1(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other provision of this Act, an income-tax authority may, for the purpose of collecting any information which may be useful for, or relevant to, the purposes of this Act, enter-
(a) any building or place within the limits of the area assigned to such authority ; or
(b) any building or place occupied by any person in respect of whom he exercises jurisdiction, at which a business or profession is carried on, whether such place be the principal place or not of such business or profession, and require any proprietor, employee or any other person who may at that time and place be attending in any manner to, or helping in, the carrying on of such business or profession to furnish such information as may be prescribed.
(2) An income-tax authority may enter any place of business or profession referred to in sub-section (1) only during the hours at which such place is open for the conduct of business or profession.
(3) For the removal of doubts, it is hereby declared that an income-tax authority acting under this section shall, on no account, remove or cause to be removed from the building or place wherein he has entered, any books of account or other documents or any cash, stock or other valuable article or thing.
Explanation.-In this section, "income-tax authority" means a 2 Joint
Commissioner, an 3 Assistant Director or 4 Deputy Director or an 5 Assessing
Officer, and includes an Inspector of Income-tax who has been authorised by the
5 Assessing Officer to exercise the powers conferred under this section in
relation to the area in respect of which the 5 Assessing Officer exercises
jurisdiction or part thereof.
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1. Ins. by Act 23 of 1986, s. 27 (w.e.f. 13-5-1986).
2. Subs. by Act 21 of 1998, s. 3, for "Deputy Commissioner" (w.e.f. 1-10-1998).
Earlier "Deputy Commissioner" was substituted for "Inspecting Assistant
Commissioner" by Act 4 of 1988, s. 2 (w.e.f. 1-4-1988).
3. Subs. by Act 4 of 1988, s. 2, for "Assistant Director of Inspection" (w.e.f.
1-4-1988).
4. Subs. by s. 2, ibid., for "Deputy Director of Inspection" (w.e.f. 1-4-1988).
5. Subs. by s. 2, ibid., for "Income-tax Officer" (w.e.f. 1-4-1988).
Section 133 Power to call for information
Section 133B Power to collect certain information
Section 133C Power to call for information by prescribed income-tax authority
Section 134 Power to inspect registers of companies
Section 136 Proceedings before income-tax authorities to be judicial proceedings