Sebi employee tests positive for coronavirus

Mumbai: One of the employees of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday. The regulator has asked all its staff who came in contact with the officer who is part of the enquiry and adjudication department to go on a 14-day quarantine.

“After an assistant general manager tested positive for coronavirus we have shut Sebi Bhavan (headquarters) and the IDBI building in BKC (Bandra Kurla Complex) for sanitisation purpose.Our offices will continue to function from May 11,” said a Sebi official.

“We are taking all precautionary measures. Besides, work from home, we have an alternate office arrangement in another building in BKC” the official said.

Stock exchanges have been declared as essential services by the central government since the lockdown was announced in March. One of Sebi’s critical functions is market surveillance which is being done from an alternate work set up.

All the senior officials of Sebi till the chief general manager level has to come to office. If the services of any employee is required they would have to come to office. Rest of the staff has been asked to work from home. Sebi has asked all its staff not to travel by public transport. All those coming to office has to come in their own car.

Sebi has a total staff strength of 800 employees across the country, of which Mumbai its headquarters itself has about 700 employees.