Audit Reports for Corporates FY 2020-21

Ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) has recently notified some major changes in reporting requirements of financial statement by notifying amendments in Schedule III of companies Act 2013 to be applicable from FY 2021-22 these changes will correspondingly effect reporting and preparation of independent auditor’s report as well, though these changes are applicable from FY 2021-22, but professional should be aware of the procedures and workings to be done throughout the year in order to comply with the proposed changes.

Further CARO 2020 has also been deferred vide Order dated 17.12.2020 to be applicable from 1^st April 2021.

So in order to summarize the changes in reporting requirement for financial year 2020-21, there’s no major changes for statutory reporting to be made by practicing professionals.

A detailed format for applicable reports are discussed in this article to provide an overall idea.

INDEPENDENT AUDITORS’ REPORT

The Members of

<name of the company> 

Report on the Audit of the Financial Statements

Opinion

We have audited the accompanying financial statements of <name of the company> (“the Company”), which comprise the Balance Sheet as at March 31, 2021, the Statement of Profit & Loss, Cash Flow Statement ended on that date and summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory information.

In our opinion and to the best of our information and according to the explanations given to us, the aforesaid financial statements give the information required by the Companies Act, 2013 (the “Act”) in the manner so required and give a true and fair view in conformity with the accounting principles generally accepted in India, of the state of affairs of the Company as at March 31, 2021, of its statement of loss/ profit and its cash flows for the year ended on that date.

Basis for Opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with the Standards on Auditing (SAs) specified under section 143(10) of the Companies Act, 2013. Our responsibilities under those Standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements section of our report. We are independent of the Company in accordance with the Code of Ethics issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India together with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements under the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 and the Rules thereunder, and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements and the Code of Ethics. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Other Information

The Company’s Board of Directors is responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the Board’s Report including Annexures to the Board’s Report but does not include the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information. We are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.

Responsibilities of Management and Those Charged with Governance for the Financial Statements

The Company’s Board of Directors is responsible for the matters stated in section 134(5) of the Companies Act, 2013 (“the Act”) with respect to the preparation of these financial statements that give a true and fair view of the financial position and financial performance of the Company in accordance with the accounting principles generally accepted in India, including the accounting Standards specified under section 133 of the Act.

This responsibility also includes maintenance of adequate accounting records in accordance with the provisions of the Act for safeguarding of the assets of the Company and for preventing and detecting frauds and other irregularities; selection and application of appropriate accounting policies; making judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; and design, implementation and maintenance of adequate internal financial controls, that were operating effectively for ensuring the accuracy and completeness of the accounting records, relevant to the preparation and presentation of the financial statements that give a true and fair view and are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial statements, the Board of Directors is responsible for assessing the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the Board of Directors either intends to liquidate the Company or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.

The Board of Directors are also responsible for overseeing the company’s financial reporting process.

Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with SAs will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.

As part of an audit in accordance with SAs, we exercise professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism throughout the audit. We also:

• Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
• Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances. Under section 143(3)(i) of the Companies Act, 2013, we are also responsible for expressing our opinion on whether the company has an adequate internal financial controls system in place and the operating effectiveness of such controls.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by management. Conclude on the appropriateness of management’s use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the Company to cease to continue as a going concern.
• Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.

We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.

We also provide those charged with governance with a statement that we have complied with relevant ethical requirements regarding independence, and to communicate with them all relationships and other matters that may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, related safeguards.

From the matters communicated with those charged with governance, we determine those matters that were of most significance in the audit of the financial statements of the current period and are therefore the key audit matters. We describe these matters in our auditor’s report unless law or regulation precludes public disclosure about the matter or when, in extremely rare circumstances, we determine that a matter should not be communicated in our report because the adverse consequences of doing so would reasonably be expected to outweigh the public interest benefits of such communication.

Report on Other Legal and Regulatory Requirements

• As per the information and explanations given to us together with our examination of books of account, we report that Companies (Auditor’s Report) Order, 2016 (“the Order”), as issued by the Central Government of India in terms of sub-section (11) of section 143 of the Act, is not applicable. “if CARO is applicable, then language of this para should be changed and reference of CARO reporting annexure shall be given”
• As required by Section 143 (3) of the Act, we report, to the extent applicable that:
  • We have sought and obtained all the information and explanations which to the best of our knowledge and belief were necessary for the purpose of our audit;
  • In our opinion, proper books of account as required by law have been kept by the Company, so far as it appears from our examination of those books;
  • The Balance Sheet, the Statement of Profit & Loss & Cash Flow Statement dealt with by this report are in agreement with the books of accounts;
  • In our opinion, the aforesaid financial statements comply with the Accounting Standards specified under Section 133 of the Act, read with Rule 7 of the Companies (Accounts) Rules, 2014.
  • On the basis of written representations received from the directors as on March 31, 2020 and taken on record by the Board of Directors, we report that none of the director is disqualified as on March 31, 2021 from being appointed as a director in terms of Section 164 (2) the Act;
  • According to information and explanations given to us together with our audit examination, reporting with respect to the adequacy of the internal financial controls over financial reporting of the Company and the operating effectiveness of such controls is not applicable on the company”; if Internal Financial Controls (IFC) are applicable, then language of this para should be changed and reference of IFC reporting annexure shall be given”
  • With respect to the other matters to be included in the Auditor’s Report under section 197(16) of the Act
    • In our opinion and to the best of our information and according to the explanations given to us, provisions of section 197 are not applicable on the company
  • With respect to the other matters to be included in the Auditor’s Report in accordance with Rule 11 of the Companies (Audit and Auditors) Rule, 2014, in our opinion and to the best of our information and according to the explanations to us:
    • the Company does not have any pending litigations which would impact its financial positions
    • the Company did not have any long term contacts including derivatives contracts for which there were any material foreseeable losses
    • There were no amounts that were required to be transferred to the Investor Education and Protection Fund by the Company

Auditor’s Details

CARO Reporting

“CARO – 2016” reporting as required in terms of sub-section (11) of section 143 of Companies Act 2013, one should carefully read the limits to check if reporting under CARO is applicable or not. Brief applicability of CARO reporting is mentioned below”:

Companies not covered under CARO 2016

1. Banking Companies as defined under section 5(c) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949

2. Insurance Company as defined under the Insurance Act, 1938

3. Companies Incorporated with Charitable objects etc, i.e. companies licensed to operate under section 8 of Act 2013

4. One company as defined under section 2(62) of the 2013 Act

5. Small Company as defined under 2(85) of the 2013 Act

6.Private company not being a holding or a subsidiary company of a public company:

1. with a paid a paid-up capital and reserves and surplus not more than INR 1crore

2. does not have total borrowings exceeding INR 1crore from any bank or any financial institution at any point of time during the FY and

3. does not have total revenue as defined in schedule III, to the 2013 Act (including revenue from discontinuing operations) exceeding INR  10 crore during the financial year as per the financial statements

Matters to be included in CARO 2016

One should always consider the reporting criteria, applicable clauses etc. while drafting reporting under CARO. CARO reporting shall be given as an annexure to Independent Auditors report.

Internal Financial Control (IFC) Reporting

IFC reporting shall be done after considering the applicability criteria as mentioned under section 143(3)(i) of Companies Act 2013. The limits prescribed are mentioned below:

IFC reporting is not applicable on below listed companies:

1. Which is one person Company (OPC) or a Small Company; or

2. Which has turnover less than Rs. 50 Crores as per latest audited financial statement or which has aggregate borrowings from banks or financial institutions or any body corporate at any point of time during the financial year less then Rs. 25 Crore

Further, the above exemptions available to Private Company under section 143(3)(i) would be available only if private company 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 ROC

“IFC Reporting shall be given as an annexure to Independent Auditor’s Report”

Reporting Format

We have audited the internal financial controls over financial reporting of <name of the company> (“the Company”) as at March 31st, 2021 in conjunction with our audit of the financial statements of the Company for the period ended on that date.

Management’s Responsibility for Internal Financial Controls

The Board of Directors of the Company is responsible for establishing and maintaining internal financial controls based on the internal control over financial reporting criteria established by the Company considering the essential components of internal controls stated in the Guidance Note on Audit of Internal Financial Controls over Financial Reporting issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. These responsibilities include the design, implementation and maintenance of adequate internal financial controls that were operating effectively for ensuring the orderly and efficient conduct of its business, including adherence to company’s policies, the safeguarding of its assets, the prevention and detection of frauds and errors, the accuracy and completeness of the accounting records, and the timely preparation of reliable financial information, as required under the Companies Act, 2013.

Auditor’s Responsibility

Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal financial controls over financial reporting bases on our audit. We conducted our audit in accordance with the Guidance Note on Audit of Internal Financial Controls Over Financial Reporting (the “Guidance Note”) and the Standards on Auditing, in accordance with section 143(10) of the Companies Act, 2013, to the extent applicable to an audit of internal financial controls, both issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.  Those Standards and the Guidance Note require that we comply with ethical requirements and plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether adequate internal financial controls over financial reporting were established and maintained and if such controls operated effectively in all material respects.

Our audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the adequacy of the internal financial controls systems over financial reporting and their operating effectiveness. Our audit of internal financial controls over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding of internal financial controls over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk.  The procedures selected depend on the auditor’s judgment, including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error.

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion on the Company’s internal financial controls system over financial reporting.

Meaning of Internal Financial Controls over Financial Reporting

A company’s internal financial control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.  A company’s internal financial control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

Inherent Limitations of Internal Financial Controls Over Financial Reporting

Because of the inherent limitations of internal financial controls over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of controls, material misstatements due to error or fraud may occur and not be detected. Also, projections of any evaluation of the internal financial controls over financial reporting to future periods are subject to the risk that the internal financial control over financial reporting may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

Opinion

In our opinion, the Company has, in all material respects, an adequate internal financial controls system over financial reporting and such internal financial controls over financial reporting were operating effectively as at March 31, 2020, based on the internal control over financial reporting criteria established by the Company considering the essential components of internal controls stated in the Guidance Note on Audit of Internal Financial Controls over Financial Reporting issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.

Auditor’s Details