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The Reserve Bank of India may give more time to regulated entities, including banks, to implement the new guidelines on the appointment of statutory auditors.
Regulated entities are of the view that a year’s time should have been given for implementing the guidelines as some of them have already re-appointed auditors for FY22. The RBI’s new norms were unveiled on April 27. The guidelines allow regulated entities to appoint auditors for three years. What this means is that audit firms that have already completed the three-year period will have to discontinue their assignment.
Financial services industry veteran TT Srinivasaraghavan observed that some of the regulated entities have already had their AGMs in which appointment of Statutory Auditors is usually on the agenda. So, industry bodies want some more time (say, from April 1, 2022) for implementation of the guidelines.
“In the meantime, an advisory/ consultative group of key stakeholders — the RBI, the regulated entities, and the CA Institute — can be asked to assess the guidelines and give recommendations within two months... there will be a 360-degree view on the issues and the potential solutions,” Srinivasaraghavan suggested.
Applicable to banks
The guidelines are applicable to commercial banks (excluding Regional Rural Banks), urban co-operative banks and non-banking finance companies (NBFCs), including housing finance companies, from financial year 2021-22. However, non-deposit taking NBFCs with asset size below ₹1,000 crore can continue with their extant procedure.
Chartered Accountant Sethuratham Ravi said regulated entities can ask for a dispensation, seeking continuation of the current auditor for one more quarter. “A regulated entity can write to the RBI that it is in the process of appointing a new auditor and that the same needs to be ratified at the AGM... The RBI could have given one more year for implementation,” Ravi said.
P Sitaram, ED & CFO, IDBI Bank, said the guidelines came at a time when some banks would have proceeded with the appointment/re-appointment of auditors. “So, they should have done it (issued the guidelines) either in January or having issued it, they could have said the guidelines will be applicable from next year,” he said.
Banking expert V Viswanathan underscored that even if an audit firm has completed its three-year term, the status quo of March quarter will continue for the April-June quarter. The bank will apply for RBI approval, and it is given.
“Sometimes, public sector banks get the list (of eligible audit firms from RBI) after September also. In which case, the status quo continues for the second quarter also,” he said.
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