Comment on the following: The statutory auditor of a public company may render actuarial services to its holding company.

The statement is **incorrect**. Provisions of the Companies Act, 2013: Section 144 of the Companies Act, 2013 provides that an auditor appointed under this Act shall provide to the company only such other services as are approved by the Board of Directors or the Audit Committee, as the case may be, but which shall not include any of the following services (whether such services are rendered directly or indirectly to the company or its holding company or subsidiary company), namely: Accounting and book keeping services; Internal audit; Design and implementation of any financial information system; Actuarial services; Investment advisory services; Investment banking services; Rendering of outsourced financial services; Management services; and Any other kind of services as prescribed. Conclusion: In view of the specific prohibition under the above referred provisions, a statutory auditor of a public or private company cannot render actuarial services to the company or any of its holding or subsidiary company, either directly or indirectly.