(1) Every auditor of a shall have a right of access at all times to the and vouchers of the company, whether kept at the registered office of the company or at any other place and shall be entitled to require from the of the company such information and explanation as he may consider necessary for the performance of his duties as auditor and amongst other matters inquire into the following matters, namely:—
(a) whether loans and advances made by the company on the basis of security have been properly secured and whether the terms on which they have been made are prejudicial to the interests of the company or its ;
(b) whether transactions of the company which are represented merely by book entries are prejudicial to the interests of the company;
(c) where the company not being an investment company or a , whether so much of the assets of the company as consist of , and other have been sold at a price less than that at which they were purchased by the company;
(d) whether loans and advances made by the company have been shown as deposits;
(e) whether personal expenses have been charged to revenue account;
(f) where it is stated in the books and of the company that any shares have been allotted for cash, whether cash has actually been received in respect of such allotment, and if no cash has actually been so received, whether the position as stated in the account books and the balance sheet is correct, regular and not misleading:
Provided that the auditor of a company which is a shall also have the right of access to the records of all its insofar as it relates to the consolidation of its with that of its subsidiaries .
(2) The auditor shall make a report to the members of the company on the accounts examined by him and on every financial statement or other document which are required by or under this Act to be laid before the company in general meeting and the report shall after taking into account the provisions of this Act, the accounting and auditing standards and matters which are required to be included in the audit report under the provisions of this Act or any rules made there under or under any order made under sub-section (11) and to the best of his information and knowledge, the said accounts, financial statement or other document give a true and fair view of the state of the company’s affairs as at the end of its and such other matters as may be prescribed.
(3) The auditor’s report shall also state—
(a) whether he has sought and obtained all the information and explanations which to the best of his knowledge and belief were necessary for the purpose of his audit;
(b) whether, in his opinion, proper books of account as required by law have been kept by the company so far as appears from his examination of those books and proper returns adequate for the purposes of his audit have been received from branches not visited by him;
(c) whether the report on the accounts of any of the company audited under sub-section (8) by a person other than the company auditor has been sent to him under the proviso to that sub-section and the manner in which he has dealt with it in preparing his report;
(d) whether the company’s balance sheet and profit and loss account dealt with in the report are in agreement with the books of account and returns;
(e) whether, in his opinion, the financial statements comply with the ;
(f) the observations or comments of the auditors on financial transactions or matters which have any adverse effect on the functioning of the company;
(g) whether any director is disqualified from being appointed as a director under sub-section (2) of section 164;
(h) any qualification, reservation or adverse remark relating to the maintenance of accounts and other matters connected therewith;
whether the company has adequate internal financial controls system in place and the operating effectiveness of such controls;
(4) Where any of the matters required to be included in the audit report under this section is answered in the negative or with a qualification, the report shall state the reasons therefor.
(5) In the case of a Government company, the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India shall appoint the auditor under sub-section (5) or sub-section (7) of section 139 and direct such auditor the manner in which the accounts of the Government company are required to be audited and thereupon the auditor so appointed shall submit a copy of the audit report to the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India which, among other things, include the directions, if any, issued by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India, the action taken thereon and its impact on the accounts and financial statement of the company.
(6) The Comptroller and Auditor-General of India shall within sixty days from the date of receipt of the audit report under sub-section (5) have a right to—
(a) conduct a supplementary audit of the financial statement of the company by such person or persons as he may authorise in this behalf; and for the purposes of such audit, require information or additional information to be furnished to any person or persons, so authorised, on such matters, by such person or persons, and in such form, as the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India may direct; and
(b) comment upon or supplement such audit report:
Provided that any comments given by the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India upon, or supplement to, the audit report shall be sent by the company to every person entitled to copies of audited financial statements under sub section (1) of section 136 and also be placed before the annual general meeting of the company at the same time and in the same manner as the audit report.
(7) Without prejudice to the provisions of this Chapter, the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India may, in case of any company covered under sub-section (2) of section 123, if he so deems necessary, by an order, cause test audit to be conducted of the accounts of such company. The provisions of section 19A of the Comptroller and Auditor-General’s (Duties, Powers and Conditions of Service) Act, 1971 (56 of 1971), shall apply to the report of such test audit.
(8) Where a company has a branch office, the accounts of that office shall be audited either by the auditor appointed for the company (hereafter in this section referred to as the company’s auditor) under this Act or by any other person qualified for appointment as an auditor of the company under this Act and appointed as such under section 139, or where the branch office is situated in a country outside India, the accounts of the branch office shall be audited either by the company’s auditor or by an accountant or by other person duly qualified to act as an auditor of the accounts of the branch office in accordance with the laws of that country and the duties and powers of the company’s auditor with reference to the audit of the branch and the branch auditor, if any, shall be such
Provided that the branch auditor shall prepare a report on the accounts of the branch examined by him and send it to the auditor of the company who shall deal with it in his report in such manner as he considers necessary.
(9) Every auditor shall comply with the auditing standards.
(10) The Central Government may, after consultation with the National Advisory Committee on Accounting and Auditing Standards, by notification, lay down auditing standards:
Provided that until any auditing standards are notified, any standard or standards of auditing specified by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India shall be deemed to be the auditing standards.
(11) The Central Government may, after consultation with the Advisory Committee, by general or special order, direct, in respect of such class or description of companies, as may be specified in the order, that the auditor’s report shall also include a statement on such matters as may be
that until the National Financial Reporting Authority is constituted under section 132, the Central Government may hold consultation required under this sub-section with the Committee chaired by an officer of the rank of Joint Secretary or equivalent in the Ministry of corporate Affairs and the committee shall have the representatives from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and Industry Chambers and also special invitees from the National Advisory Committee on Accounting Standards and the office of the Comptroller and Auditor General. (Effective from 10th April,2015)
(12) Notwithstanding anything contained in this section, if an auditor of a company, in the course of the performance of his duties as auditor, has reason to believe that an offence involving fraud is being or has been committed against the company by officers or employees of the company, he shall immediately report the matter to the Central Government within such time and in such manner as may be prescribed.
Notwithstanding anything contained in this section, if an auditor of a company in the course of the performance of his duties as auditor, has reason to believe that an offence of fraud involving such amount or amounts as may be prescribed, is being or has been committed in the company by its officers or employees, the auditor shall report the matter to the Central Government within such time and in such manner
Provided that in case of a fraud involving lesser than the specified amount, the auditor shall report the matter to the audit committee constituted under section 177 or to the Board in other cases within such time and in such manner as may be prescribed:
Provided further that the companies, whose auditors have reported frauds under this subsection to the audit committee or the Board but not reported to the Central Government, shall disclose the details about such frauds in the Board’s report in such manner as may be prescribed.
(13) No duty to which an auditor of a company may be subject to shall be regarded as having been contravened by reason of his reporting the matter referred to in sub-section
(12) if it is done in good faith.
(14) The provisions of this section shall mutatis mutandis apply to—
(a) the cost accountant in practice conducting cost audit under section 148; or
(b) the conducting secretarial audit under section 204.
(a) in case of a listed company, be liable to a penalty of five lakh rupees; and
(b) in case of any other company, be liable to a penalty of one lakh rupees.
(15) If any auditor, cost accountant or company secretary in practice do not comply with the provisions of sub-section (12), he shall be punishable with fine which shall not be less than one lakh rupees but which may extend to twenty-five lakh rupees.
(i) all sums of money received and expended by a company and matters in relation to which the receipts and expenditure take place;
(ii) all sales and purchases of goods and services by the company;
(iii) the assets and liabilities of the company; and
(iv) the items of cost as may be prescribed under section 148 in the case of a company
which belongs to any class of companies specified under that section
(i) the subscriber to the memorandum of the company who shall be deemed to have agreed to become member of the company, and on its registration, shall be entered as member in its register of members;
(ii) every other person who agrees in writing to become a member of the company and whose name is entered in the register of members of the company;
(iii) every person holding shares of the company and whose name is entered as a beneficial owner in the records of a depository
Provided that— (a) the instruments referred to in Chapter III-D of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934; and
(b) such other instrument, as may be prescribed by the Central Government in consultation with Reserve Bank of India, issued by a company,
shall not be treated as debenture;
Explanation.- For the purposes of this clause, the expression “company” includes any body corporate;
(i) controls the composition of the Board of Directors; or
(ii) exercises or controls more than one-half of the total share capital either at its own or together with one or more of its subsidiary companies:
Provided that such class or classes of holding companies as may be prescribed shall not have layers of subsidiaries beyond such numbers as may be prescribed.(Not notified)
Explanation.—For the purposes of this clause,—
(a) a company shall be deemed to be a subsidiary company of the holding company even if the control referred to in sub-clause (i) or sub-clause (ii) is of another subsidiary company of the holding company;
(b) the composition of a company’s Board of Directors shall be deemed to be controlled by another company if that other company by exercise of some power exercisable by it at its discretion can appoint or remove all or a majority of the directors;
(c) the expression “company” includes any body corporate;
(d) “layer” in relation to a holding company means its subsidiary or subsidiaries
(i) a balance sheet as at the end of the financial year;
(ii) a profit and loss account, or in the case of a company carrying on any activity not for profit, an income and expenditure account for the financial year;
(iii) cash flow statement for the financial year;
(iv) a statement of changes in equity, if applicable; and
(v) any explanatory note annexed to, or forming part of, any document referred to in sub-clause (i) to sub-clause (iv):
Provided that the financial statement, with respect to one person company, small company, dormant company and private company (if such private company is a start-up)may not include the cash flow statement;
Explanation. – For the purposes of this Act, the term ‘start-up’ or “start-up company” means a private company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013 (18 of 2013) or the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956) and recognised as start-up in accordance with the notification issued by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Provided that on an application made by a company or body corporate, which is a holding company or a subsidiary or associate company of a company incorporated outside India and is required to follow a different financial year for consolidation of its accounts outside India, the Tribunal may, if it is satisfied, allow any period as its financial year, whether or not that period is a year:
Provided further that a company or body corporate, existing on the commencement of this Act, shall, within a period of two years from such commencement, align its financial year as per the provisions of this clause
Provided also that in case of a Specified IFSC public company, which is a subsidiary of a foreign company, the financial year of the subsidiary may be same as the financial year of its holding company and approval of the Tribunal shall not be required.
Provided also that in case of a Specified IFSC private company, which is a subsidiary of a foreign company, the financial year of the subsidiary may be same as the financial year of its holding company and approval of the Tribunal shall not be required.
(i) which is a one person company or a small company; or
(ii) which has turnover less than rupees fifty crores as per latest audited financial statement or statement and* which has aggregate borrowings from banks or financial institutions or any body corporate at any point of time during the financial year less than rupees twenty five crore.
*Substituted vide Exemption to Private Company(corrigendum) notification dated 13.07.2017
*Refer General Circular 08/2017 dated 25.07.2017
(The exceptions, modifications and adaptations provided above shall be applicable only to those Private Companies which has not committed a default in filing its financial statements under section 137 of the said act or annual return under section 92 of the said act with the registrar)
Inserted vide exemption notification to Private Companies dated 13th June, 2017. To view the notification,Click Here
- MCA has extended the date of implementation of CARO, 2020 from April 1, 2020 to April 1, 2021. To view the Order, Click Here.
- MCA has extended the date of implementation of CARO, 2020 from April 1, 2019 to April 1, 2020. To view the Order, Click Here.
- MCA has notified CARO, 2020 in supersession of CARO, 2016 vide Order dated 25.02.2020 to be implemented from April 1, 2019. To view the Order, Click Here.
- MCA has notified CARO, 2016 in supersession of CARO, 2015 vide Order no. S.O. 1228(E) dated 29.03.2016. To view the Order, Click Here.
- MCA has notified CARO, 2015 vide Order no. S.O 990 (E) dated 10 April 2015. To view the order,Click Here
10.1.10-Companies (Audit & Auditors) Rules,2014
10. Disqualifications of auditor. —
(1) For the purpose of proviso to sub-clause (i) of clause (d) of sub-section (3) of section 141, a relative of an auditor may hold securities in the company of face value not exceeding rupees one lakh:
Provided that the condition under this sub-rule shall, wherever relevant, be also applicable in the case of a company not having share capital or other securities:
Provided further that in the event of acquiring any security or interest by a relative, above the threshold prescribed, the corrective action to maintain the limits as specified above shall be taken by the auditor within sixty days of such acquisition or interest.
(2) For the purpose of sub-clause (ii) of clause (d) of sub-section (3) of section 141, a person who or whose relative or partner is indebted to the company or its subsidiary or its holding or or a subsidiary of such holding company, in excess of rupees five lakh shall not be eligible for appointment.
(3) For the purpose of sub-clause (iii) of clause (d) of sub-section (3) of section 141, a person who or whose relative or partner has given a guarantee or provided any security in connection with the indebtedness of any third person to the company, or its subsidiary, or its holding or associate company or a subsidiary of such holding company, in excess of one lakh rupees shall not be eligible for appointment.
(4) For the purpose of clause (e) of sub-section (3) of section 141, the term “business relationship” shall be construed as any transaction entered into for a commercial purpose, except –
(i) commercial transactions which are in the nature of professional services permitted to be rendered by an auditor or audit firm under the Act and the Chartered Accountants Act, 1949 and the rules or the regulations made under those Acts;
(ii) commercial transactions which are in the ordinary course of business of the company at arm’s length price – like sale of products or services to the auditor, as customer, in the ordinary course of business, by companies engaged in the business of telecommunications, airlines, hospitals, hotels and such other similar businesses.
For the purposes of clause (i) of sub-section (3) of sectlon 143, for the financial years commencing on or after 1st April, 2015, the report of the auditor shall state about existence of adequate internal financial controls system and its operating effectiveness:
Provided that auditor of a company may voluntarily include the statement referred to in this rule for the financial year commencing on or after 1st April, 2014 and ending on or before 31st March, 2015.
Explanation.—For the purpose of this clause—
(a) the expression “significant influence” means control of at least twenty per cent. of total voting power, or control of or participation in business decisions under an agreement;
(b) the expression “joint venture” means a joint arrangement whereby the parties that have joint control of the arrangement have rights to the net assets of the arrangement;
10.1.11-Companies (Audit & Auditors) Rules,2014
11. Other matters to be included in auditors report. —
The auditor’s report shall also include their views and comments on the following matters, namely:-
(a) whether the company has disclosed the impact, if any, of pending litigations on its financial position in its financial statement;
(b) whether the company has made provision, as required under any law or accounting standards, for material foreseeable losses, if any, on long term contracts including derivative contracts;
(c) whether there has been any delay in transferring amounts, required to be transferred, to the Investor Education and Protection Fund by the company.
whether the company had provided requisite disclosures in its financial statements as to holdings as well as dealings in Specified Bank Notes during the period from 8th November, 2016 to 30th December, 2016 and if so, whether these are in accordance with the books of accounts maintained by the company.
(i) Whether the management has represented that, to the best of it’s knowledge and belief, other than as disclosed in the notes to the accounts, no funds have been advanced or loaned or invested (either from borrowed funds or share premium or any other sources or kind of funds) by the company to or in any other person(s) or entity(ies), including foreign entities (“Intermediaries”), with the understanding, whether recorded in writing or otherwise, that the Intermediary shall, whether, directly or indirectly lend or invest in other persons or entities identified in any manner whatsoever by or on behalf of the company (“Ultimate Beneficiaries”) or provide any guarantee, security or the like on behalf of the Ultimate Beneficiaries;
(ii) Whether the management has represented, that, to the best of it’s knowledge and belief, other than as disclosed in the notes to the accounts, no funds have been received by the company from any person(s) or entity(ies), including foreign entities (“Funding Parties”), with the understanding, whether recorded in writing or otherwise, that the company shall, whether, directly or indirectly, lend or invest in other persons or entities identified in any manner whatsoever by or on behalf of the Funding Party (“Ultimate Beneficiaries”) or provide any guarantee, security or the like on behalf of the Ultimate Beneficiaries; and
(iii) Based on such audit procedures that the auditor has considered reasonable and appropriate in the circumstances, nothing has come to their notice that has caused them to believe that the representations under sub-clause (i) and (ii) contain any material mis-statement.
Whether the dividend declared or paid during the year by the company is in compliance with section 123 of the Companies Act, 2013.
Whether the company has used such accounting software for maintaining its books of account which has a feature of recording audit trail (edit log) facility and the same has been operated throughout the year for all transactions recorded in the software and the audit trail feature has not been tampered with and the audit trail has been preserved by the company as per the statutory requirements for record retention.
10.1.12-Companies (Audit & Auditors) Rules,2014
12. Duties and powers of the company’s auditor with reference to the audit of the branch and the branch auditor.
(1) For the purposes of sub-section (8) of section 143, the duties and powers of the company’s auditor with reference to the audit of the branch and the branch auditor, if any, shall be as contained in sub-sections (1) to (4) of section 143.
(2) The branch auditor shall submit his report to the company’s auditor.
(3) The provisions of sub-section (12) of section 143 read with rule 12 hereunder regarding reporting of fraud by the auditor shall also extend to such branch auditor to the extent it relates to the concerned branch.
10.1.13-Companies (Audit and Auditors) Rules,2014
[(SO 990 E) Companies (Auditors Report ) Order,2015] Suppressed by Companies (Auditor’s Report) Order, 2016
Companies (Auditor’s Report) Second Amendment Order, 2020 dated 17.12.2020
Companies (Removal of Difficulties) Order, 2016 [S.O. 1226 (E)] dated 29/03/2016
Companies (Removal of Difficulties) Seventh Order, 2014 [S.O. 2226 (E)] dated 04/09/2014
MCA order on CARO dated 24.03.2020
MCA Order on Companies (Auditor’s Report) Order, 2020 dated 25.02.2020
The Companies (Auditor’s Report) Order, 2016 dated 29.03.2016
Commencement Notification dated 09.02.2018
Commencement Notification under Companies (Amendment) Act, 2020 dated 21.12.2020
Companies (Amendment) Act, 2020 dated 28.09.2020
Companies (Audit and Auditors) Amendment Rules, 2015 [GSR 972(E)] dated 14/12/2015
Companies (Audit and Auditors) Amendment Rules, 2017 [GSR 307(E)] dated 30/03/2017
Companies (Audit and Auditors) Amendment Rules, 2018 [GSR 432 (E)] dated 07/05/2018
Companies (Audit and Auditors) Amendment Rules, 2021 [S.O.206(E)] dated 24.03.2021
Companies (Audit and Auditors) Second Amendment Rules, 2021 G.S.R [248(E)] dated 01.04.2021
Enforcement Notification [S.O 3388(E)] dated 14/12/2015
Enforcement Notification S.O. 1440(E) dated 29/05/2016
Enforcement Notification S.O. 902(E) dated 26/03/2014
Exemption to Private Company(corrigendum) Notification dated 13/07/2017
Exemptions to Private Companies [Amendment to GSR 464(E)] dated 13/06/2017
The Companies (Amendment) Act, 2017 (Effective from 03.01.2018)
The Companies (Amendment) Act,2015
Corrigendum to Notification No. G.S.R. 432(E) dated 17.05.2018
General Circular 08/2017