16. Procedure and powers of National Tax Tribunal.-(1) The National Tax Tribunal shall not be bound by the procedure laid down by the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908) but shall be guided by the principles of natural justice. (2) Subject to the other provisions of this Act, the National Tax Tribunal shall have powers to regulate its own procedure. (3) The National Tax Tribunal shall have, for the purposes of discharging its functions under this Act, the same powers as are vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908) while trying a suit, in respect of the following matters, namely:- (a) requiring the discovery and production of books of account and other documents; (b) subject to the provisions of sections 123 and 124 of the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 (1 of 1872), requisitioning any public record or document or a copy of such record or document, from any office; (c) dismissing an appeal for default or deciding it, ex parte; (d) setting aside any order of dismissal of any appeal for default or any order passed by it, ex parte; (e) rectifying any mistake or error apparent on the face of record; and (f) any other matter which may be prescribed. (4) All proceedings before the National Tax Tribunal shall be deemed to be judicial proceedings within the meaning of sections 193 and 228 and for the purposes of section 196 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) and the National Tax Tribunal shall be deemed to be a civil court for the purposes of section 195 and Chapter XXVI of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (2 of 1974).
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