India has appointed Kompella Venkata Ramana Murty as a whole-time member of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for a three-year term, according to a government notification issued late on Tuesday. The appointment fills key vacancies on the regulator’s board and brings it back to full strength.

The notification stated that Murty’s term will run for three years from the date he assumes charge, or until further orders, whichever is earlier. His appointment was cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, the government’s top body for senior bureaucratic postings.

Profile

Murty is a retired 1991-batch officer of the Indian Defence Accounts Service. He most recently served as Additional Controller General of Defence Accounts in the Ministry of Defence. His background lies in public finance and government accounting.

He also has prior exposure to SEBI, having earlier served as a part-time board member representing the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. This previous role gives him familiarity with the regulator’s functioning.

Vacancies filled as SEBI regains full complement

Murty’s induction fills the vacancy created after the tenure of Ananth Narayan G ended in October 2025. He also succeeds Ashwani Bhatia, with both positions having fallen vacant earlier.

Another recent appointment saw Sandip Pradhan fill one of the open posts. With Murty now joining, SEBI has restored its full complement of four whole-time members.

The current whole-time members are Amarjeet Singh, Kamlesh Chandra Varshney, Sandip Pradhan and Murty. Together, they form part of the regulator’s core decision-making body.

Board structure and role in market oversight

SEBI’s board consists of a chairman, four whole-time members and four part-time members. At present, the board also includes four part-time members, three of whom represent the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, the Ministry of Finance and the Reserve Bank of India.

Tuhin Kanta Pandey is the current chairman and assumed office on March 1, 2025.

Whole-time members are responsible for key regulatory functions, including market supervision, corporate finance, enforcement, surveillance and investor protection. They also play a central role in investigations and policy implementation linked to the development of India’s capital markets.

Murty’s appointment comes at a time when these functions have gained prominence, with increased retail participation and growing complexity in the markets.