Section 3:
Charge of tax.
(1) Every dealer who is registered under the Bihar Finance Act, 1981 (Bihar Act 5
of 1981), as it stood before its repeal by section 94, shall be liable, on or after the commencement of this
Act, to pay tax under this Act on sale or purchase, made by him.
(2) Every dealer, to whom sub-section (1) does not apply, shall be liable to pay tax on sale or purchase,
as the case may be, from the date on which his gross turnover, during a period not exceeding twelve months,
first exceeded five lakh rupees.
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) but subject to the other
provisions of this Act, every dealer,--
(a) being an importer or a manufacturer; or
(b) who is required to file a return under the Income-tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961); or
(c) who holds any licence under the Explosives Act, 1884 (4 of 1884), or the Bihar Excise Act,
1915 (Bihar and Orissa Act 2 of 1915), or the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 (23 of 1940), or the
Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (10 of 1955) or the Mines and Minerals (Development and
Regulation) Act, 1957 (67 of 1957); or
(d) being a corporation, constituted under any law for the time being in force or a company
incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956 (1 of 1956), or, is registered under the Central Sales Tax
Act, 1956 (74 of 1956); or
(e) whose place of business is located inside the market yard established under the Bihar
Agriculture Produce Market Act, 1960 (Bihar Act 16 of 1960); or
(f) who fulfils the following two conditions, namely:--
(i) uses a telephone in his place of business or has a mobile telephone; and
(ii) the receipts or payments of whose business, either wholly or in part, are transacted through
any bank,
shall be liable to pay tax on sale or purchase, as the case may be, with effect from the date of the first sale
of any taxable goods made by him.
(4) Every dealer who has become liable to pay tax under sub-sections (1), (2) and (3) shall, subject to
the provisions of sub-section (5), cease to be so liable after the expiry of twelve consecutive months from
the date he either closes or discontinues his business or entirely transfers his business to another person.
(5) A registered dealer shall, within a period of twelve consecutive months, pay tax on the stock of
goods remaining with him on the date with effect from which he closes or discontinues his business:
Provided that the Commissioner may, after recording the reasons, extend the period of twelve
consecutive months if the goods are held in stock beyond the said period of twelve months because of
reasons beyond the control of the dealer.
(6) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) or sub-section (3), where
any person who, is, or was, less than six months earlier, a member of the partnership firm, concern or Hindu
undivided family, which is, or was, less than six months earlier, liable to pay tax, starts a new business,
either singly or jointly with other persons, or joins other business, partnership firm or concern, tax as
aforesaid, shall likewise be payable on sales and purchases made from such business, partnership firm or
concern, on and from the date the person starts or joins it, unless the liability in respect of such business,
partnership firm or concern has arisen from an earlier date under the said sub-sections.
(7) The tax for each year or any part thereof, may, with the previous approval of the Commissioner, be
estimated and collected in advance, in the manner prescribed, during a year, in such instalments as may be
fixed by the prescribed authority.
(8) For the purposes of sub-section (7), the prescribed authority may require the dealer to furnish an
advance estimate of his taxable turnover for that year or any part thereof and may provisionally determine
the amount of tax payable by the dealer in respect of the year or any part thereof and thereupon the dealer
shall pay the amount so determined by such date as may be fixed by such authority.