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Section 56

Production and preservation of books, attendances, etc. 

(1) For the purpose of obtaining full information in respect of the income of a person or class of persons, the Commissioner may, by notice in writing, require, in the case of the income of a person, that person or any other person, and in the case of a class of persons, any person - 
(a) to produce for examination by the Commissioner at the time and place specified in the notice, any accounts, books of account, and other documents which the Commissioner may consider necessary
(b) to produce forthwith for retention by the Commissioner for such period as may be reasonable for their examination any accounts, books of account and other documents which the Commissioner may specify in the notice; 
(c) not to destroy, damage or deface on or after service of the notice any of the accounts, books of account and other documents so specified without permission of the Commissioner in writing:

Provided that in the case of a banker the powers of the Commissioner under this section shall be limited to the inspection of books or documents at the place at which they are kept and to the taking of copies of any relevant entries therein. 

(2) The Commissioner may, by notice in writing, require a person entitled to or in receipt of income, whether on his own behalf or as representative of another person, to attend at the time and place specified in the notice for the purpose of being examined as to his income or the income of the other person or any transaction or matter appearing to be relevant thereto. 

(3) The Commissioner may exercise the powers conferred on him by this section in relation to a year of income at any time prior to the expiry of seven years after that year of income; but where the Commissioner has reasonable cause to believe that fraud or gross or wilful neglect has been committed in connection with, or in relation to, tax for a year of income, the Commissioner may exercise those powers in relation to any year of income

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