AUDIT REGULATOR NFRA
First NFRA annual report on eight audit firms by November
The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) is set to conduct its first annual inspection of eight audit firms, including the Big Five, to reveal its findings by October or November. The inspection will focus on auditors' processes and standards, revealing how NFRA plans to strengthen the country's audit and accounting ecosystem to combat corporate frauds and uphold shareholders' interests in a rapidly growing economy.
Audit panels of companies can’t escape blame by citing auditors’ failure: NFRA chief
NFRA chairman Ajay Bhushan Pandey emphasized the audit committee's responsibility in ensuring accurate financial statements, even if auditors fail in their duty. He highlighted the need for meaningful communication between audit committees and auditors, stating that it should not be a mere formality. Pandey's remarks come as the NFRA plans to engage with large listed companies to promote accounting standards and curb corporate frauds. This regulatory outreach is part of efforts to protect retail stock investors, a focus highlighted by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
NFRA to engage with some big listed companies on audit compliance
The regulatory outreach could involve the NFRA's engagement with audit panels, independent directors, chief financial officers and others on the boards of these companies, said one of the persons. The regulator is close to finalising a framework to hold such huddles and may invite listed companies, where large public interest is involved, for such meetings, according to another person.
NFRA imposes Rs 2.5 crore fine on two auditors in Reliance Commercial Finance case
The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) has penalized two auditors with fines totaling Rs 2.5 crore for professional misconduct and auditing lapses in the Reliance Commercial Finance case for FY2018-19. It imposed a Rs 2 crore fine on Shridhar & Associates and Rs 50 lakh on Ajay Vastani, along with a 5-year ban on Vastani from undertaking audits. The penalties were issued following a report of suspected fraud and inadequate audit procedures by the auditors.
NFRA penalises 3 auditors in Reliance Home Finance case
NFRA penalizes audit firm and auditors Rs 1.6 crore for Reliance Home Finance audit misconduct. Issues with risk assessment, fraud suspicion, and compliance highlighted. Lack of quality standards and objective review mentioned.
NFRA debars auditors, imposes Rs 50 lakh penalties for lapses in Brightcom, CMIL cases
The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) has barred auditors of M/s Brightcom Group for up to ten years and imposed heavy monetary penalties on them, citing professional misconduct in auditing the company between FY20 and FY22.
Top auditors stop offering non-audit work to clients
Top audit firms in India, including KPMG affiliate BSR & Affiliates and BDO affiliate MSKA & Associates, have stopped offering non-audit services to audit clients. This move aligns with the NFRA's strict stance on conflict-of-interest issues. EY affiliate SR Batliboi & Co is the only top firm still providing such services. This change comes amid global pressure for auditors to maintain independence and avoid conflicts of interest. The NFRA's regulations apply to Indian companies meeting certain thresholds.
Financial reporting community needs to learn from India’s start-up success story, says NFRA chairman
“India ranks third globally in terms of the number of start-ups that are becoming unicorns. We all should collectively think if we can do the same thing in the auditing community,” Pandey said in his closing remarks. Pandey noted that NFRA would coordinate with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs to help create enabling frameworks for establishing home-grown audit firms like the Big Four.
NFRA changes tack, ramps up focus on supervision to boost audit ecosystem: Chairman AB Pandey
The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) in India has shifted its approach from a predominantly enforcement-driven regulator to one with a judicious approach towards both enforcement and supervision, according to its Chairman Ajay Bhushan Pandey. He highlighted new initiatives, including firm-wide audit quality inspections and engagement with audit panels, independent directors, and boards of listed companies.
Audit panel meetings of listed firms must not be reduced to a formality: NFRA chairman Ajay Bhushan Pandey
The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) plans to conduct annual inspections of major audit firms to ensure compliance with standards and protect investors. The regulator will engage with audit committees and boards, expand inspections, and address issues related to financial statements and auditor independence.
NFRA's first annual inspection of key audit firms to start by April
The regulator will also gauge the Big Five's compliance with the suggestions made in its December 2023 reports in which it had flagged deficiencies in their work processes, including on non-audit services that they provide to the same companies of which they are the statutory auditors, one of the persons said.
NFRA plans to engage with audit panels of big companies to curb frauds
The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) is planning to directly engage audit committees of large listed companies to sensitise them about accounting standards and their role, a first-of-its kind regulatory outreach to curb corporate frauds, people aware of the watchdog's thinking told ET.
NFRA plans annual auditor checks
The regulator's plan comes after it released, late in December 2023, inspection reports on deficiencies in the audit processes of major firms such as BSR & Co, Deloitte Haskins & Sells, SR Batliboi & Co, Price Waterhouse Chartered Accountants LLP and Walker Chandiok & Co.
Audit regulator NFRA slaps Rs 50 lakh penalty on chartered accountant for lapses
Highest penalty of Rs 50 lakh in recent years was slapped by NFRA on a chartered accountant for professional misconduct that enabled business services provider Quess Corp to claim undue income tax deduction of almost Rs 971 crore over three years. Subsequently, NFRA looked into the professional conduct of the chartered accountants and their firms involved in the certifications that formed the basis of the income tax deduction claims.
NFRA flags audit lapses by Walker Chandiok, releases inspection report
The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) has issued an inspection report on audit firm Walker Chandiok & Co LLP (WCCL), highlighting lapses such as the lack of integration between electronic and paper files and the provision of non-audit services prohibited under the Companies Act, 2013. The report also highlighted the existence of related entities of WCCL, Grant Thornton Bharat LLP (GTBL), Grant Thornton Advisory Private Ltd (GTAPL) which are part of a large global "GTIL Network" as per the standard on Quality Control (SQC) 1.
NFRA finds certain lapses in audit quality of network entities of Big 4
The inspections of the audit firms were started in December last year and covered various aspects, including review of firm-wide quality controls evaluate their adherence to Standards on Quality Control (SQC-1) and selected audit documentation of the annual statutory audit of financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2021, according to four separate reports released by NFRA on Friday.
Adani auditor EY faces inquiry by India’s accounting regulator
The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) in India has launched an inquiry into EY member firm S.R. Batliboi, one of the longtime auditors of the Adani Group, according to sources. NFRA has requested files and communications related to the audits of Adani Group companies dating back to 2014. It is unclear how long the inquiry will take or what consequences it may have.
NFRA penalises auditor for lapses in Sobha audit case
The National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) has fined an auditor, Supreet Sachdev of BSR & Co LLP, Rs 5 lakh for professional misconduct and other lapses in the audit of Sobha Ltd for the fiscal years 2017-18 and 2018-19. The penalty was imposed after NFRA received information from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) regarding Sachdev's misconduct.
Regulators want effective communication between auditors and audit committees of firms to curb corporate frauds
The regulators like NFRA and Sebi may tighten vigil around the need for the "effective two-way communication process" soon, they said. At present, auditors in many cases are found to give a last-minute report/presentation to the audit committee of a company, consisting mainly of independent directors, just before the board is about to approve its financial statement, one of the persons said. "So, the auditor's report isn't scrutinised properly by the audit committee. Also, there is no effective two-way communication process, as required," he added.
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