To the Members of Axis Bank Limited
Report on the Standalone Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying standalone financial statements of Axis Bank Limited (the "Bank"), which comprise the Balance Sheet as at 31 March, 2017, the Profit and Loss Account and Cash Flow Statement for the year then ended, and a summary of significant accounting policies and notes to the financial statements.
Management''''s Responsibility for the Financial Statements
The Bank''''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 standalone financial statements that give a true and fair view of the financial position, financial performance and cash flows of the Bank in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in India, including the Accounting Standards specified under section 133 of the Act, read with Rule 7 of the Companies (Accounts) Rules, 2014 and the Companies (Accounting Standards) Amendment Rules, 2016, provision of section 29 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 and the circulars, guidelines and directions issued by Reserve Bank of India ("RBI") from time to time. This responsibility also includes maintenance of adequate accounting records in accordance with the provisions of the Act for safeguarding of the assets of the Bank 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 the design, implementation and maintenance of adequate internal financial control 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.
Auditor''''s Responsibility
Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these standalone financial statements based on our audit. We have taken into account the provisions of the Act, the accounting and auditing standards and matters which are required to be included in the audit report under the provisions of the Act and the Rules made there under. We conducted our audit in accordance with the Standards on Auditing, issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, as specified under Section 143(10) of the Act. Those Standards require that we comply with ethical requirements and plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free from material misstatement.
An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. 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. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal financial control relevant to the Bank''''s preparation of the financial statements that give a true and fair view in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances. An audit also includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of the accounting estimates made by the Bank''''s Directors, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinion on the standalone financial statements.
Opinion
In our opinion and to the best of our information and according to the explanations given to us, the aforesaid standalone financial statements together with the notes give the information required by the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 as well as the Act, in the manner so required for banking companies and give a true and fair view in conformity with the accounting principles generally accepted in India of the state of affairs of the Bank as at 31 March, 2017, its profit, and its profit and cash flows for the year ended on that date.
Report on Other Legal and Regulatory Requirements
1. The Balance Sheet and the Profit and Loss Account have been drawn up in accordance with the provisions of Section 29 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 read with Section 133 of the Companies Act, 2013 read with Rule 7 of the Companies (Accounts) Rules, 2014 and the Companies (Accounting Standards) Amendment Rules, 2016.
2. As required sub section (3) of section 30 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, we report that:
(a) We have obtained all the information and explanations which, to the best of our knowledge and belief, were necessary for the purpose of our audit and have found them to be satisfactory;
(b) The transactions of the Bank, which have come to our notice, have been within the powers of the Bank; and
(c) The financial accounting systems of the Bank are centralized and therefore, accounting returns for the purpose of preparing financial statements are not required to be submitted by the branches; we have visited 220 branches for the purpose of our audit.
3. Further, as required by section 143 (3) of the Companies Act, 2013, we further report that:
(a) 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;
(b) In our opinion proper books of account as required by law have been kept by the Bank so far as it appears from our examination of those books;
(c) The Balance Sheet, Profit and Loss Account and Cash Flow Statement dealt with by this Report are in agreement with the books of account;
(d) In our opinion, the aforesaid standalone financial statements comply with the Accounting Standards specified under section 133 of the Act, read with Rule 7 of the Companies (Accounts) Rules, 2014 and the Companies (Accounting Standards) Amendment Rules, 2016;
(e) On the basis of written representations received from the directors as on 31 March, 2017, and taken on record by the Board of Directors, none of the directors is disqualified as on 31 March, 2017, from being appointed as a director in terms of section 164 (2) of the Act;
(f) With respect to the adequacy of the internal financial controls over financial reporting of the Bank and the operating effectiveness of such controls, refer to our separate Report in "Annexure 1" to this report;
(g) 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) Rules, 2014 as amended, in our opinion and to the best of our information and according to the explanations given to us:
i. The Bank has disclosed the impact of pending litigations on its financial position in its standalone financial statements
- Refer Schedule 12.I and 18.1.2.15 (a) to the standalone financial statements;
ii. The Bank has made provision, as required under the applicable law or accounting standards, for material foreseeable losses, if any, on long-term contracts including derivative contracts - Refer Note 18.1.2.15 (b) to the standalone financial statements;
iii. There has been no delay in transferring amounts, required to be transferred, to the Investor Education and Protection Fund by the Bank;
iv. As per books of accounts of the Bank and represented by the management, the disclosure requirement as envisaged in Notification G.S.R 308(E) dated 30 March, 2017 is not applicable to the Bank - Refer Note 18.1.2.16 to the standalone financial statements.
Report on the Internal Financial Controls under Clause (i) of Sub-section 3 of Section 143 of the Companies Act, 2013 ("the Act")
To the Members of Axis Bank Limited
We have audited the internal financial controls over financial reporting of Axis Bank Limited ("the Bank") as of 31 March, 2017 in conjunction with our audit of the standalone financial statements of the Bank for the year ended on that date.
Management''''s Responsibility for Internal Financial Controls
The Bank''''s Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining internal financial controls based on the internal control over financial reporting criteria established by the Bank considering the essential components of internal control stated in the Guidance Note on Audit of Internal Financial Controls Over Financial Reporting issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (the "Guidance Note"). 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 the Bank''''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; in so far as they apply to the Bank and the Guidelines issued by the Reserve Bank of India.
Auditor''''s Responsibility
Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Bank''''s internal financial controls over financial reporting based on our audit. We conducted our audit in accordance with the Guidance Note and the Standards on Auditing as specified under section 143(10) of the Companies Act, 2013, to the extent applicable to an audit of internal financial controls, both applicable to an audit of Internal Financial Controls and, 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 was 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 system 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 internal financial controls system over financial reporting.
Meaning of Internal Financial Controls Over Financial Reporting
A Bank''''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 Bank''''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 Bank; (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 Bank are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the Bank; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the Bank''''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 Bank 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 31 March, 2017, based on the internal control over financial reporting criteria established by the Bank considering the essential components of internal control stated in the Guidance Note on Audit of Internal Financial Controls Over Financial Reporting issued by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
For S.R. Batliboi & CO. LLP
Chartered Accountants
ICAI Firm Registration Number: 301003E/E300005
per Viren H. Mehta
Partner
Membership Number: 048749
