1. We have audited the accompanying standalonefinancial statements of Canara Bank ('the Bank'),which comprises of the Balance Sheet as atMarch 31, 2025, the Profit and Loss Account and theStatement of Cash Flow for the year then ended, andnotes to standalone financial statements includinga summary of significant accounting policiesand other explanatory information ('StandaloneFinancial Statement') in which are included thereturns for the year ended on that date of:
i) The Head Office, 20 Branches, 1 IntegratedTreasury Wing audited by us.
ii) 2637 Domestic Branches audited by statutorybranch auditors.
iii) 4 Foreign Branches audited by respective localauditors.
The branches audited by us and those audited by otherauditors have been selected by the Bank in accordancewith the guidelines issued to the Bank by the ReserveBank of India. Also incorporated in the Balance Sheet,the Profit and Loss Account and Statement of Cash Flowsare the returns from 7192 domestic branches whichhave not been subjected to audit. These unauditedbranches account for 25.67% of advances, 50.34% ofdeposits, 25.32% of interest income and 48.95% ofinterest expenses.
2. In our opinion and to the best of our informationand according to the explanations given to us, theaforesaid standalone financial statements give theinformation required by the Banking Regulation Act,1949 in the manner so required for the Bank andare in conformity with the accounting principlesgenerally accepted in India and:
a) the Balance Sheet, read with the notes thereonis a full and fair Balance Sheet containing all the
necessary particulars, is properly drawn up soas to exhibit a true and fair view of the state ofaffairs of the Bank as at March 31, 2025;
b) the Profit and Loss Account, read with notesthereon shows a true balance of Profit for theyear ended as on that date; and
c) the statement of Cash Flows gives a true and fairview of the cash flows for the year ended on thatdate.
Basis for Opinion
3. We conducted our audit in accordance withthe Standards on Auditing (SAs) issued by theInstitute of Chartered Accountants of India("ICAI"). Our responsibilities under thoseStandards are further described in the Auditors'Responsibilities for the Audit of the standalonefinancial statements section of our report. Weare independent of the Bank in accordancewith the code of ethics issued by the ICAI,together with ethical requirements that arerelevant to our audit of the standalone financialstatements, prepared in accordance with theAccounting Principles generally accepted in Indiaincluding the Accounting Standards issued bythe ICAI, and the provisions of the Section 29 ofBanking Regulations Act, 1949 and circulars andguidelines issued by Reserve Bank of India andwe have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilitiesin accordance with these requirements and theCode of Ethics. We believe that the audit evidencewe have obtained is sufficient and appropriate toprovide a basis for our opinion.
Key Audit Matters
4. Key audit matters are those matters that, inour professional judgement, were of mostsignificance in our audit of the standalonefinancial statements of the current period. Thesematters were addressed in the context of ouraudit of the standalone financial statements asa whole, and in forming our opinion thereon,and we do not provide a separate opinion onthese matters. We have determined the mattersdescribed below to be the key audit matters to becommunicated in our report:
Sl.
No.
Key Audit Matter
Response toKey Audit Matter
1.
Income Recognition, AssetClassification, Adequacyof provisions thereon.
Advances constitute thelargest class of assets ofthe Bank. Classification,income recognition andprovisioning thereonhave been in conformitywith the guidelines andvarious norms prescribedby Reserve Bank of India.The management of thebank relies on the CBS(Core Banking Solutions)along with other alliedIT systems accompaniedby various estimates,prudent judgementrelating to performance ofborrowers, determinationof security value,manual interventionsincluding services ofexperts & professionalsfor asset classification,Income recognition andprovisioning thereon.
Principal Audit Procedures:
Our audit was focused on theprocessofincomerecognition,asset classification andprovisioning pertaining toadvances, in accordancewith the guidelines issuedby Reserve Bank of India,considering the materiality ofthe balances.
We assessed the efficacyof Bank's system and theprocesses in place to identifythe non-performing assetsand create provision againstsuch non-performing assets.
Our audit approach consistedof testing of the design andoperating effectiveness of theinternal controls with respectto the following:
• Assessing the Controlswith respect to approval,documentation,disbursement andmonitoring of advances.
• Review of the CBS andother related & alliedsystems for compliancewith the prudential normsissued by Reserve Bank ofIndia.
• Evaluation of the design ofinternal controls relatingto identification andmaking provision for non¬performing assets.
• Review of the relevantinformation technologysystems used inidentification and makingprovision for such NPA asper the RBI Guidelines.
• Evaluated and tested themanagement estimatesand judgements for thepurpose of identificationof NPA and adequacy ofprovision required as perRBI's Prudential norms.
• Reviewed the reliability,effectiveness andaccuracy of the manualinterventions, wherever ithas come to our knowledgeon test check basis.
• Relied on the reports /returns/ judgementsof the Statutory BranchAuditors (SBA) in caseof branches not auditedby us for identificationand provisioning for non¬performing assets and foroverall compliance withthe regulatory requirementin accordance withStandards on Auditing 600issued by ICAI.
• Test checked the processand logic of identificationand creation of provisionagainst non-performingassets in accordance withRBI Guidelines issuedfrom time to time andalso the mechanism foridentification of stressedaccounts
• Relied on the opinionsand reports of variousexperts, which includesindependent valuers,lawyers, legal experts andsuch other professionals,who have renderedservices to the Bank invarious capacities inconformity with Standardson Auditing 620 issued byICAI.
• Reviewed the internalaudit/inspection reports/Concurrent audit reports,wherever available.
2.
Classification andValuation of Investments,
Identification of and
Our audit was focused on
provisioning for Non¬Performing Investments:
valuation, classification,
identification of non¬performing investments
Investments include
(NPIs), provisioning/
investments made by
depreciation related to
the Bank in various
Investments.
Government Securities,
• We understood and
Bonds, Debentures,
evaluated the Bank's
Shares, Security receipts
system in place to comply
and other approved
with the relevant RBI
securities.
Guidelines regardingclassification, valuation,
These are governed by the
identification of NPIs
circulars and directions of
provision / depreciation
the RBI.
related to investments.
These directions of RBI
• We assessed and
cover the classification of
evaluated the process
investments, valuation
adopted for collection of
of investments,
information from various
identification of Non-
sources for determining
Performing Investments,
fair value of these
the corresponding non¬recognition of income and
investments.
provision thereon.
• For the selected sampleof investments in hand,
The valuation of each
we tested accuracy and
category (type) of the
compliance with the
aforesaid securities is
RBI Master Circulars
to be done as per the
and directions by re-
method prescribed in
performing classification
circulars and directives
and valuation for each
issued by the RBI which
category of security.
involves collection of
• We carried out
data / information from
substantive tests
various sources such
including arithmetical
as FIMMDA rates, rates
accuracy, data accuracy
quoted on BSE / NSE,
and control over the
financial statements of
financial reporting
unlisted companies, etc.
system to recomputeindependently theprovision to be maintainedand depreciation to beprovided in accordancewith the circulars anddirectives of the RBI.
3.
Key Information
Technology (IT) systems
We conducted an
used in financialreporting process.
The Bank's operationaland financial processes
assessment of key ITapplications, databasesand operating systemsthat are relevant to our
audit and have identified
are predominantly
application software for
dependent on IT
CBS, Financial Statement
systems due to large
Reporting Package,
volume of transactions
Treasury operations, IRAC
that are processed on
Classification and CRAR
daily basis and hence,
calculation, which are
considered as a Key Audit
primarily used for financial
Matter, correctness &
reporting.
effectiveness of which
Our audit approach
are mainly dependent on
consisted of testing of
the Core Baking Solution
the design and operating
(CBS) and other allied
effectiveness of the internal
systems.
controls as follows:
We have relied
• Obtained an
upon the consistentfunctioning of CBS andother allied applicationsoftware with respectto transactions
understanding ofthe Bank’s IT controlenvironment and ITpolicies during the auditperiod.
in Investments,
• Reviewed the design,
Income Recognition,Classification of Assets
implementation andoperating effectivenessof the Bank’s basicIT controls including
and Provisioning against
advances in conformity
application, access
with the RBI guidelines,
controls that are critical
reconciliation & ageing
to financial reporting on
of various items
test check basis.
under Sundry Assetsand Sundry Liabilitiesalong with such other
• Reviewed the IS AuditReports and discussedwith Inspection Wing on
accounts.
compliance with key ISControls.
• Tested the mapping
of business logic withsystem logic adoptedin the IT applicationsoftware
• Tested key automated
and business cyclecontrols and logic forsystem generated reportsrelevant to the audit ontest check basis.
4.
Deferred Tax Asset
The Bank has recognized
We have performed the
a net deferred tax
following procedures as
asset of '4,891.04Crore as on March
part of our control testing:
31, 2025. Objective
• Review of the policies
estimation, recognition
used for recognition and
and measurement of
measurement of deferred
tax assets to ensure
are based on the
compliance with AS-22-
expert opinion, judicial
Accounting for Taxes on
pronouncementsand precedents,
Income issued by ICAI.
management
• Reviewed the
judgements and
management judgement
estimates regarding the
and estimates regarding
availability of profits
the readability of the
in future in conformity
Deferred Tax Assets, w.r.t.
with AS-22 issued by
the ICAI. Deferred Tax
pronouncements and
Asset has been carriedforward to the extent
precedents.
there is a reasonable
• Assessed the probability
certainty that sufficient
of the availability and
future taxable income
certainty of profits
will be available against
against which the Bank
which such deferred tax
will be able to realize the
assets can be realized.
Deferred Tax Asset infuture.
5.
Various Litigations &Contingent Liability
Assessment ofContingent liabilitiesin respect of certainlitigations in relation totaxes and various otherclaims filed by otherparties upon Bank, not
We have performed thefollowing procedures aspart of our control testing:
• Reviewed the currentstatus of the variouscredit and non-creditlitigations and contingentliabilities, including taxrelated disputes.
• Examined thecommunications received
acknowledged as debts.
The Bank's assessmentis supported by factsof matter under
from various authorities
consideration, their
and follow-up actions
own judgement, pastexperience, advises from
thereon.
independent experts
• Evaluated the merits
and legal opinion,wherever necessary.
of the subject matterunder consideration
with reference to the
Therefore, unexpectedadverse outcomes in the
background and relied
litigation may impact theBank's profit and state of
on the expert opinion,legal advice, judicial
affairs as reflected in the
balance sheet.
precedents thereon.
5. The Bank's Board of Directors is responsible forthe preparation of other information. The OtherInformation comprises the Pillar III Disclosuresunder the New Capital Adequacy Framework (BASELIII Disclosures) (but does not include the financialstatements and our auditors' report thereon),Corporate Governance report , which we obtained priorto issuance of this Auditors' Report and the Directors'Report, Key Financial Indicators and Shareholder'sInformation, which is expected to be made available tous after the date of our auditors' report.
Our opinion on the standalone financial statementsdoes not cover the Other Information and we do notexpress any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
In connection with our audit of the standalonefinancial statements, our responsibility is to read theOther Information identified above when it becomesavailable and, in doing so, consider whether theOther Information is materially inconsistent with thestandalone financial statements or our knowledgeobtained in the audit, or otherwise appears to bematerially misstated.
If, based on the work we have performed on the otherinformation that we obtained prior to the date of thisauditors' report, we conclude that there is a materialmisstatement of this Other Information, we arerequired to report that fact. We have nothing to reportin this regard.
When we read the Other Information, if we concludethat there is a material misstatement therein, we arerequired to communicate the matter to Those Chargedwith Governance.
Responsibilities of Management and Those Charged with
Governance for the Standalone Financial Statements:
6. The Bank's Board of Directors is responsible withrespect to the preparation of these standalonefinancial statements that give a true and fair view ofthe financial position, financial performance and cashflows of the Bank in accordance with the accountingprinciples generally accepted in India, including theAccounting Standards issued by ICAI, and provisionsof Section 29 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 andcirculars and guidelines issued by the Reserve Bankof India ('RBI') from time to time. This responsibilityalso includes maintenance of adequate accountingrecords in accordance with the provisions of the Act forsafeguardingoftheassetsoftheBankandforpreventingand detecting frauds and other irregularities; selectionand application of appropriate accounting policies;making judgements and estimates that are reasonableand prudent; and design, implementation andmaintenance of adequate internal financial controls,that were operating effectively for ensuring theaccuracy and completeness of the accounting records,relevant to the preparation and presentation of thefinancial statements that give a true and fair view and
k.
are free from material misstatement, whether due tofraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, management isresponsible for assessing the Bank's ability to continueas a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, mattersrelated to going concern and using the going concernbasis of accounting, unless management either intendsto liquidate the Bank or to cease operations, or has norealistic alternative but to do so.
The Board of Directors is also responsible for overseeingthe Bank's financial reporting process.
Auditors’ Responsibilities for the Audit of the Standalone
Financial Statements:
7. Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assuranceabout whether the financial statements as a wholeare free from material misstatement, whether dueto fraud or error, and to issue an auditors' report thatincludes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a highlevel of assurance but is not a guarantee that an auditconducted in accordance with SAs will always detect amaterial misstatement when it exists. Misstatementscan arise from fraud or error and are consideredmaterial if, individually or in the aggregate, they couldreasonably be expected to influence the economicdecisions of users taken on the basis of these financialstatements.
As part of an audit in accordance with SAs, we exerciseprofessional judgement and maintain professionalscepticism throughout the audit. We also:
a) Identify and assess the risk of materialmisstatement of the financial statements, whetherdue to fraud or error, design and perform auditprocedures responsive to those risks, and obtainaudit evidence that is sufficient and appropriateto provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of notdetecting a material misstatement resulting fromfraud is higher than the one resulting from error,as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentionalomissions, misrepresentations, or the override ofinternal control.
b) Obtain an understanding of internal controlsrelevant to the audit in order to designaudit procedures that are appropriate in thecircumstances.
c) Evaluate the appropriateness of accountingpolicies used and the reasonableness of accountingestimates and related disclosures made bymanagement.
d) Conclude on the appropriateness of management'suse of the going concern basis of accounting and,based on the audit evidence obtained, whether amaterial uncertainty exists related to events orconditions that may cast significant doubt on theBank's ability to continue as a going concern. If weconclude that a material uncertainty exists, we arerequired to draw attention in our auditors' report tothe related disclosures in the financial statementsor, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modifyour opinion. Our conclusions are based on theaudit evidence obtained up to the date of ourauditors' report. However, future events orconditions may cause the bank to cease to continueas a going concern.
e) Evaluate the overall presentation, structure andcontent of the financial statements, includingthe disclosures, and whether the StandaloneFinancial Statements represent the underlyingtransactions and events in a manner that achievesfair presentation.
Materiality is the magnitude of misstatements in theStandalone Financial Statements that, individually or inaggregate, makes it probable that the economic decisionsof a reasonably knowledgeable user of the financialstatements may be influenced. We consider quantitativemateriality and qualitative factors in (i) planning thescope of our audit work and in evaluating the results ofour work; and (ii) to evaluate the effect of any identifiedmisstatements in the financial statements.
We communicate with those charged with governanceregarding, among other matters, the planned scope andtiming of the audit and significant audit findings, includingany significant deficiencies in internal controls that weidentify during our audit.
We also provide those charged with governance witha statement that we have complied with relevantethical requirements regarding independence, and to
communicate with them all relationships and othermatters that may reasonably be thought to bear on ourindependence, and where applicable, related safeguards.
From the matters communicated with those charged withgovernance, we determine those matters that were of mostsignificance in the audit of the financial statements of thecurrent period and are therefore the key audit matters.We describe these matters in our auditors' report unless lawor regulation precludes public disclosure about the matteror when, in extremely rare circumstances, we determinethat a matter should not be communicated in our reportbecause the adverse consequences of doing so wouldreasonably be expected to outweigh the public interestbenefits of such communication.
8. We did not audit the financial statements / informationof 2637 domestic branches and 4 foreign branchesincluded in the Standalone Financial Statementsof the Bank whose financial statements / financialinformation reflect total advances of '4,91,642.52Crore as at March 31, 2025 and total revenue of'44,532.71 Crore for the year ended on that date, asconsidered in the Standalone Financial Statements.These branches and processing centres cover43.01% of advances, 45.39% of deposits, 46.89% ofnon-performing assets and 42.54% of revenue. Thefinancial statements / information of these brancheshas been audited by the Bank's Statutory BranchAuditors whose reports have been furnished to us andin our opinion in so far as it relates to the amounts anddisclosures included in respect of branches, is basedsolely on the reports of such Branch auditors.
Our opinion is not modified in respect of this matter.
Report on Other Legal and Regulatory Requirements:
9. The Balance Sheet and the Profit and Loss Accounthave been drawn up in accordance with Section 29 ofthe Banking Regulation Act, 1949;
10. Subject to the limitations of the audit indicated inabove paragraphs and as required by the BankingCompanies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings)Act, 1970 / 1980, and subject also to the limitations ofdisclosure required therein, we report that:
a) We have sought and obtained all the informationand explanations which, to the best of ourknowledge and belief, were necessary for thepurposes of our audit and have found them to besatisfactory;
b) The transactions of the Bank, which have cometo our notice, have been within the powers of theBank; and
c) The returns received from the offices and branchesof the Bank have been found adequate for thepurposes of our audit.
11. As required by RBI Letter No. DOS.ARG. No. 6270/08.91.001/2019-20 dated March 17, 2020 on
"Appointment of Statutory Central Auditors (SCAs)in Public Sector Banks - Reporting obligations forSCAs from FY 2019-20", read with subsequentcommunication dated May 19, 2020 issued by RBI, wefurther report on the matters specified in paragraph 2of the aforesaid letter as under:
a) In our opinion, the aforesaid Standalone FinancialStatements comply with the Accounting Standardsissued bylCAl, to the extent theyare not inconsistentwith the accounting policies prescribed by the RBI.
b) There are no observations or comments onfinancial transactions or matters which have anyadverse effect on the functioning of the bank.
c) On the basis of the written representationsreceived from the directors as on March 31, 2025,none of the director is disqualified as on March 31,2025 from being appointed as a director in terms ofSection 164 (2) of the Companies Act, 2013.
d) There are no qualifications, reservations or adverseremarks relating to maintenance of accounts andother matters connected therewith.
e) Our audit report on the adequacy and operatingeffectiveness of the Bank's Internal FinancialControls over Financial Reporting as required bythe RBI Letter OS.ARG.No.6270/08.91.001/ 2019¬20 dated March 17, 2020 (as amended) is givenin Annexure A to this report. Our report expressesan unmodified opinion on the Bank's InternalFinancial Controls over Financial Reporting as atMarch 31, 2025.
a) In our opinion, proper books of account as requiredby law have been kept by the Bank so far as itappears from our examination of those books andproper returns adequate for the purposes of ouraudit have been received from branches not visitedby us;
b) The Balance Sheet, the Profit and Loss Account andthe Statement of Cash Flows dealt with by thisreport are in agreement with the books of accountsand with the returns received from the branchesnot visited by us;
c) The reports on the accounts of the branch officesaudited by branch auditors of the Bank underSection 29 of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949have been sent to us and have been properly dealtwith by us in preparing this report; and
d) In our opinion, the Balance Sheet, Profit andLoss Account and the Statement of Cash Flowscomply with the applicable accounting standards,to the extent they are not inconsistent with theaccounting policies prescribed by RBI.
13. The corresponding standalone financial statementsof the Bank for the year ended March 31, 2024,were audited by five joint auditors of the Bank,three of whom were predecessor audit firms, andthey had expressed an unmodified opinion onstandalone financial statements vide their reportdated May 08, 2024.
For K VENKATACHALAM AIYER For RODI DABIR & CO
& CO CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS
CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS FRN : 108846W
FRN : 004610S
(A. GOPALAKRISHNAN) (RUSHIKESH VILAS DESHPANDE)
PARTNER PARTNER
MEMBERSHIP NO: 018159 MEMBERSHIP NO: 114113
UDIN: 25018159BMOSRF8663 UDIN: 25114113BMKXCX8703
For ABARNA & ANANTHAN For S R GOYAL & CO
CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS
FRN : 000003S FRN : 001537C
(S. ANANTHAN) (AJAY KUMAR ATOLIA)
MEMBERSHIP NO: 026379 MEMBERSHIP NO: 077201
UDIN:25026379BNQJHG6016 UDIN: 25077201BMLJOH2035
For M C BHANDARI & CO
CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTSFRN : 303002E
(AMIT BISWAS)
PARTNER
MEMBERSHIP NO: 052296UDIN: 25052296BMNXFW3689
Place of Signature : BengaluruDate of Report : 08.05.2025