Section 51: Board to be subject to general direction of the Minister.

(1) In the exercise of the powers and duties conferred upon the Board by this Act, the Board shall be subject to the general direction of the Minister and any written direction, order or instruction given by him after consultation with the Executive Chairman shall be carried out by the Board :
Provided that the Minister shall not give any directive, order or instruction in respect of any particular person which would have the effect of requiring the Board to increase or decrease any assessment of tax made or to be made or any relief given or to be given or to defer the collection of any tax or judgment debt due, or which would have the effect of initiating, forbidding the initiation of, withdrawing or altering the normal course of any proceeding whether civil or criminal, relating either to the recovery of any tax or to any offence under any of the laws, listed in the First Schedule.
(2) In any proceedings whether civil or criminal under this Act or any of the laws listed in the First Schedule, any act, matter or thing done by the Service or the Board in pursuance of the said laws shall not be subject to challenge on the ground that such act, matter or thing was not or was not proved to be in accordance with any directive, order or instruction given by the Minister.