Suspense Account: The errors which affect one account will affect the agreement of trial balance. Ifit is difficult to locate the error before preparing the final accounts, the difference in the trial balance is transferred to newly opened imaginary and temporary account called' Suspense Account'. It is prepared to avoid the delay in the preparation of final accounts. If the total debit balances of the trial balance exceeds the total credit balances, the difference is transferred to the credit side of the suspense account. On the other hand, if the total credit balances of the trial balances exceeds the total debit balances, the difference is transferred to the debit side of the suspense account.
When all the errors affecting the trial balance are located and rectified, the suspense account automatically gets closed.
Suspense account is continued in the books until the errors are located and rectified. Such balance will be shown in the balance sheet. The debit balance will be shown on the assets side and the credit balance will be shown on the liabilities side.

Features of trial balance:
(i) Trial balance contains the balances of all ledger accounts.
(ii) It is prepared oil a specific date. That is why, the word, "as on ... " is used at the top.
(iii) When double entry system is followed, the totals of the debit and the credit columns of the trial balance must be equal.
(iv) If there is a difference between the totals of debit column and credit column of the trial balance, it.is an indication of errors being committed somewhere.
(v) If both the debit column and the credit column of the trial balance have the same total, it does not mean that there is no mistake in accounting, since some errors are not disclosed by the trial balance.

Need for preparing trial balance:
(i) Trial balance helps to check the arithmetical accuracy of entries made in the accounting records.
(ii) Trial balance serves as a lubricant for the smooth movement and completion of the accounting cycle.
(iii) Trial balance helps in discovering errors which may have been committed in the accounting records.

In the books of Murali Trial balance as on 31st March, 2017

Yes, Agree this statement.
The fundamental principle of the double-entry system of book-keeping is that every debit has a corresponding and equal credit and vice versa. Therefore, the total of the debit balances must be equal to the total of the credit balances. When such agreement between the total of all debit balances and the total of all credit balances takes place, it offers an immediate and apparent proof of arithmetical accuracy of the book-keeping work on a particular day. At the same time, it should not be taken as the conclusive proof of arithmetical accuracy as certain errors, such as error of principle compensating errors and complete omission of a transaction are not disclosed by the trial balance.

The following are the limitations of trial balance.
(i) It is possible to prepare trial balance of an organisation, only if the double entry system is followed.
(ii) Even if some transactions are omitted, the trial balance will tally.
(iii) Trial Balance may tally even though errors are committed in the books of account.
(iv) If trial balance is not prepared in a systematic way, the final accounts prepared on the basis of trial balance may not depict the actual state of affairs of the concern.
(v) Agreement of trial balance is not a conclusive proof of the arithmetical accuracy of entries made in the accounting records.

Trial balance is prepared with the following objectives:
(i) Test of arithmetical accuracy:
Trial Balance is a means by which the arithmetical accuracy of the book-keeping work is Checked.
(ii) Basis for preparing final accounts:
Financial statements, namely, trading and profit and loss account and balance sheet are prepared on the basis of summary of ledger balances obtained from the trial balance.
(iii) Location of Errors:
1) When the Trial balance does not tally, it is an indication that certain errors have occurred.
2) The errors may have occurred at one or more of the stages of the accounting process, namely, journalising or recording in subsidiary books, totalling subsidiary books, posting in ledger accounts, balancing the ledger accounts, carrying ledger account balances to the trial balance, totalling the trial balance columns, etc.
(iv) Summarised information of Ledger Accounts:
1) The summary of ledger accounts is shown in the trial balance.
2) Ledger accounts have to be seen only when details are required in respect of an account