(1) When the ownership of the business of a dealer liable to pay tax under this Act is entirely transferred, the transferor and the transferee shall jointly and severally be liable to pay the tax together with penalty, if any, or interest or penalty payable in respect of such business for any year or relatable to a part of any year and remaining unpaid at the time of the transfer and the transferee shall also be liable to pay the tax on the sales or purchases of goods effected by him with effect from the date of such transfer and shall within thirty days of the transfer apply for registration unless he already holds a registration certificate.

(2) When a dealer is a firm or association of persons or a joint Hindu family and such firm, association or family has discontinued business-

(a) the tax payable under this Act by such firm, association or family for the period up to the date of such discontinuance may be assessed and determined as if no such discontinuance had taken place; and

(b) every person who was at the time of such discontinuance a partner of such firm or a member of such association or family shall notwithstanding such discontinuance, be liable severally and jointly for the payment of the tax payable by such firm, association or family, whether such assessment is made prior to or after such discontinuance and, subject as aforesaid the provisions of this Act shall apply as if every such person or partner were himself a dealer.

Provided that when it is found that a change has occurred in the constitution of the firm or association or that such firm or association has transferred its business and the tax payable by a partner or member as aforesaid cannot be recovered from him, it may be recovered from the firm or association as reconstituted or from the transferee.

Explanation - The dissolution or reconstitution of a firm or association of persons or partition of joint Hindu family shall be deemed to be discontinuance of business within the meaning of this sub-section.

(3) The provisions of this section shall mutatis mutandis apply to any arrears of tax payable under the Act repealed by Section 81 of Act No. 5 of 1995 or the Act repealed by this Act and due for any year or relatable to a part of any year prior to such transfer of business, discontinuance or dissolution of the partnership or the partition of undivided Hindu family, as the case may be.