“Auditors must be guardians of transparency”: Anil Kumar Lahoti on strengthening DAS audit standards
Empanelled auditors, industry stakeholders join hands to enhance transparency and regulatory compliance in the Digital Addressable System (DAS) ecosystem.
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“The audit is not just a technical review—it’s a tool to enforce transparency, accuracy, and accountability,” said TRAI Chairman Anil Kumar Lahoti, as he underscored the critical role of auditors in safeguarding the integrity of India’s broadcasting ecosystem.
Speaking at a day-long workshop hosted by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in New Delhi, Lahoti called upon empanelled audit firms to act not merely as system checkers but as guardians of the digital television distribution framework.
TRAI recently organised a workshop for the training of empanelled audit firms for Digital Addressable Systems (DAS) audit. Held at TRAI Headquarters, the workshop marks a significant step in reinforcing regulatory compliance and advancing transparency across the television broadcasting distribution ecosystem.
With a total of 43 TRAI-empanelled auditors and broadcasting industry stakeholders, the workshop provided a platform for auditors and other stakeholders to share their observations, learnings, and experiences during audit processes.
As per Regulations, all distributors of television channels are mandated to undergo an annual audit of their Subscriber Management Systems (SMS), Conditional Access Systems (CAS), and other related systems by a TRAI-empanelled auditor or M/s BECIL. Noncompliance may lead to the imposition of financial disincentives.
"TRAI's objective is to create a fair and equitable environment for all the stakeholders. Our regulatory measures aim to maintain a balanced approach among diverse stakeholders, while keeping the consumers at the forefront," said Lahoti.
He added, "The audit, by empanelled auditors, is necessary to ensure that the systems deployed by a DPO conform to the technical requirements as prescribed. Empanelled auditors must function not merely as technical reviewers but as guardians in enforcing transparency, accuracy, and accountability."
The workshop was convened following industry requests made to the Authority for periodic training of auditors on audit processes and procedures, and for improving the quality of audit reports by aligning audit outcomes with technical and commercial requirements.
Sessions also featured expert presentations by BECIL, audit firms, and other industry stakeholders.
