Description

SEBI amends multiple regulations to substitute 'Registered Post' with 'Speed Post' across various regulatory frameworks including collective investment schemes, intermediaries, and ICDR regulations.

Summary

SEBI has issued amendment regulations dated December 3, 2025 (published December 5, 2025) to substitute the term ‘Registered Post’ with ‘Registered Speed Post’ across four key regulatory frameworks: (1) Collective Investment Schemes Regulations, 1999, (2) Prohibition of Fraudulent and Unfair Trade Practices Regulations, 2003, (3) Intermediaries Regulations, 2008, and (4) Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements (ICDR) Regulations, 2018. This administrative amendment standardizes the postal dispatch method for critical documents including refund orders, allotment letters, unit certificates, and share certificates.

Key Points

  • Amendment replaces ‘Registered Post’ (रजिस्ट्री डाक) with ‘Registered Speed Post’ (रजिस्ट्री स्पीड पोस्ट) across multiple SEBI regulations
  • Effective date: Date of publication in the Official Gazette (December 3, 2025)
  • Applies to dispatch of refund orders, allotment letters, unit certificates, and share certificates
  • Collective Investment Management Companies must provide adequate funds to Issue Registrars for sending documents via Registered Speed Post
  • For refund orders exceeding Rs. 1,500 and unit certificates, dispatch must be through Registered Speed Post only
  • Investors from locations without mandatory collection centers or authorized collection agents can send applications directly to Issue Registrars via Registered Speed Post with acknowledgment
  • Four regulations amended: CIS Regulations 1999, FUTP Regulations 2003, Intermediaries Regulations 2008, and ICDR Regulations 2018

Regulatory Changes

Amendment to Collective Investment Schemes Regulations, 1999

Regulation 31(3): Changed from ‘Registered Post with acknowledgment’ to ‘Registered Speed Post with acknowledgment’

Sixth Schedule Amendments:

  • Para 4(ii): Collective Investment Management Companies must provide adequate funds to Issue Registrars for dispatching refund orders, allotment letters, and certificates through Registered Speed Post

  • Para 17: Trustees must ensure that refund orders (where value exceeds Rs. 1,500) and unit certificates are dispatched only through Registered Speed Post, with adequate funds provided to Registrars

  • Para 30(v): Investors from locations other than where mandatory collection centers and authorized collection agents are located can send applications with stock invest directly to Issue Registrars via Registered Speed Post with acknowledgment

  • Para 34.2: Collective Investment Management Companies must ensure dispatch of refund orders, allotment letters, and share certificates through Registered Post/courier as applicable

Scope of Amendments

The amendments cover:

  1. SEBI (Collective Investment Schemes) Regulations, 1999
  2. SEBI (Prohibition of Fraudulent and Unfair Trade Practices relating to Securities Market) Regulations, 2003
  3. SEBI (Intermediaries) Regulations, 2008
  4. SEBI (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2018

Compliance Requirements

For Collective Investment Management Companies

  • Must provide adequate funds to Issue Registrars for sending documents via Registered Speed Post instead of Registered Post
  • Must calculate and allocate costs for Registered Speed Post dispatch of refund orders, allotment letters, and certificates

For Trustees

  • Must ensure refund orders exceeding Rs. 1,500 in value are dispatched only through Registered Speed Post
  • Must ensure unit certificates are dispatched only through Registered Speed Post
  • Must provide adequate funds to Registrars for postal expenses

For Issue Registrars

  • Must process applications received via Registered Speed Post from investors in locations without mandatory collection centers
  • Must use Registered Speed Post for dispatch of critical documents as specified

For All Regulated Entities

  • Update operational procedures to replace Registered Post with Registered Speed Post across all applicable scenarios
  • Update internal documentation, forms, and communication templates to reflect the change
  • Ensure staff training on the new postal dispatch requirements

Important Dates

  • Notification Date: December 3, 2025
  • Publication Date: December 5, 2025 (in Official Gazette)
  • Effective Date: December 3, 2025 (date of publication in the Gazette)
  • Immediate Compliance: Required from the effective date

Impact Assessment

Operational Impact

Medium Impact: All market intermediaries, collective investment schemes, and entities involved in securities issuance must update their operational procedures for document dispatch. This includes:

  • Modification of standard operating procedures for postal dispatch
  • Updating cost calculations for postal expenses (Speed Post may have different pricing)
  • Revising fund allocation mechanisms to Registrars
  • Changes to logistics and vendor agreements with postal service providers

Market Impact

Low Market Impact: This is an administrative amendment that does not affect trading, pricing, or market structure. No impact on securities prices or market operations expected.

Investor Impact

Positive Impact: Speed Post generally offers faster and more reliable delivery compared to regular Registered Post, potentially benefiting investors through:

  • Faster receipt of refund orders, allotment letters, and certificates
  • Better tracking and delivery reliability
  • Reduced turnaround time for document-based processes

Cost Impact

Marginal Cost Increase: Speed Post services may be marginally more expensive than regular Registered Post, but the cost differential is minimal and absorbed by regulated entities as part of operational expenses.

Compliance Complexity

Low Complexity: The amendment is straightforward, involving simple substitution of postal method. No new substantive compliance obligations are created; existing requirements continue with a different postal service mode.

Impact Justification

Administrative amendment affecting operational procedures for sending documents by substituting registered post with registered speed post across multiple SEBI regulations. Impacts all market intermediaries and collective investment schemes but does not change substantive regulatory requirements.