hindustan organic chemicals has announced a temporary shutdown of its Phenol plant located at Kochi, Kerala. The facility will remain closed for a period of 10 days starting from May 23, 2026. The company disclosed this information in a regulatory filing submitted on May 22, 2026.

The primary reason for the shutdown is to conduct statutory testing of the BPCL LPG supply cross-country pipeline. Furthermore, the management plans to utilize this downtime to perform maintenance activities on specific equipment and pipelines within the plant.

Operational Impact

While the Phenol plant operations are suspended, the company confirmed that its Hydrogen Peroxide Plant will remain in operation during this period. This ensures that production at the Hydrogen Peroxide facility continues without disruption.

The announcement was made in compliance with Regulation 30 read with Schedule III Part A para B of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015. The shutdown is a planned operational measure and does not indicate any long-term suspension of activities at the Kochi facility.

Hindustan Organic Chemicals Limited (HOCL) has formally communicated its Board of Directors' comments to BSE regarding a fine of Rs.4,60,000 plus GST levied for non-compliance with board composition requirements during the third quarter of FY2025-26. The communication, dated May 16, 2026, was submitted by the Company Secretary & Compliance Officer following deliberations at the company's 426th Board meeting held on May 15, 2026.

Background of the BSE Fine

BSE Limited issued an e-mail dated February 27, 2026, informing Hindustan Organic Chemicals of the fine imposed for non-compliance with Regulation 17(1) — pertaining to the Composition of Board of Directors — under the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015 ("SEBI LODR Regulations"). The non-compliance pertains to the quarter ended September 30, 2025.

The key details of the regulatory action are summarised below:

Board's Position and Rationale

At its 426th Board meeting held on May 15, 2026, the Board of Directors reviewed the matter and noted that the appointment of directors at HOCL is carried out by the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Government of India. The board accordingly concluded that the non-compliance was beyond the control of the company, given that it is a Government of India enterprise and director appointments are governed by the central government.

Waiver Application Submitted to BSE

In light of the circumstances, the Board noted that HOCL has submitted a waiver application to BSE, requesting a complete waiver of the imposed fine. The board's decision and comments have been formally disseminated on the exchange portal in accordance with BSE's requirement that such matters be placed before the board and its observations be disclosed publicly.

The communication was signed by Subramonian H, Company Secretary & Compliance Officer of Hindustan Organic Chemicals, and digitally authenticated on May 16, 2026.