ANOTHER MONTH’S TIME TO FILE Q4

NEW DELHI: Easing compliance requirements due to continuing adverse impact of the coronavirus pandemic, market regulator Sebi on Wednesday gave another month’s extension till July 31 to listed companies for submitting their fourthquarter as well as annual results.

Earlier, the deadline to submit the financial results was June 30.

The development comes after Sebi received representations from listed entities, chartered accountant firms, and industry bodies, seeking further extension of time for filing of financial results for the quarter /half year/financial year ended March 31, 2020.

The entities cited many reasons to seek the extension like the continuing lockdown, subsidiaries and associates situated in containment zones facing challenges in the audit process and other operational issues due to the pandemic. Consequently, the regulator has decided to further extend the timeline for submission of financial results by a month to July 31, 2020, for the quarter and the year ended March 31, 2020, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) said in a circular. Normally, listed companies are required to file their annual results within 60 days from the end of a financial year, while in the case of quarterly results, firms are required to file it within 45 days from the end of a quarter.

Similarly, the timeline for submission of half yearly and annual financial results for the period ended March 31 for entities that have listed nonconvertible debentures, non convertible redeemable preference shares and commercial papers has also been extended to July 31.