(1)The Municipal accounts as contained in the annual financial statement shall be examined and audited by an Auditor appointed in that behalf by the State Government.(2)The Chairman-in-Council shall submit such further accounts to the Auditor as may be required by him.(3)The Auditor so appointed may -(a)require by written notice, the production before him or before any officer subordinate to him of any document which he considers necessary for the proper conduct of the audit,(b)require, by written notice, any person accountable for, or having the custody or control of, any document, cash or article to appear in person before him or before any officer subordinate to him,(c)require any person so appearing before him to make or sign a declaration with respect to such document. cash or article or to answer any question or prepare and submit any statement, and(d)cause physical verification of any stock of articles in course of examination of accounts.(4)The Auditor may, after giving the person concerned an opportunity of being heard, disallow any item of accounts contrary to the provisions of this Act, and surcharge the amount of any illegal payment on the person making or authorising it, and charge against any person responsible therefor the amount of any deficiency or loss incurred by the negligence or misconduct of such person or any amount which ought to have been, but is not, brought into accounts by such person, and shall, in every such case, certify the amount due from such person :Provided that any person aggrieved by and order of payment of certified sums may appeal to the State Government whose decision on such appeal shall be final.(5)Any person who wilfully neglects or refuses to comply with the requisition made by an Auditor shall, on conviction by a court, be punishable with fine which may extend to one hundred rupees in respect of each item included in the requisition.
