81. Power to summon witnesses and production of documents
(1) An assessing authority, or an appellate or revising authority including the Appellate Tribunal or any officer of the Commercial Taxes Department, not below the rank of an 1 [Deputy] Commercial Tax Officer shall, for the purposes of this Act, have all the powers conferred on a court by the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (Central Act V of 1908), for the purpose of -
(a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath or affirmation; and
(b) compelling the production of any document.
(2) Without prejudice to the provisions of any other law for the time being in force, where a person to whom a summon is issued either to attend to give evidence, or produce accounts, registers, records or other documents at a certain place and time intentionally omits or fails to attend or produce accounts, registers, records or other documents at such place or time, the authority or officer mentioned in sub-section (1) may, after giving the person concerned a reasonable opportunity of being heard, impose upon him by way of penalty a sum not exceeding rupees five hundred.
(3) Any officer of the Commercial Taxes Department, not below the rank of an 1 [Deputy] Commercial Tax Officer shall have powers to call for such information, particulars or records as he may require from any person for the purpose of assessment, levy and collection of tax under this Act.