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India: Regulator wants antitrust review of Big Four accountants

By  |  July 22, 2019

The Indian government wants the country’s antitrust body to assess whether the so-called “Big Four” auditing firms and their affiliates are hurting competition in any manner, a senior government official told Reuters.

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) needs to conduct a survey or an investigation to assess whether the Big Four that include PwC, EY, Deloitte and KPMG are abusing their dominant position in the Indian audit market, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

India’s Ministry of Corporate Affairs, which holds that view, is yet to send any formal request to the CCI to probe the matter, said the official.

“If you look at the top 500 companies in India, they are totally dominant and the Big Four seem to be sharing the work … whatever be the reason there seems to be entry barriers,” the official told reporters.

“The CCI should look into the dominance of these four global auditors and whether they are thwarting competition.”

Full Content: Reuters

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