TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I; INTRODUCTION; Investor Protection: What and Why; What exactly is Investor Protection?; Objectives of the Study; Research Questions; Methodology and Chapterisation; CHAPTER II; THE SETTING, ISSUES AND EVOLUTION OF REGULATORY REGIME; Investor Protection; CHAPTER III; NATURE AND ROLE OF SEBI; Genesis of SEBI; The SEBI Act, 1992; Objectives of SEBI; The Initial Years: (1988-1992); The Structure of SEBI; The Board; The Organisational Structure SEBI: Functions of SEBI under the SEBI Act, 1992; A) Inspection of Exchanges; B) Registration and regulation of working of intermediaries; C) Promotion and Regulation of Self Regulatory Organisations; D) Fraudulent and unfair Trade Practices; E) Prohibition of Insider Trading; F) Substantial Acquisition of Shares and Take-Overs; G) Inspection and Inquiries against Market Intermediaries; H) Mutual Funds; Vanishing Companies - Investor Protection; What is a Vanishing Company?; Delisting of Shares: Investor Protection; Chandrate committee recommendations; Should Investors Pay the Listing Fee?; Voluntary deli sting; CHAPTER IV; INVESTOR GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL MECHANISM AND JUDICIAL INTERVENTION; Processing of Grievances; When a Complaint is treated as Closed; CHAPTER V; LOOKING BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES; Securities Exchange Commission of United States; Investor Protection in UK; CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS; Suggestions to Strengthen SEBI and to Ensure a Good Securities Market; ENDNOTES; BIBLIOGRAPHY.