Announcement

Disclosures in cases where a Court/Tribunal makes an order sanctioning an accounting treatment which is different from that prescribed by an Accounting Standard
  

Paragraph 4.2 of the 'Preface to the Statements of Accounting Standards' (revised 2004) provides as under:

"4.2 The Accounting Standards by their very nature cannot and do not override the local regulations which govern the preparation and presentation of financial statements in the country. However, the ICAI will determine the extent of disclosure to be made in financial statements and the auditor's report thereon. Such disclosure may be by way of appropriate notes explaining the treatment of particular items. Such explanatory notes will be only in the nature of clarification and therefore need not be treated as adverse comments on the related financial statements."

In the case of Companies, Section 211 (3B) of the Companies Act, 1956, provides that "Where the profit and loss account and the balance sheet of the company do not comply with the accounting standards, such companies shall disclose in its profit and loss account and balance sheet, the following, namely:-

1. the deviation from the accounting standards;
   
    

2. the reasons for such deviation; and
   
    

3. the financial effect, if any, arising due to such deviation."

In view of the above, if an item in the financial statements of a Company is treated differently pursuant to an Order made by the Court/Tribunal, as compared to the treatment required by an Accounting Standard, following disclosures should be made in the financial statements of the year in which different treatment has been given:

1. A description of the accounting treatment made along with the reason that the same has been adopted because of the Court/Tribunal Order.
    

2. Description of the difference between the accounting treatment prescribed in the Accounting Standard and that followed by the Company.
    

3. The financial impact, if any, arising due to such a difference.

It is recommended that the above disclosures should be made by enterprises other than companies also in similar situations.