While conducting audit of QWE Limited, a listed company, for the year 2024-25, CA. Deepa the engagement partner, observed that the company had…

(a) A liability is a present obligation of the entity to transfer an economic resource as a result of past events. Instead of fulfilling an obligation to transfer an economic resource to the party that has a right to receive that resource, entities sometimes decide to, for example: - (i) settle the obligation by negotiating a release from the obligation; (ii) transfer the obligation to a third party; or (iii) replace that obligation to transfer an economic resource with another obligation by entering into a new transaction. In the above situations, an entity has the obligation to transfer an economic resource until it has settled, transferred or replaced that obligation. In the given situation, the company has written back outstanding liabilities. The company has not settled the obligation by negotiating a release from the obligation from respective vendors. Such an accounting treatment by management is questionable and against the conceptual framework for financial reporting under Ind AS. CA. Deepa wanted to send external confirmations in accordance with SA 505,” External Confirmations” but management informed her that sending such requests may be used by vendors as proof of existence of liability. In fact, she should display professional skepticism and be alert to the possibility of misstatements in financial statements, if restrained by management from obtaining external confirmations. The reasons advanced by management do not appear to be valid and reasonable. In accordance with SA 505, she should reassess risks and perform alternative audit procedures to mitigate such risks. Besides, she should consider implications of same for her audit opinion. Further, SA 705,” Modifications to the Opinion in the Independent Auditor's Report” requires that the auditor shall modify the opinion in the auditor's report when: - (a) The auditor concludes that, based on the audit evidence obtained, the financial statements as a whole are not free from material misstatement; or (b) The auditor is unable to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence to conclude that the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement. SA 705 also states that misstatements in financial statements arise when selected accounting policies are not in accordance with an applicable financial reporting framework. It also states that examples of an inability to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence arise from a limitation on the scope of audit imposed by management when management prevents the auditor from requesting external confirmation of specific account balances. Therefore, she needs to issue a modified opinion. Keeping in view above, her contemplation of including above matters under “Key audit matters" is not proper and is not in accordance with SA 701,” Communicating Key Audit Matters in the Independent Auditor's Report”. It states that the auditor shall not communicate a matter in the Key Audit Matters section of the auditor's report when the auditor would be required to modify the opinion in accordance with SA 705 as a result of the matter. Communicating key audit matters in the auditor's report is not a substitute for the auditor expressing a modified opinion when required by the circumstances of a specific audit engagement in accordance with SA 705.