Power of Settlement Commission to order provisional attachment to protect revenue.
279. (1) The Settlement Commission may, during the pendency of any proceeding before it, by order, attach provisionally any property belonging to the applicant in the manner provided in the Fifth Schedule if it is of the opinion that it is necessary to do so for the purpose of protecting the interests of the revenue.
(2) Every provisional attachment made by the Settlement Commission under sub-section (1) shall cease to have effect after the expiry of a period of six months from the date of the order made under sub-section (1).
(3) The Settlement Commission may, for reasons to be recorded in writing, extend the period specified under sub-section (2) by such further period or periods as it thinks fit, provided that the total period of extension shall not in any case exceed two years.
(4) If a provisional attachment made under section 297 is pending immediately before an application is made under section 273, then such order shall continue to have effect under this section up to the period to which the order made under section 297 would have continued if such application had not been made.
