Description
RTI appeal regarding BRSR (Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report) complaint procedures, statistics, and SEBI's measures to reduce false disclosures.
Summary
This order addresses Appeal No. 6649 of 2025 filed by Sandeep Khurana under the Right to Information Act, 2005. The appellant sought information regarding SEBI’s procedures for handling complaints against false or misleading Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR) filings, complaint statistics, and measures to reduce false disclosures. The First Appellate Authority decided the appeal based on available records without conducting a personal hearing.
Key Points
- Appellant filed RTI application on November 04, 2025 requesting information about BRSR complaint mechanisms
- CPIO responded on December 03, 2025; appellant filed appeal on December 04, 2025
- Request for personal hearing denied as issues were self-explanatory and not complex
- SEBI informed that complaints regarding BRSR can be filed through SCORES portal
- SEBI does not maintain exclusive complaint data specifically for BRSR filings in normal course of regulation
- SEBI has prescribed mandatory ‘BRSR Core’ assurance to mitigate greenwashing risks
Regulatory Changes
No new regulatory changes introduced. The order references existing SEBI measures including:
- SCORES portal for filing complaints against listed entities regarding securities market matters
- Mandatory assurance requirement for ‘BRSR Core’ (a subset of BRSR) to reduce greenwashing
Compliance Requirements
No new compliance requirements. The order clarifies existing complaint filing mechanisms:
- Investors can file complaints about BRSR disclosures through SEBI’s SCORES portal
- Listed entities must undertake mandatory assurance for BRSR Core as per specified requirements
Important Dates
- November 04, 2025: RTI application filed
- December 03, 2025: CPIO response provided
- December 04, 2025: Appeal filed (Reg. No. SEBIH/A/E/25/00321)
- December 31, 2025: Appeal order issued
Impact Assessment
This RTI appeal order has minimal direct market impact as it addresses procedural transparency regarding BRSR complaint handling rather than introducing new regulations. The order confirms SEBI’s existing framework for addressing BRSR-related complaints through the SCORES portal and highlights the mandatory BRSR Core assurance requirement as a measure against greenwashing. The information is relevant for stakeholders seeking to understand SEBI’s mechanisms for ensuring accuracy in corporate sustainability disclosures.
Impact Justification
This is an RTI appeal order addressing information requests about BRSR complaint procedures and statistics. It does not introduce new regulations or compliance requirements for market participants.