Supervisory power of Joint Commissioner permits binding directions in pending assessments, with a hearing before any prejudicial direction.
Clause 272 empowers the Joint Commissioner to intervene in any pending assessment by suo motu action, AO reference, or assessee application, to call for records and issue directions that are binding on the Assessing Officer where deemed necessary or expedient; no direction prejudicial to the assessee may be issued without an opportunity of being heard, while directions prescribing lines of investigation are not treated as prejudicial.