Tamil Nadu Local Fund Audit Act, 2014

Act No. 24 of 2014

14th December 2014

An Act to provide for an effective and efficient audit system to all local authorities and certain other authorities, bodies or institutions and Funds and for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto. WHEREAS the Thirteenth Finance Commission in its report recommended that the State Government must put in place an audit system for all local bodies and also recommended that the Comptroller and Auditor General of India must give technical guidance and supervision over the audit of all the local bodies in the State at every tier/category; AND WHEREAS the Second State Finance Commission has also recommended to enact an Act to provide for and to regulate the audit of the local funds and authorize the Director of Local Fund Audit to audit the accounts relating to the local authorities; AND WHEREAS it has become imperative to ensure effective spending of the grants of the Govern

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S.1 Short title, extent and commencement

(1) This Act may be called the Tamil Nadu Local Fund Audit Act, 2014.

(2) It extends to the whole of the State of Tamil Nadu.

(3) It shall come into force at once.

S.2 Definitions

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—

• (a) ‘audit’ includes cent per cent audit, post audit, test audit, special audit and such other examination of accounts as the Government may, from time to time, specify;
• (b) ‘cent per cent audit’ means a post audit of all the transactions of a particular account for the whole financial year or for such period as may be specified by the Director;
• (c) ‘concurrent audit’ means a continuous post audit of accounts of day-to-day transactions;
• (d) ‘Director’ means the Director of Local Fund Audit appointed under section 3 and includes any person authorised by the Government to perform the functions of the Director of Local Fund Audit;
• (e) ‘Executive authority’ means the Chief executive officer or any other officer of a local authority, vested with the power to administer the fund of that authority;
• (f) ‘Government’ means the State Government;
• (g) ‘local authority’ means,
  

S.3 Appointment of the Director

(1) The Government may, by notification, appoint a person, having such qualification as may be prescribed, as the Director of Local Fund Audit.

(2) The Government may also appoint such other officers of the Local Fund Audit Department, as it may deem necessary, to carry out the purposes of this Act.

(3) All officers and staff of the Local Fund Audit Department shall be subordinate to the Director, who shall have general superintendence and control over them in the performance of their functions under this Act or the rule made thereunder.

(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), the Director of Local Fund Audit functioning before the commencement of this Act, shall be deemed to have been appointed as the Director under this Act.

S.4 Audit of Accounts

Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, but subject to the provisions of the Comptroller and Auditor General (Duties, Powers and Conditions of Service) Act, 1971, the Director shall audit or cause to be audited by an officer of the Local Fund Audit Department authorised by him by general or special order in this behalf, the accounts of a local authority or local fund in the manner provided by or under this Act. The officer so authorised shall exercise such of the powers and perform such of the functions of the Director in regard to the conduct of audit under this Act.

S.5 Power to audit accounts of certain authorities, bodies, institutions or fund not included in the Schedule

The Director may, with the previous sanction of the Government, and without prejudice to the provisions of section 4, audit the accounts of any authority, body, institution or fund not included in the Schedule subject to such terms and conditions as may be agreed upon between the Director and the person responsible for the administration of such authority, body, institution or fund.

S.6 Manner in which audit is to be conducted

(1) The Director or the officer authorised by him under section 4, shall conduct the audit annually or at such intervals as he may deem fit. The Director may also conduct concurrent audit of such of those local authority or local fund as are found necessary under the provisions of any law governing them or as may be decided by the Director in consultation with the Government:

Provided that so far as village panchayats are concerned, the Director may conduct audit of twenty per cent of such panchayats in a financial year, so that all such panchayats are audited within a span of five years:

Provided further that no audit shall be commenced unless notice in writing for a period of not less than fifteen days is given to the executive authority concerned:

Provided also that for reasons to be recorded in writing, notice for a lesser period may be given or the notice may be dispensed with.

(2) The Director may verify the cash balance of the local fund at the ti

S.7 Liability of the Executive authority to prepare and present accounts for audit

(1) The accounts of a local authority or local fund relating to every financial year shall be prepared or caused to be prepared by the Executive authority, within three months from the end of the financial year, in such form and in such manner as may be prescribed, and presented for audit.

(2) Where an Executive authority makes default in the preparation and presentation of accounts for audit within the specified period, he shall be punishable with a fine of not less than one thousand rupees, which may extend to five thousand rupees and shall also be liable to departmental action:

Provided that no such fine shall be imposed by the Director unless an opportunity of not less than fifteen days is given to show cause as to why it may not be imposed.

(3) The Government may withhold release of funds to any authority which fails to furnish accounts for audit on expiry of three months from the specified period.

S.8 Power to require production of accounts and attendance of persons for audit

(1) For the purpose of audit under this Act, the Director may,—

• (a) require in writing, the production at the place of audit, such vouchers, statements, returns, correspondences, notes or any other documents including documents in electronic form, the perusal or examination of which are necessary for the elucidation of the accounts;
• (b) require in writing, any employee of a local authority or an authority which administers a local fund accountable for or having the custody or control of such vouchers, statements, returns, correspondences, notes or other documents including documents in electronic form or any person having directly or indirectly, any share or interest in any contract with the local authority or the authority which administers the local fund to appear in person before him and answer any question and require any person so appearing to make and sign a declaration with respect to such document or to prepare and furnish any statement relating theret
  

S.9 Penalty for disobeying requisition under section 8

Any person who wilfully neglects or refuses to comply with any requisition lawfully made upon him under clause (a) or clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 8 shall be punishable with a fine of not less than one thousand rupees, which may extend to five thousand rupees:

Provided that no such fine shall be imposed by the Director on any person until he has been given an opportunity of not less than fifteen days of showing cause against the fine:

Provided further that in the case of an employee of a local authority or an authority which administers a local fund, he shall also be liable to departmental action.

S.10 Completion of audit of accounts

(1) The audit of the accounts prepared and presented for audit under section 7 shall be completed by the Director within a period of not exceeding six months as may be prescribed.

(2) The Director at the time of completion of audit shall verify the correctness of the accounts, certify the annual accounts in such manner as may be prescribed and append the certified copy of the accounts with the audit report.

S.11 Audit report to be sent to Executive authority and certain officers and bodies

As soon as practicable after the completion of the audit, but not later than three months thereafter, the Director shall send to the Executive authority concerned a report on the accounts audited by him and copies of the report to such officers and bodies or institutions, as the Government may direct or as may be specified under the law governing that local authority or local fund, as the case may be.

S.12 Contents of audit report

The Director shall include in the audit report,—

• (a) any payment which appears to have been made contrary to any law or order of the Government;
• (b) the amount of any deficiency or loss which appears to have been caused by the negligence or misconduct of any person in the performance of his duties;
• (c) any case of misappropriation or improper utilisation of the fund;
• (d) the amount, if any, received which ought to have been brought into account but not brought into account; and
• (e) any other material impropriety or irregularity observed in the audit.

S.13 Procedure to be followed on receipt of audit report

(1) On receipt of the audit report sent under section 11, the Executive authority shall, within a period of two months, either remedy the defects or irregularities, if any, pointed out therein and place the audit report together with a statement of action taken or to be taken thereon before a meeting of the governing body of the authority concerned. The Executive authority shall also, within a month from the date of the said meeting, send to the Director a report of having remedied the said defects or irregularities or submit any explanation in regard to such defects or irregularities.

(2) On receipt of such report or explanation, the Director may,—

• (a) accept the report of having remedied the defects or irregularities or the explanation in regard thereto and drop the objection; or
• (b) hold that any or all of the defects or irregularities pointed out in the audit report have not been remedied.

(3) The Director shall, within two months from

S.14 Director to surcharge illegal payments and loss caused by negligence or misconduct

(1) The Director may disallow any payment which appears to him to be contrary to any law or order of the Government, or the amount of any deficiency or loss caused by negligence or misconduct or any sum received, which ought to have been brought into account but not brought into account and surcharge the person or the person authorising the same and shall, in every such case, certify the amount due from such person:

Provided that no such surcharge shall be imposed by the Director on any person until he has been given an opportunity of not less than fifteen days of showing cause against the surcharge.

(2) Any person aggrieved by the surcharge

S.20 Laying of audit report.

The Director shall submit to the Government annually a consolidated report of the accounts audited by him containing such particulars which he intends to bring to their notice and the Government shall cause the consolidated report to be laid, as soon as may be, after it is received, along with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General, before the Legislative Assembly.

S.21 Bar of jurisdiction of civil courts.

Save as otherwise provided in sub-section (2) of section 14, no civil court shall have jurisdiction to entertain any suit or proceedings in respect of any action taken or to be taken by the Government or the Director or any officer in pursuance of any power conferred by or under this Act.

S.22 Special provision for pending audit.

All audit of accounts pending at the commencement of this Act in respect of any local authority or local fund shall, notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, be continued and completed by the Director, within such time as may be prescribed, as if this Act has not been enacted.

S.23 Act to override other enactments.

The provisions of this Act shall have effect notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith contained in any other law made by the Legislature of the State for the time being in force.

S.24 Protection of action taken in good faith.

No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against the Director or any officer for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done under this Act or any rule or order made thereunder.

S.25 Director or other officers to be deemed to be public servants.

The Director or other officers shall be deemed, when acting or purporting to act in pursuance of the provisions of this Act or any rule or order to be public servants within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code.

S.26 Power to make rules.

(1) The Government may make rules for the purpose of carrying into effect the provisions of this Act.

(2) In particular, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may provide for all or any of the following matters, namely:—

• (a) the manner and the form in which the accounts of a local authority or local fund shall be kept and presented;
• (b) the procedure to be followed by the Director in the conduct of audit and the period within which such audit shall be conducted;
• (c) the manner in which the matters required to be published under this Act shall be published; and
• (d) any other matter which is required to be or may be prescribed under this Act.

(3) Every rule made or notification or order issued under this Act, shall, as soon as possible, after it is made or issued, be placed on the Table of the Legislative Assembly and if before the expiry of the session in which it is so placed or the ne

S.27 Power to remove difficulties.

If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this Act, the Government may, by order published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette, make such provisions, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act as appears to them to be necessary or expedient for removing the difficulty:

Provided that no such order shall be issued after the expiry of a period of two years from the date of commencement of this Act.

S.28 Power to amend Schedule.

The Government may, by notification, include any body, authority or institution or fund established by or under any law or order of the Government in the Schedule to this Act:

Provided that no body, authority or institution or fund shall be omitted from the Schedule except by the authority of law made by the State Legislature.

S.29 Savings.

The provisions of this Act shall not apply to any case, suit, appeal, revision petition or any other proceeding that may be pending at the commencement of this Act before the Director of Local Fund Audit, the Government or Civil Court and the law in force immediately before the commencement of this Act shall, notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, continue to apply to such cases, suits, appeals, revision petitions or other proceedings.

SCHEDULE.

(See clauses (g) and (h) of section 2)

I. Local authorities.

• 1. All City Municipal Corporations.
• 2. All Municipalities.
• 3. All Town Panchayats.
• 4. All District Panchayats.
• 5. All Panchayat Unions.
• 6. All Village Panchayats.
• 7. All Universities.
• 8. All Local Library Authorities.
• 9. All Market Committees including the Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing Board.
• 10. All Local Planning Authorities.
• 11. The Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education.
• 12. The Treasurer of Charitable Endowments.
• 13. Arasar Chatram.
• 14. Raja Vedapadasalai.

II. Local Funds.

• 1. The Tamil Nadu Municipal Employees Health Fund.
• 2. The Tamil Nadu Town Panchayat Employees Health Fund.
• 3. The Tamil Nadu Panchayat Union Employees Health Fund.
• 4. The Tamil Nadu Municipal Employees House Building Advanc