What's up with the new Securities Markets Code Bill?
The government just introduced the Securities Markets Code (SMC) Bill in Parliament, aiming to shake up how India's stock markets are run.
If passed, Sebi's board could grow from 9 to 15 members, and the regulator would get more power to keep things fair.
The bill also sets an eight-year deadline for starting investigations into market violations—so no dragging things out forever.
Why does this matter?
The SMC wants to make rules clearer and less stressful by merging three old laws into one.
It focuses on punishing only serious market fraud with criminal charges, while smaller slip-ups would just get civil penalties.
Plus, before making new rules, Sebi will have to ask for public feedback—good news for transparency and anyone interested in investing.
For now, the bill is being reviewed by a parliamentary committee before it can become law.