1 Interpretation.

(a) In this Act, except where the context otherwise requires—

“arrears of tax”, subject to section 2 (5) (a), has the meaning assigned to it by section 3 (2);

“Chief Special Collector” has the meaning assigned to it by section 7 (3);

“the declared amounts” has the meaning assigned to it by section 2 (3) (a) (iii);

“estimate” means an estimate of, or an assessment to, tax made in accordance with the provisions of—

(i) section 7 or 8 of the Finance Act, 1968,

(ii) section 17 of the Finance Act, 1970, and the regulations made thereunder, or

(iii) section 22 or 23 of the Value-Added Tax Act, 1972,

as the case may be;

“functions” includes powers and duties;

“inspector” means an inspector of taxes appointed under section 161 of the Income Tax Act, 1967;

“the Minister” means the Minister for Finance;

“relevant interest” means interest payable in accordance with the specified provisions;

“the relevant period” means any period ending on or before the 5th day of April, 1991;

“relevant tax” has the meaning assigned to it by section 2 (2);

“settlement amount” has the meaning assigned to it by section 2 (3) (b);

“the specified period” means the period beginning with the passing of this Act and ending on the [21st day of December, 1993]¹;

“the specified provisions” means any provision of the Acts (within the meaning of section 2 or 3, as the case may be) pursuant to which a person may be liable—

(i) to interest in respect of tax (within the aforesaid meaning) which is unpaid, including interest on an undercharge of such tax which is attributable to fraud or neglect, or

(ii) to a fine or other penalty in respect of an offence or default.

(b) References in this Act to tax (within the meaning of section 2 or 3, as the case may be) being due and payable by a person include references to such tax which would have been due and payable by him if any return, statement or declaration (being a return, statement or declaration, as the case may be, which should have, but had not, been made by him in accordance with any provision of the Acts (within the aforesaid meaning)) had been so made and if that tax had been contained in an assessment made on the person or in an estimate issued to the person.