5. Records –

(1)The records including computerized data as maintained by an assessee in accordance with the various laws in force from time to time shall be acceptable.

(2) Every assessee shall furnish to the Superintendent of Central Excise at the time of filing of return for the first time or the 31st day of January, 2008, whichever is later, a list in duplicate, of-

(i) all the records prepared or maintained by the assessee for accounting of transactions in regard to,-

[(a) providing of any service;]

(b) receipt or procurement of input services and payment for such input services;

(c) receipt, purchase, manufacture, storage, sale, or delivery, as the case may be, in regard of inputs and capital goods;

(d) other activities, such as manufacture and sale of goods, if any.

(ii) all other financial records maintained by him in the normal course of business.

(3) All such records shall be preserved at least for a period of five years immediately after the financial year to which such records pertain.

(4)Records under this rule may be preserved in electronic form and every page of the record so preserved shall be authenticated by means of a digital signature.

(5) The Board may, by notification, specify the conditions, safeguards and procedure to be followed by an assessee preserving digitally signed records. Explanation For the purposes of rule 4C and sub-rule (4) and (5) of this rule,-

(i) The expression "authenticate" shall have the same meaning as assigned in the Information Technology Act, 2000 (21 of 2000).

(ii) The expression "digital signature" shall have the meaning as defined in the Information Technology Act, 2000 (21 of 2000) and the expression "digitally signed" shall be construed accordingly.]