Panchayat:Repo18/Law Manual Page0626

Explanation.--Audit arrear means that audit arrear remaining after the last audit, conducted in respect of a Panchayat, and before the financial year preceding the commencement of these rules.

11. Submission of Annual Financial Statement.-- (1) The financial statement published under sub-section (2) of Section 215 shall be submitted for audit within four months after the completion of the financial year that is before 31st day of July to the Auditor authorised to conduct the audit of the accounts of that Panchayat.

(2) The Secretary shall be responsible for submitting the financial statement for audit in accordance with the rules, and within the time limit as above and on default, action shall be taken against the Secretary under sub-section (2) of Section 9 of the Kerala Local Fund Audit Act, 1994 and the provisions of the rules made thereunder.

(3) The Auditor shall return the annual financial statement submitted for audit, if not prepared in accordance with law or not having sufficient details or having other defects, within one week, pointing out such defects and the annual financial statement shall, after rectifying the defects, be re-submitted to the auditor immediately. It shall be deemed, until such renewed statements is submitted, that the concerned Secretary has not produced the statement:

Provided that the Auditor shall not, after the expiry of fifteen days from the date of receipt, return the financial statement of a Panchayat and shall collect necessary details by requisition in writing.

(4) The auditor shall, two weeks in advance, inform the Secretary of the Panchayat concerned, the date fixed for the auditing of that Panchayat as per the preplanned agenda prepared by him:

Provided that such notice is not required for conducting special audit in addition to detailed audit

(5) The programmes of audit shall be prepared and published in-advance in such a way as to complete the audit of all Panchayats in a district once in a year and the audit shall be conducted accordingly.

12. Submission of records, registers and accounts to auditors.-(1) The Secretary shall submit all the records, registers and accounts required in writing by the Auditor.

(2) If the Secretary fails to submit any record or account, it shall be deemed that such record or account is not in existence and may arrive at a conclusion accordingly.

(3) The Secretary and the employees concerned shall have the responsibility for removing the references that may occur in the audit report regarding the objection or disallowance of expenditure that may be brought to notice at the time of audit, by producing records, if available, at the time of audit itself.

(4) The Officer or employee, to whom the work is distributed, shall be responsible for the loss, wasteful expenditure and misappropriation caused due to the failure in carrying out the duties entrusted to him on the basis of office orders and Panchayat decisions and his superior officer and Secretary shall have responsibility for supervisory lapse in these matters.

13. Matters regarding administration and financial control to be inspected and reported.- (1) The auditor conducting the detailed annual audit shall inspect all the matters regarding the administration and financial control of the Panchayat concerned and shall give special attention in the following matters:

(i) Annual budget and receipts and expenditure;

(ii) Records supporting expenditure;

(iii) Whether reappropriation made;