73. Cross-checking of transactions.

(1) With a view to preventing evasion of tax and ensuring proper compliance with the provisions of this Act, the Commissioner may from time to time collect information regarding sales and purchases effected by any class of dealers and cause any of such transactions of sale and purchase to be cross-checked.

(2) For this purpose, the Commissioner may from time to time by notification in the Official Gazette require any class of dealers to furnish such information, details and particulars as may be specified therein regarding the transactions of sales and purchases effected by them during the period mentioned in the said notification in such form to such authority and by such date as may be specified. The Commissioner may cause such transactions to be cross-checked with the help of the automated data processing system to the extent possible.

(3) The Commissioner may cause any of such transactions to be cross-checked by reference to the books of accounts of the purchasing and selling dealers. For this purpose, the Commissioner shall so far as he may, send an intimation in writing in the prescribed form to the dealer whose books of accounts are required to be verified for the purpose of cross-checking, stating therein the details of the transactions proposed to be cross-checked and the time and date on which the dealer may attend with books of accounts and sale and purchase invoices. The intimation shall also specify that if the dealer fails to attend, then the place and date on which any officer or person duly authorised to cross-check the transaction shall visit the place of business where the books of accounts are ordinarily kept by the dealer.

(4) The Commissioner, may as far as possible, arrange that for any given dealer, not more than two dates are fixed during any year for cross-checking the transactions with reference to the books of accounts and other evidence by calling the dealer and two dates for visiting the said place of business of the dealer if the dealer has failed to attend in response to the intimation. The Commissioner may communicate such dates to the dealer.