This week in Indian law: SEBI extended digital accessibility compliance deadlines for regulated entities. The Delhi High Court upheld the Enforcement Directorate's provisional attachment powers under PMLA in a bank fraud case. The legal community began analysing implementation timelines for the 15 statutes enacted during the Monsoon Session. 10 significant developments this week, with a shift from legislative activity to regulatory compliance and judicial proceedings.
Top story
SEBI Extends Digital Accessibility Compliance Deadlines
Category: Securities & Capital Markets | Date: 29 August 2025 | Source: SEBI
SEBI issued a circular extending the compliance deadlines for its digital accessibility mandate, granting regulated entities additional time to achieve full compliance with accessibility standards for digital platforms. The extension acknowledges the practical challenges of implementing comprehensive accessibility across websites, mobile applications, and investor-facing digital platforms — particularly for smaller intermediaries. SEBI specified phased deadlines with larger entities required to comply first, followed by smaller intermediaries in subsequent phases.
Why it matters: The phased approach recognises implementation realities while maintaining SEBI's commitment to inclusive digital access. Intermediaries should use the additional time to conduct thorough accessibility audits rather than treating it as a reprieve.
Read more: Veritect analysis
Court judgments
Delhi HC Upholds ED Attachment Powers Under PMLA in Bank Fraud
Court: Delhi High Court | Date: 29 August 2025
The Delhi High Court upheld the Enforcement Directorate's provisional attachment of properties in a significant bank fraud case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. The Court rejected the petitioner's challenge to the attachment, holding that the ED had established a prima facie case of proceeds of crime and that the provisional attachment was necessary to prevent dissipation of assets. The judgment analysed the ED's evidentiary threshold for provisional attachment and the balance between enforcement objectives and property rights.
Key point: The ruling reinforces that PMLA provisional attachments require a prima facie showing of proceeds of crime but do not demand the evidentiary standard of a final adjudication.
Delhi High Court · Veritect analysis
Regulatory updates
SEBI Digital Accessibility Extension for Intermediaries
Regulator: SEBI | Date: 25 August 2025
In addition to the compliance timeline extension, SEBI issued guidance on the technical standards expected for digital accessibility compliance, referencing WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the minimum standard. The guidance provides specific requirements for screen reader compatibility, colour contrast ratios, keyboard navigation, and alternative text for images on investor-facing platforms.
Key point: WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the minimum standard — regulated entities should aim higher where possible to future-proof compliance.
Legislative and policy developments
Post-Monsoon Session: Implementation Timelines
With Parliament in recess, the focus has shifted to implementation of the 15 statutes enacted during the Monsoon Session. Key timelines to watch:
- Income-Tax Act 2025: Effective 1 April 2026. CBDT expected to issue transition circulars starting September.
- Online Gaming Act 2025: 180-day licensing window from notification. Platforms must apply by February 2026.
- Maritime laws (Bills of Lading, Merchant Shipping, Coastal Shipping, Ports): Effective dates to be notified separately. Industry consultations on rules expected in Q3.
- Mines and Minerals Amendment: Immediate effect for most provisions. Mineral exchange rules pending.
- National Sports Governance Act: 12-month compliance window for federations.
Key point: The next 6 months will be a critical implementation period, with practitioners across multiple practice areas needing to prepare for simultaneous transitions.
Also this week
- RBI monetary policy analysis — Market participants digest the August MPC's decision to hold rates, with attention turning to September-October inflation data.
- NCLT resolution proceedings — Multiple IBC matters progressing through resolution, with the Bhushan Power rehearing expected in September.
- Income Tax transition planning — ICAI and tax bar associations begin organising seminars on the Income-Tax Act 2025 transition.
By the numbers
- 15 — Statutes enacted in the Monsoon Session 2025, now moving to implementation
- 180 days — Licensing window for online gaming platforms under the new Act
- 1 April 2026 — The date when India's direct tax framework fundamentally changes
Looking ahead
- September: Supreme Court to hear Waqf Amendment Act challenge and other constitutional matters
- September: CBDT expected to begin issuing Income-Tax Act 2025 transition guidance
- October: RBI MPC next meeting — monetary policy direction to be closely watched
This is the Veritect Weekly Legal Roundup for Week 35 of 2025. For daily updates, visit our legal news page. Subscribe to receive this roundup every Monday morning.
Veritect provides this content for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.