We have audited the accompanying standalone financial
statements of Dr. Lal PathLabs Limited ("the Company"), which
comprise the Balance Sheet as at March 31, 2026, and the
Statement of Profit and Loss (including Other Comprehensive
Income), the Cash Flows Statement and the Statement of
Changes in Equity for the year ended on that date, and notes
to the financial statements, including a summary of material
accounting policies and other explanatory information.
In our opinion and to the best of our information and according
to the explanations given to us, the aforesaid standalone
financial statements give the information required by the
Companies Act, 2013 ("the Act") in the manner so required
and give a true and fair view in conformity with the Indian
Accounting Standards prescribed under section 133 of the
Act, ("Ind AS") and other accounting principles generally
accepted in India, of the state of affairs of the Company as at
March 31, 2026, and its profit, total comprehensive income,
its cash flows and the changes in equity for the year ended
on that date.
Basis for Opinion
We conducted our audit of the standalone financial statements
in accordance with the Standards on Auditing ("SAs") specified
under section 143(10) of the Act. Our responsibilities under
those Standards are further described in the Auditor's
Responsibility for the Audit of the Standalone Financial
Statements section of our report. We are independent of the
Company in accordance with the Code of Ethics issued by the
Institute of Chartered Accountants of India ("ICAI") together
with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of
the standalone financial statements under the provisions of
the Act and the Rules made thereunder, and we have fulfilled
our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these
requirements and the ICAI's Code of Ethics. We believe that
the audit evidence obtained by us is sufficient and appropriate
to provide a basis for our audit opinion on the standalone
financial statements.
Key Audit Matters
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional
judgment, were of most significance in our audit of the
standalone financial statements of the current period. These
matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the
standalone financial statements as a whole, and in forming
our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion
on these matters. We have determined the matters described
below to be the key audit matters to be communicated in
our report.
|
Sr.
No.
|
Key Audit Matter
|
Auditor's Response
|
|
1
|
Revenue recognition - Reliance on information technology and
system for controls over pricing master file
We identified reliance on information technology and system for
controls over pricing master file as a key audit matter due to a
likelihood of material misstatement in revenue recognition, resulting
from unauthorised alterations to the pricing master file, on account
of high volume of patient transactions.
Refer to notes 2.3 and 25 to the standalone financial statements.
|
Principal audit procedures performed:
• Obtained an understanding of and assessed and tested the
design, implementation and operating effectiveness of relevant
internal controls relating to authorisation of alterations to the
pricing master file.
• Tested the controls around the access rights to the price
masters by involving information technology specialists.
• Tested the controls for approval of price changes made to the
price master during the year on a test check basis.
• Tested the automated controls for auto pick of the prices
defined in the system based on the tests selected.
• Performed substantive testing on changes to price master
made during the year on test check basis by examining policies
and that the supporting approvals, to verify the changes were
authorised.
• Tested the reports of changes in the pricing master files
for completeness and accuracy by involving information
technology specialists.
|
|
Sr.
No.
|
Key Audit Matter
|
Auditor's Response
|
|
2
|
Impairment of intangible assets (Goodwill)
|
Principal audit procedures performed:
|
| |
The Company has intangible asset with indefinite life comprising
|
• Evaluated the design, implementation and operating
|
| |
Goodwill of ' 4,700 million as at March 31, 2026 on account of
|
effectiveness of controls over impairment assessment,
|
| |
acquisition of Suburban Diagnostics (India) Private Limited.
|
including controls relating to review of future cash flow
|
| |
The Company's evaluation of impairment of goodwill requires the
management to assess the recoverable value of cash generating
unit to its carrying value in accordance with Ind AS 36, Impairment
|
forecasts (including forecast of future revenue and operating
margins) and controls relating to review of assumptions of
discount rates and the long-term growth rates;
|
| |
of Assets. The recoverable amount is determined based on the
|
• Evaluated the reasonableness of the estimates used by
|
| |
value in use model.
|
management in assessment of future cash flow forecasts and
|
| |
The Company has determined recoverable value, which includes use
of discounted cash flow model to estimate recoverable value which
|
operating margins by comparing them to Historical revenue and
operating margins, latest approved targets and long term plans;
|
| |
requires management and Board of Directors to make estimates
|
• With the assistance of our fair value specialist, evaluated
|
| |
and assumptions related to future cash flow forecasts (including
|
the appropriateness of the valuation methodology and
|
| |
forecast of future revenue and operating margins), discount rates
|
reasonableness of the key valuation assumptions used
|
| |
and the long-term growth rates applied to these future cash flow
|
by management and tested mathematical accuracy of the
|
| |
forecasts and the same is reviewed by Board of Directors. Changes
|
calculations used in assessment of recoverable value;
|
| |
in these estimates and assumptions could have a significant impact
on the assessment of the recoverable value and the consequential
impact on carrying value of Goodwill.
|
• Evaluated the sensitivity analysis performed by the management
on the projections by varying key assumptions such as discount
and growth rates (including terminal growth rate).
|
| |
|
• Evaluated the appropriateness of the accounting and disclosures
in the standalone financial statements in compliance with the
accounting standards.
|
Information Other than the Financial Statements andAuditor's Report Thereon
(a) The Company's Board of Directors are responsible
for the other information. The other information
comprises the information included in the Management
Discussion and Analysis, Director's Report including
annexures to Director's Report, Business Responsibility
and Sustainability Report and Report on Corporate
Governance, but does not include the consolidated
financial statements, standalone financial statements
and our auditor's report thereon.
(b) Our opinion on the standalone financial statements does
not cover the other information and we will not express
any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
(c) In connection with our audit of the standalone financial
statements, our responsibility is to read the other
information identified above when it becomes available,
and, in doing so, consider whether the other information
is materially inconsistent with the standalone financial
statements or our knowledge obtained during the
course of our audit or otherwise appears to be
materially misstated.
(d) If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude
that there is a material misstatement of this other
information, we are required to report that fact. We have
nothing to report in this regard.
Responsibilities of Management and Board of Directors
for the Standalone Financial Statements
The Company's Board of Directors are responsible for the
matters stated in section 134(5) of the Act with respect to
the preparation of these standalone financial statements that
give a true and fair view of the financial position, financial
performance including other comprehensive income, cash
flows and changes in equity of the Company in accordance
with the accounting principles generally accepted in India,
including Ind AS specified under section 133 of the Act.
This responsibility also includes maintenance of adequate
accounting records in accordance with the provisions of
the Act for safeguarding the assets of the Company and
for preventing and detecting frauds and other irregularities;
selection and application of appropriate accounting policies;
making judgments and estimates that are reasonable and
prudent; and design, implementation and maintenance of
adequate internal financial controls, that were operating
effectively for ensuring the accuracy and completeness
of the accounting records, relevant to the preparation and
presentation of the financial statements that give a true and
fair view and are free from material misstatement, whether
due to fraud or error.
In preparing the standalone financial statements, management
and Board of Directors are responsible for assessing the
Company's ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing,
as applicable, matters related to going concern and using
the going concern basis of accounting unless the Board of
Directors either intend to liquidate the Company or to cease
operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.
The Company's Board of Directors are also responsible for
overseeing the Company's financial reporting process.
Auditor's Responsibility for the Audit of the Standalone
Financial Statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about
whether the standalone financial statements as a whole
are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud
or error, and to issue an auditor's report that includes our
opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance,
but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance
with SAs will always detect a material misstatement when it
exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are
considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they
could reasonably be expected to influence the economic
decisions of users taken on the basis of these standalone
financial statements.
As part of an audit in accordance with SAs, we exercise
professional judgment and maintain professional skepticism
throughout the audit. We also:
(a) Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement
of the standalone financial statements, whether due
to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures
responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence
that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis
for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material
misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for
one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion,
forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the
override of internal control.
(b) Obtain an understanding of internal financial controls
relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures
that are appropriate in the circumstances. Under
section 143(3)(i) of the Act, we are also responsible
for expressing our opinion on whether the Company
has adequate internal financial controls with reference
to standalone financial statements in place and the
operating effectiveness of such controls.
(c) Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used
and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and
related disclosures made by the management.
(d) Conclude on the appropriateness of management's use
of the going concern basis of accounting and, based
on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material
uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that
may cast significant doubt on the Company's ability
to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that
a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw
attention in our auditor's report to the related disclosures
in the standalone financial statements or, if such
disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our
conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained
up to the date of our auditor's report. However, future
events or conditions may cause the Company to cease
to continue as a going concern.
(e) Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content
of the standalone financial statements, including the
disclosures, and whether the standalone financial
statements represent the underlying transactions and
events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
Materiality is the magnitude of misstatements in the
standalone financial statements that, individually or in
aggregate, makes it probable that the economic decisions of
a reasonably knowledgeable user of the standalone financial
statements may be influenced. We consider quantitative
materiality and qualitative factors in (i) planning the scope of
our audit work and in evaluating the results of our work; and
(ii) to evaluate the effect of any identified misstatements in
the standalone financial statements.
We communicate with those charged with governance
regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and
timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including
any significant deficiencies in internal financial controls that
we identify during our audit.
We also provide those charged with governance with a
statement that we have complied with relevant ethical
requirements regarding independence, and to communicate
with them all relationships and other matters that may
reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and
where applicable, related safeguards.
From the matters communicated with those charged with
governance, we determine those matters that were of
most significance in the audit of the standalone financial
statements of the current period and are therefore the key
audit matters. We describe these matters in our auditor's
report unless law or regulation precludes public disclosure
about the matter or when, in extremely rare circumstances,
we determine that a matter should not be communicated in
our report because the adverse consequences of doing so
would reasonably be expected to outweigh the public interest
benefits of such communication.
Report on Other Legal and Regulatory Requirements
1. As required by Section 143(3) of the Act, based on our
audit we report that:
a) We have sought and obtained all the information and
explanations which to the best of our knowledge
and belief were necessary for the purposes of
our audit.
b) In our opinion, proper books of account as required
by law have been kept by the Company which are
companies incorporated in India so far as it appears
from our examination of those books
c) The Balance Sheet, the Statement of Profit and
Loss including Other Comprehensive Income, the
Cash Flows Statement and Statement of Changes
in Equity dealt with by this Report are in agreement
with the books of account.
d) In our opinion, the aforesaid standalone financial
statements comply with the Ind AS specified under
Section 133 of the Act.
e) On the basis of the written representations received
from the directors as on March 31, 2026 taken
on record by the Board of Directors, none of the
directors is disqualified as on March 31, 2026 from
being appointed as a director in terms of Section
164(2) of the Act.
f) With respect to the adequacy of the internal financial
controls with reference to standalone financial
statements of the Company and the operating
effectiveness of such controls, refer to our separate
Report in "Annexure A". Our report expresses
an unmodified opinion on the adequacy and
operating effectiveness of the Company's internal
financial controls with reference to standalone
financial statements.
g) With respect to the other matters to be included
in the Auditor's Report in accordance with the
requirements of section 197(16) of the Act, as
amended, in our opinion and to the best of our
information and according to the explanations given
to us, the remuneration paid by the Company to its
directors during the year is in accordance with the
provisions of section 197 of the Act.
h) With respect to the other matters to be included in
the Auditor's Report in accordance with Rule 11 of
the Companies (Audit and Auditors) Rules, 2014,
as amended in our opinion and to the best of our
information and according to the explanations given
to us:
i. The Company has disclosed the impact of
pending litigations on its financial position in
its standalone financial statements. Refer Note
35 to the standalone financial statements;
ii. The Company did not have any long-term
contracts including derivative contracts for
which there were any material foreseeable
losses. Refer Note 50 to the standalone
financial statements;
iii. There has been no delay in transferring
amounts, required to be transferred, to the
Investor Education and Protection Fund by
the Company. Refer Note 51 to the standalone
financial statements.
iv. (a) The Management has represented that,
to the best of its knowledge and belief,
as disclosed in the note 47 (h) to the
standalone financial statements no
funds have been advanced or loaned or
invested (either from borrowed funds or
share premium or any other sources or
kind of funds) by the Company to or in any
other person(s) or entity(ies), including
foreign entities ("Intermediaries"), with
the understanding, whether recorded in
writing or otherwise, that the Intermediary
shall, directly or indirectly lend or invest
in other persons or entities identified in
any manner whatsoever by or on behalf of
the Company ("Ultimate Beneficiaries") or
provide any guarantee, security or the like
on behalf of the Ultimate Beneficiaries.
(b) The Management has represented, that,
to the best of its knowledge and belief,
as disclosed in the note 47 (i) to the
standalone financial statements, no funds
have been received by the Company from
any person(s) or entity(ies), including
foreign entities ("Funding Parties"), with
the understanding, whether recorded in
writing or otherwise, that the Company
shall, directly or indirectly, lend or invest
in other persons or entities identified
in any manner whatsoever by or on
behalf of the Funding Party ("Ultimate
Beneficiaries") or provide any guarantee,
security or the like on behalf of the
Ultimate Beneficiaries.
(c) Based on the audit procedures performed
that have been considered reasonable and
appropriate in the circumstances, nothing
has come to our notice that has caused
us to believe that the representations
under sub-clause (i) and (ii) of Rule 11(e),
as provided under (a) and (b) above,
contain any material misstatement.
v. The final dividend proposed in the previous
year, declared and paid by the Company during
the year is in accordance with section 123 of
the Act, as applicable.
The interim dividend declared and paid by the
Company during the year and until the date of
this report is in compliance with section 123
of the Act.
As stated in note 19 (v) and 20 to the
standalone financial statements, the Board
of Directors of the Company has proposed
final dividend for the year which is subject to
the approval of the members at the ensuing
Annual General Meeting. Such dividend
proposed is in accordance with section 123
of the Act, as applicable.
vi. Based on our examination which included test
checks, the Company has used accounting
softwares for maintaining its books of account
for the financial year ended March 31, 2026
which have a feature of recording audit trail
(edit log) facility and the same operated for
all relevant transactions recorded in the
software systems.
Further, during the course of our audit, we did
not come across any instance of the audit trail
feature being tampered with, in respect of the
accounting softwares used by the Company
for the period for which the audit trail feature
was enabled and operating.
Additionally audit trail has been preserved by
the Company as per the statutory requirements
for record retention.
2. As required by the Companies (Auditor's Report) Order,
2020 ("the Order") issued by the Central Government in
terms of Section 143(11) of the Act, we give in "Annexure
B" a statement on the matters specified in paragraphs 3
and 4 of the Order.
For Deloitte Haskins & Sells Lip
Chartered Accountants
(Firm's Registration No. 117366W/W-100018)
Rashim Tandon
Partner
Place: Gurugram (Membership No. 95540)
Date: April 30, 2026 (UDIN: 26095540ECYUFS9305)
| 