Mumbai : The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has suggested the government to appoint at least one woman director on the regulator’s board, in line with its own directions for listed companies’ gender diversity on high-table under corporate governance norms.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) had issued guidelines in February 2015 asking companies to appoint at least one woman director on their boards. “Sebi or its board does not appoint its own board members, the board members of Sebi are appointed by the government,” Sebi Chairman U K Sinha said here. “But we have already taken up with the government that we must have at least one woman member on Sebi board although there is no such legal requirement. The Sebi Act does not prescribe it but as a good measure we have asked the government to do it,” he added.
The clarification came on the back of various entities including the media raising queries on Sebi’s own board not having any woman representative in line with the corporate governance norms issued by it.
Among others, corporate governance norms ensure that every company has at least one woman board director. “Most of the corporate India has happily introduced it, those who have not done so I would exert them to do so as early as possible,” Sinha said. Interestingly, Sebi Chairman also said that Sebi board in its last meeting has ‘voluntarily’ decided that its non-executive members can meet separately and evaluate the performance of the regulator.
