The Companies Act, 2013 has introduced provision regarding rotation of auditors. Is provision of rotation of auditors?

The provisions for maintenance of cost accounting records and cost audit are governed by Section 148 of the Companies Act, 2013. The provisions of Section 148 clearly states that no person appointed under Section 139 as an auditor of the company shall be appointed for conducting audit of cost records of the company. Section 148 also provides that qualifications, disqualifications, rights, duties and obligations applicable to auditors (financial) shall apply to a cost auditor appointed under this section. The eligibility, qualifications and disqualifications are provided in Section 141 of the Act and powers and duties are provided in Section 143. Section 143(14) specifically states that the provisions of Section 143 shall mutatis mutandis apply to a cost auditor appointed under Section 148. There are no other provisions governing the appointment of a cost auditor. Section 139(3) of the Act, applicable to appointment of auditors (financial), and Rule 6 of Companies (Audit and Auditors) Rules, 2014 deals with the provision of rotation of auditors and these provisions are applicable only to appointment of auditors (financial). The Act does not provide for rotation in case of appointment of cost auditors and the same is not applicable to a cost auditor. It may, however, be noted that though there is no statutory provision for rotation of cost auditors, individual companies may do so as a part of their policy, as is the practice with Public Sector Undertakings.