Section 71, Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 [S10-8CZ]
As at 7 September 2026. In force from 1 July 2017 by Notification No. 9/2017-Central Tax, dated 28-6-2017 [N10-27X].
71. Access to business premises.—
(1) Any officer under this Act, authorised by the proper officer not below the rank of Joint Commissioner, shall have access to any place of business of a registered person to inspect books of account, documents, computers, computer programs, computer software whether installed in a computer or otherwise and such other things as he may require and which may be available at such place, for the purposes of carrying out any audit, scrutiny, verification and checks as may be necessary to safeguard the interest of revenue.
(2) Every person in charge of place referred to in sub-section (1) shall, on demand, make available to the officer authorised under sub-section (1) or the audit party deputed by the proper officer or a cost accountant or chartered accountant nominated under section 66-
(i) such records as prepared or maintained by the registered person and declared to the proper officer in such manner as may be prescribed;
(ii) trial balance or its equivalent;
(iii) statements of annual financial accounts, duly audited, wherever required;
(iv) cost audit report, if any, under section 148 of the Companies Act, 2013 (18 of 2013);
(v) the income-tax audit report, if any, under section 44AB of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961); and
(vi) any other relevant record,
for the scrutiny by the officer or audit party or the chartered accountant or cost accountant within a period not exceeding fifteen working days from the day when such demand is made, or such further period as may be allowed by the said officer or the audit party or the chartered accountant or cost accountant.
Defined terms in this text (13)
act: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (2) "act", used with reference to an offence or a civil wrong, shall include a series of acts, and words which refer to acts done extend also to illegal omissions;
act: 363 more definitions.
business: Section 2(17), Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017: "business" includes - (a) any trade, commerce, manufacture, profession, vocation, adventure, wager or any other similar activity, whether or not it is for a pecuniary benefit; (b) any activity or transaction in connection with or incidental or ancillary to sub-clause (a); (c) any activity or transaction in the nature of sub-clause (a), whether or not there is volume, frequency, continuity or regularity of such transaction; (d) supply or acquisition of goods including capital goods and services in connection with commencement or closure of business; (e) provision by a club, association, society, or any such body (for a subscription or any other consideration) of the facilities or benefits to its members; (f) admission, for a consideration, of persons to any premises; (g) services supplied by a person as the holder of an office which has been accepted by him in the course or furtherance of his trade, profession or vocation; (h) activities of a race club including by way of totalisator or a license to book maker or activities of a licensed book maker in such club; and (i) any activity or transaction undertaken by the Central Government, a State Government or any local authority in which they are engaged as public authorities;
business: 13 more definitions.
Commissioner: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (14) "Commissioner" shall mean the chief officer-in-charge of the revenue administration of a division;
Commissioner: 46 more definitions.
company: Section 2(20), Companies Act: "company" means a company incorporated under this Act or under any previous company law;
company: Section 2, Presidency Towns Insolvency Act, 1909 [S162E3] (In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—): "company" means a company incorporated under this Act or under any previous company law
company: Section 2, Provisional Insolvency Act, 1920 [S170JY] (In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,—): "company" means a company incorporated under this Act or under any previous company law
company: 11 more definitions.
computer: Section 2, IT Act 2000 [S103YQ] ((1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,— [...]): "computer" means any electronic, magnetic, optical or other high-speed data processing device or system which performs logical, arithmetic and memory functions, and includes all input, output, processing, storage, software or communication facilities connected or related to it [...]
document: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): "document" shall include any matter written, expressed or described upon any substance by means of letters, figures or marks, or by more than one of those means which is intended to be used, or which may be used, for the purpose of recording that matter
income: Section 2(24), IT Act 1961: "income" includes- (i) profits and gains; (ii) dividend; (iia) voluntary contributions received by a trust created wholly or partly for charitable or religious purposes [...]; (iii) the value of any perquisite or profit in lieu of salary taxable under clause (2) [...] of section 17; (iiia) any special allowance or benefit [...]; (iiib) any allowance granted to the assessee either to meet his personal expenses [...]; (iv) the value of any benefit or perquisite, whether convertible into money or not [...]; (v) any sum chargeable to income-tax under clauses (ii) and (iii) of section 28 or section 41 or section 59; (va) to (ve) any sum chargeable to income-tax under clauses (iiia) to (v) of section 28; (vi) any capital gains chargeable under section 45; (vii) the profits and gains of any business of insurance carried on by a mutual insurance company or by a co-operative society [...]; (viia) the profits and gains of any business of banking (including providing credit facilities) carried on by a co-operative society with its members; (ix) any winnings from lotteries, crossword puzzles, races including horse races, card games and other games of any sort or from gambling or betting of any form or nature whatsoever [...]; (x) any sum received by the assessee from his employees as contributions to any provident fund or superannuation fund [...]; (xi) any sum received under a Keyman insurance policy [...]; (xii) any sum referred to in clause (va) of section 28; (xiia) the fair market value of inventory referred to in clause (via) of section 28; (xiii) to (xviib) any sum or property referred to in the specified clauses of sub-section (2) of section 56; (xviii) assistance in the form of a subsidy or grant or cash incentive or duty drawback or waiver or concession or reimbursement (by whatever name called) by the Central Government or a State Government or any authority or body or agency in cash or kind to the assessee [...];
person: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): "person" shall include any company or association or body of individuals, whether incorporated or not
person: 1 more definition.
place of business: Section 2(85), Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017: "place of business" includes- (a) a place from where the business is ordinarily carried on, and includes a warehouse, a godown or any other place where a taxable person stores his goods, supplies or receives goods or services or both; or (b) a place where a taxable person maintains his books of account; or (c) a place where a taxable person is engaged in business through an agent, by whatever name called;
registered: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (49) "registered", used with reference to a document, shall mean registered in India under the law for the time being in force for the registration of documents;
registered person: Section 2(94), Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017: "registered person" means a person who is registered under section 25 but does not include a person having a Unique Identity Number;
section: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (54) "section" shall mean a section of the Act or Regulation in which the word occurs;
section: 363 more definitions.
sub-section: Section 3, General Clauses Act, 1897 [S100SN] (In this Act, and in all Central Acts and Regulations made after the commencement of this Act, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or context): (61) "sub-section" shall mean a sub-section of the section in which the word occurs;
Made under this section, or naming it (0)
none
Cited by (0)
none
Not held (2)
"section 148 of the Companies Act, 2013"
"section 44AB of the Income-tax Act, 1961"
Duties published under this section (0)
none