Console Holdings report

Overview

The Console Holdings report is a snapshot of the securities held in a Zerodha client’s demat account at a given point in time. It is accessible through Zerodha Console and presents the client’s equity and ETF portfolio in a structured tabular format, showing quantity, average acquisition cost, current market price, market value, and unrealised gain or loss for each holding.

The Holdings report draws data from two sources: the depository participant (DP) records maintained by CDSL (or NSDL for accounts opened on the NSDL platform) and the average cost basis computed from the Tradebook . The combination produces a portfolio view that is both live (market prices update during trading hours) and historically informed (cost basis is maintained from the date of purchase).

Holdings are distinct from Positions : holdings are delivery-settled securities that have been credited to the demat account (T+1 after settlement), while positions are intraday or F&O trades still open within the current or recent trading session.

Data fields in the Holdings report

Pledge information, where shares are pledged as collateral for margin, appears as a separate sub-row under the scrip, showing pledged quantity and the SEBI-mandated haircut.

How to access and download the Holdings report

1. Log in to Zerodha Console at console.zerodha.com.
2. Navigate to Portfolio > Holdings in the left navigation.
3. The on-screen view shows live holdings with real-time price updates.
4. Click Download to export the holdings as a CSV or Excel file (the download represents a point-in-time snapshot at the moment of download).

The Kite mobile app and web platform also display holdings, but Console provides the downloadable version and additional cost-basis and P&L metadata not always visible on Kite.

Holding statements can also be obtained directly from CDSL through the CDSL Easi / Easiest portal or from NSDL through the NSDL eServices portal. These depository-issued statements show custodial quantity only, without cost basis; for cost basis, the Console report is the primary source.

Regulatory and depository context

Every share held in demat form in India is registered with one of two depositories: CDSL or NSDL . Zerodha operates as a depository participant (DP) with both depositories, with the majority of its clients on the CDSL platform. The depository maintains the authoritative record of ownership; the Console Holdings report is the broker’s interface to that record, augmented with cost-basis data.

Under the Depositories Act, 1996, and the Depository Participant regulations, Zerodha is obligated to:

• Maintain accurate records of client demat balances and reconcile with the depository daily.
• Provide clients access to their holding statements on request.
• Issue periodic holding statements (typically quarterly) as part of the Consolidated Account Statement delivered by CDSL .

The SEBI Circular SEBI/HO/MIRSD/MIRSD_RTAMB/P/CIR/2021/655 mandates that intermediaries provide clients easy access to their holding and transaction data through digital channels.

Cost basis computation

The average cost shown in the Holdings report is computed using the FIFO method applied to all buy transactions for each ISIN in the account:

• Each buy transaction adds shares at the trade price (inclusive of STT and stamp duty only if the client elects to add charges to cost; Zerodha’s default uses the trade price exclusive of charges).
• When shares are sold, the FIFO queue reduces from the oldest lot.
• The average cost of the remaining shares after a partial sell reflects only the remaining unsold lots.

Corporate actions affect cost basis as follows:

• Bonus shares are added to the holding at zero cost (as mandated by the Income Tax Act’s cost basis rules for bonus shares received post-April 1, 2001).
• Stock splits and sub-divisions adjust the quantity and proportionally reduce the per-share cost without changing the total cost.
• Rights shares are added at the subscription price paid.
• Dividends do not affect cost basis (dividends are income in the year of receipt, not a return of capital in the Indian tax framework).

Pledge and margin use

Under SEBI’s margin pledge framework (introduced from 1 September 2020), clients can pledge their holdings as collateral for trading margins. Pledged shares continue to appear in the Holdings report but are marked with a “pledged” label and the pledged quantity. The shares remain in the client’s demat account (they are not transferred to the broker); a pledge lien is created in favour of the broker in the depository system.

The Console Holdings report shows:

• Total quantity held
• Pledged quantity (subset)
• Free (unpledged) quantity (remainder)
• Collateral value (based on the SEBI-prescribed Value at Risk (VaR) haircut for each security)

Unrealised P&L and its tax status

The P&L shown in the Holdings report is unrealised: no tax event has occurred until the shares are sold. The figure is useful for portfolio management but has no immediate tax implication. When shares are sold, the realised gain or loss appears in the Tax P&L statement and the Tradebook .

Investors holding shares for more than 12 months from the date of purchase qualify for long-term capital gains (LTCG) treatment on sale. The Holdings report’s date-of-purchase metadata (visible by hovering or expanding a row) indicates the holding period for FIFO-matched lots, helping investors plan tax-efficient exits.

Use in annual tax filing

While the Holdings report itself is not filed with the income tax authorities, it serves as a supporting document:

• Schedule AL (Assets and Liabilities) in ITR-2 and ITR-3 requires disclosure of financial assets (listed shares and debentures at market value, mutual funds at market value) for taxpayers with income above Rs 50 lakh. The Holdings report is the source for this disclosure.
• Wealth verification during scrutiny – the market value of the portfolio on 31 March may be requested to corroborate net worth disclosures.
• Cost basis verification – when a sold security’s gain is questioned, the Holdings report’s cost basis at the time of sale can be cross-referenced with the Tradebook .

Relationship to the Consolidated Account Statement

The Consolidated Account Statement (CAS) issued by CDSL or NSDL shows holdings across all demat accounts linked to a PAN, including accounts with other brokers and mutual fund units in demat form. It provides the same ISIN-level quantity data but does not include cost basis or broker-specific charges. The Console Holdings report is broker-specific and cost-basis-enriched; the CAS is depository-level and multi-broker.

Investors holding assets across multiple brokers must combine their respective broker holdings reports (or download the CAS) to obtain a complete portfolio view.

Common operational considerations

Settlement lag for new purchases. Shares purchased under the T+1 settlement cycle do not appear in the Holdings report until the settlement date (the next business day after trade date). During this interim period, they appear as “unsettled” or “T1 holdings” in the Kite app. The Console Holdings report typically reflects settled quantities only.

Corporate action delays. During processing of dividends, bonus issues, or rights by the exchange and depository, there may be a brief period where the Holdings report shows the pre-action quantity. Updates propagate within one to two business days of the record date.

Demat remat entries. If physical share certificates are dematerialised into the account, they appear in Holdings after the DP processes the dematerialisation request and CDSL confirms the credit (typically five to seven business days).

Shares under objection. If a share demat request is returned by the registrar (e.g., due to signature mismatch), the quantity will not appear in Holdings until the objection is resolved.

Related reports

• Console Tradebook – underlying trade history driving cost basis.
• Console Positions report – intraday and F&O positions distinct from settled holdings.
• Console Tax P&L statement – realised gains on closed positions.
• Consolidated Account Statement (CAS) from CDSL – multi-broker, multi-instrument holdings snapshot.
• Statement of Holdings (SOH) – depository-issued holdings statement.

References

1. Depositories Act, 1996 – Legal framework for dematerialised securities.
2. SEBI Circular SEBI/HO/MIRSD/MIRSD_RTAMB/P/CIR/2021/655 – Digital access to holdings and transaction data.
3. SEBI Circular SEBI/HO/MIRSD/MIRSD-PoD-1/P/CIR/2022/71 – Pledge and re-pledge of securities.
4. Income Tax Act, 1961, Section 55(2)(aa) – Cost of bonus shares.
5. CDSL, “CDSL Easi portal” – cdslindia.com.
6. Zerodha Support, “Holdings on Console and Kite” – support.zerodha.com.