Who performs the audit and who is responsible for the opinion?

A qualified person, like CPA, CA etc. is responsible for Audit Opinion, however he can not conduct all the Audit Jobs by himself so he can appoint some one to do the job on his behalf may be his employees or assistants. But responsibility of opinion completely lies on Auditor.

Now a days so many CPA or CA firms are appointing several persons to conduct large number of Audit Jobs. But report is signed by CPA or CA himself.

-A company uses internal & external auditors to track any number of factors in the operation.

-The auditors services as a neutral party to report on these factors.

-Internal auditor to check that the company is performing its tasks as expected.. 

-An external auditor can be the result of checking compliance to governmental regulations, accounting practices

The auditor has a responsibility to plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether caused by error or fraud.

chartered accountant, He responsible for perform the audit and the opinion.

The auditor is external which is a government  approved entity. The auditing entity is responsible for the opinion.

I can fully agree with Mr. Anil Lalwani. 

Chartered Accountants

Cost & Management Accountants

Public Accountants

Appointed Auditor responsible for Independent opinion about the Financial Statements of the company

In fact the audit team is conducting the audit procedures but the  responsible is the engaged auditor or the firm

The Internal Audit activity IIA is resbonsible for the performing the audit process to provide reasonable assurance that the operations are effective and efficient

the external auditors resbonsible for attestation and opinion about the financial statement

and the audit committee resposible for appoint the IIA and  Cheif Audit Exacutive CAE and supervising over the audit performing