No prosecution shall be instituted against any person in respect of any offence under sections 3, 53 or section 54 without the previous sanction of the ¹[competent authority].]

²[Explanation.—For the purposes of this section, "competent authority " means a Commissioner, a Director, a Principal Commissioner of Income-tax or a Principal Director of Income-tax as defined in clause (16), clause (21), clause (34B) and clause (34C), respectively, of section 2 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961).]

1. Subs. by Act 23 of 2019, s. 180, for "Board " (w.e.f. 1-9-2019).
2. Ins. by s. 180, ibid. (w.e.f. 1-9-2019).