PSUs’ compliance on auditor appointments better than pvt sector’s
According to proxy advisory firm IIAS, the median tenure of auditors in the private sector is about seven years against three years for PSUs. The ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) prescribes an auditor rotation every five years.
IIAS attributes this to the fact that the auditors for most PSUs are appointed in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG). In the case of banks, the auditors are appointed in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), which ensures frequent rotation about every four years.
Even the remuneration levels for private sector auditors are substantially higher than those appointed by public sector firms. Data for 160 companies for 2011-12 show that 22 PSU companies paid their auditors median fee of R3.3 million, or R0.33 crore. In the private sector (138 companies), the median remuneration was R7.6 million, or R0.76 crore.
“Given this gap, it is probably time for private companies to issue a request for proposal (RFP) for the audit engagement — this will lend credibility to the audit committee,” said the IIAS report.
Further, IIAS's analysis of 286 listed companies reveals that 25% have had the same auditor for more than 10 years. This includes 56% of the Sensex companies and 40% of the Nifty companies.
The bigger companies seem to be among the worst offenders in this regard, with firms, such as
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