settlement date of the monthly running account settlement cycle as notified by exchanges, irrespective of the settlement cycle preferred by the client; if the client trades after thirty calendar days but before that upcoming monthly settlement date, settlement will follow the client's indicated quarterly or monthly preference.