AUDITORS REPORT

We have audited the attached Balance Sheet of Common Cause (‘the Society’) as at March 31, 2011 and the Income and Expenditure Account for the year ended on that date annexed thereto. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Management of the Society. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audit.

We conducted our audit in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in India.

Those Standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.

We report that:

i. We have obtained all the information and explanations, which to the best of our knowledge and belief were necessary for the purposes of our audit;

ii. In our opinion, proper books of account as required by law have been kept by the Society so far as appears from our examination of those books;

iii. The Balance Sheet and the Income and Expenditure Account dealt with by this report are in agreement with the books of account; and

iv. In our opinion and to the best of our information and according to the explanations given to us, the said accounts give a true and fair view in conformity with the accounting principles generally accepted in India:

a. In the case of the Balance Sheet, of the state of affairs of the Society as at March 31, 2011; and

b. In the case of the Income and Expenditure Account, of the Deficit in the Society for the year ended on that date.

For VKGN & Associates

Chartered Accountants

Firm Registration No.: 012897N

Vijay Gupta
Membership No: 081986
Place: New Delhi
Date: September, 2011

Letter to the Editor

First of all, I would like to express my deep gratitude to all the active members of Common Cause, who have taken over the mantle from the great crusader, Shri.H.D.Shourie, whom I had the privilege of meeting long ago. It is so encouraging to note that there are social reformers in our midst, who are sacrificing their time and energy for espousing the issues affecting the common people of this country, to which the Government is oblivious and (in pursuit of which) no individual can succeed. I wish you all success in your endeavour.

Although Common cause has been pursuing all such issues, I am mentioning a few points: 1. Anna Hazare has created an awakening in the media against graft. Lokpal is certainly the need of the hour; but it will have an impact only if it is followed by taking up judicial reforms; (judicial processes) are time-consuming and encourage corruption. The case of Sukh Ram, former Telecom Minister, being convicted after 15 years is a disgrace on the legal system. Corruption cases should be tried by special courts, which should have a time-frame for decision- a maximum of 6 months.

2. Deterrent punishment for the corrupt so as to be a lesson for them. Life imprisonment should be for life and not for 14 years as at present.

3. Investigation into the assets declared by MPs and MLAs every five years, as to how they have acquired so much wealth in a short period.

4. Electoral reforms, which are urgently needed. Thanks.

S.P.Bansal,
B-3/14, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi-29.
New Delhi,
dated 21st November,2011