Supreme Court of India
STATE OF KERALA AND OTHERSversusFR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ ETC. ETC.
- Citation
- 2017 INSC 1014
- Decided
- 9 October 2017
- Disposal
- Disposed off
- Bench
- A K SIKRI
Holding
State entry‑tax statutes are within the legislative competence of the State under Entry 52 of List II and may tax goods upon entry into a local area irrespective of their origin, without violating Article 286 or encroaching on Union powers.
Summary
The Supreme Court examined whether State entry‑tax statutes could levy tax on goods imported from abroad once they entered a local area for consumption, use or sale. It held that the import of goods ends when they cross India's customs frontier and are released for home consumption, after which the State has full competence under Entry 52 of List II to impose entry tax. The Court rejected the contention that Entry 52 is limited to octroi levied only by local authorities and that the original‑package doctrine from U.S. law applies in India. It also clarified that the omission of customs duty from the definition of purchase value does not indicate legislative intent to exclude imported goods, and that "machinery and equipment" includes plants imported in knocked‑out condition. Consequently, the State legislatures’ entry‑tax provisions do not intrude on Parliament’s exclusive powers under Entries 41 and 83 of List I.
Issues considered
- Whether Section 2(d) read with Section 3 of the Orissa, Kerala and Bihar entry‑tax Acts intended to levy tax on goods imported from outside India
- Whether entry‑tax legislations intrude into the exclusive legislative domain of Parliament under Entry 41 and Entry 83 of List I
- Whether levy of entry tax on imported goods trespasses the field of import/export and customs duties reserved to Parliament
- Whether the importation of goods continues until they reach the factory premises, during which period the State cannot tax
- Whether the American original‑package doctrine applies to Indian entry‑tax on imported goods
- Whether the non‑inclusion of customs duty in the definition of purchase value indicates the legislature never intended to tax imported goods
- Whether Entry 52 is essentially octroi that can be levied only by local authorities, rendering State entry‑tax legislation ultra vires
- Whether a plant imported in knocked‑out condition falls within the definition of "machinery and equipment" in the Orissa Act
Legislation cited
- Bihar Tax on Entry of Goods in Local Area for Consumption, Use or Sale, 1993s. 2(c), s. 3, s. 4
- Central Sales Tax Act, 1956s. 5(3)
- Constitution of Indias. Article 246, s. Article 266, s. Article 286, s. List I Entry 41, s. List I Entry 83, s. List II Entry 52
- Customs Act, 1962s. 2(23), s. 2(25), s. 2(26)
- Kerala Tax on Entry of Goods into Local Areas Act, 1994s. 2(d), s. 3
- Orissa Entry Tax Act, 1999s. 2(d), s. 3
- Uttarakhand Tax on Entry of Goods into Local Areas Act, 2009s. 2(1)(c)
- Uttar Pradesh Tax on Entry of Goods into Local Area Act, 2007s. 2(1)(c)
- West Bengal Tax on Entry of Goods into Local Areas Act, 2012s. 2(1)(c)
Subjects
entry taxlegislative competenceEntry 52Article 286importoriginal package doctrinecustoms dutystate taxationpith and substanceoctroi
Judgment
[2017] 13 S.C.R. 663
STATE OF KERALA AND OTHERS A
v.
FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ ETC. ETC.
{Civil Appeal Nos. 3381-3400of1998)
OCTOBER 09, 2017 B
[A. K. SIKRI AND ASHOK BHUSHAN, JJ.]
Entry Tax - Legislative competence of the State Legislature to
impose Entry Tax on goods imported from outside the country
entering into local area of the State - Held: The import of goods C
from any territory outside India comes to an end when the goods
enter into the custom frontiers of India and are released for home
consumption -After import ofgoods is complete, the State legislature
has fall legislative competence to levy entry tax under Entry 52 List
11 - The submission that essence of Entry 52 is octroi which can be
levied only by local authorities and State has no legislative D
competence to impose entry tax under Entry 52 List 11 is fallacious
- Constitution ofIndia - Seventh schedule, List II, Entry 52 - Orissa
Entry Tax Act, 1999 - Kera/a Tax Act, 1994 - Bihar Tax on Entry of
Goods in Local Area for Consumption, Use or Sale, 1993 - Uttar
Pradesh Tax on Entry of Goods into Local Area Act, 2007 - E
Uttarakhand Tax on Entry of Goods into Local Areas Act, 2009 -
s.2(1)(c) - West Bengal Tax on Entry of Goods into Local Areas
Act, 2012 - s.2(1)(c).
Entry Tax - State Legislations on levy of Entry Tax on goods
imported from outside the country entering into local area of the F
State - Held: Orissa Entry Tax Act, 1999, Kera/a Tax Act, 1994 and
Bihar Tax on Entry of Goods in Local Area for Consumption, Use
or Sale, 1993 (before its amendment by Bihar Act, 2003 and 2006)
do not exclude levy of entry tax on the goods imported from any
place outside territories of India into a local area for consumption,
-w~ G
Entry Tax - Taxable event - Entry 52 provides a legislative
field, namely, 'taxes on the entries of goods into a local area for
consumption, use or sale therein' - The charging event arises on
entry of scheduled goods into a local area - The origin of goods
H
663
664 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2017] 13 S.C.R.
A has no relevance with regard to chargeability of entry tax - Any
goods which are entering into a local area of a State whether coming
from another local area of State, any other State or outside the
country, the charging event is same for all goods entering into local
area - Constillltion of India - Seventh Schedule, List II, Entry 52.
B Entry Tax - Taxable event - Custom duty vis-a-vis entry tax
on imported goods - Held: The event for levy of customs d11ty, which
is in the domain of the Parliament, is entirely different from that of
event of entry tax - The liability to pay Stale entry tax arises only
when goods enter into a local area for cons11mption, use and sale,
which event is entirely different and separate from the levy of a
c customs duty, which is on import - The taxing event pertaining to
levy of entry tax occurs only qfter the taxing event of levy of customs
duty is over.
Entry Tax - Whether doctrine of original/unbroken package
as evolved by the American Court are to apply with ·regard to
D imported goods and thereby prohibiting the State from levying any
tax till the goods are first sold/dealt by the importer - Held: The
Original Package Theory as developed by the American Supreme
Court in case of Brown v. State of Maryland is not applicable in
India and the imported goods are not exempted from entry tax till it
E reaches to the factory premises/destination of its cons11mption, use
or sale.
Entry Tax - Non-inc/usicn of custom duty in the definition
of purchase value in the statute of entry tax - Held: Such non-
inclusion is not an indicator of the fact that legislature never
F intended to levy entry tax on imported goods.
Constitution of India - Seventh Schedule, List I, Entry 41
and 83 - Entry Tax Legislations - Whether intr11de into exclusive
legislative Joma.in of Parliament as reserved imder Entry 41 and
Entry 83 List I - '1fe/d: Entry tax legislations do not intrude in the
G legislative field reserved for Parliament under Entry 41 and under
Entry 83 ofLisi I - The State Legislature is fully competent to impose
tax on the entry of goods into a local area for consumption, sale
and use - Orissa Entry Tax Act, 1999 - Kera/a Tax Act, 1994 -
Bihar Tax on Entry of Goods in Local Area for Consumption, Use
or Sale, 1993.
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 665
Constitution of India - Art.286 - Restriction on imposition A
under Entry 52 List II - Held: The restriction in the legislative
power of the State as contained in Art.286 is with regard to taxing
on sale or purchase of goods which takes place outside the State or
in the course of import of the goods or services or export of goods
or services - The restriction of Art.28.6 ipso facto cannot be placed B
while considering the legislative field of the State under Entry 52
and by virtue of Art.286, no restriction can be put on the legislative
competence of the State in the field as defined under Entry 52.
Tax/Taxation - Nature of tax - Held: It is well settled that the
nomenclature or form of a tax is not a decisive factor to find out the
nature of the tax - It is the matter of legislative policy as to how the c
tax is to be collected.
Tax/Taxation - Entry tax - The definition of taxation as given
in Art.266(28) that tax includes general or local tax does not in any
manner support the contention of the petitioner that tax under Entry
52 is only a local tax which ought to be collected through local D
bodies - It is the matter of legislative policy that whether a tax is
collected as a general tax or a local tax - The nature of tax, measure
of tax and machinery for tax collection are all different aspects - It
is well within the jurisdiction of the legislature to formulate its policy
regarding levy qftax and its collection - No capital can be made on E
the submission that since tax is not being collected by local
authorities it is beyond the power of the State under Entry 52 List
II.
Interpretation of statutes - Taxation laws - While interpreting
a taxing entry, no shackles can be put nor use of any expression in F
the Constitution of India, referring to a tax can be tied up to any
pre-constitutional tax or levy - Further, any pre-constitutional tax
practice cannot put any fetter on Constitution framers to define
any tax, to elaborate the concept of tax or to move away or forward
from any kind of earlier levy.
G
Interpretation of statutes - It is well known rule of statutory
interpretation that by process of interpretation. the provision cannot
be re-written nor any word can be introduced.
Interpretation of Constitution - In deciding whether any
particular enactment is within the purview of one Legislature or the
H
666 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A other, it is pith and substance of the legislation that has to be looked
into - Whenever a legislation is challenged as being under the
competence of the State Legislature, the test, that one must find out
by applying the rule of pith and substance that whether the
legislation falls with in any ofthe List JI, if it does, no further question
arises and attack on the ground of legislative competence must fail.
B
Orissa Entry Tax Act, 1999 - ss.2(d), 3 - Whether Entry Tax
Legislations contemplated levy of Entry Tax on imported goods -
Held: Jn s.2(d), the word used is 'any place outside that local area
or outside the State' - The word 'any' is a word of very wide meaning
and use of word 'any' excludes any limitation - All the three
c legislations clearly did not exclude goods coming from outside the
territory of India and the definition of entry of goods read with
charging section clearly included all goods entering into a local
area - The expression "any place" before the words "outside the
State" is also indicative of wide extent - The words 'any place'
D cannot be limited to a place within the territory of India when no
such indication is discernible from the provisions of the Act - Thus,
the submission that entry tax legislation did not include imported
goods cannot be accepted - Kera/a Tax Act, 1994 - Bihar Tax on
Entry of Goods in Local Area for Consumption, Use or Sale, 1993.
E Orissa Entry Tax Act, 1999 - Schedule, Part JI Item 9 - Plant
imported in knocked out condition - Whether covered by expression
" machinery and equipment" as used in the schedule of Orissa Act,
1999 ·- Held: The Plant in a knocked out condition is nothing but a
collection of machineries - Machinery and equipments are wide
words which shall also cover plant in a knocked out condition -
F Thus, a plant which is imported in knocked out condition is covered
by the Part JI of Schedule of Orissa Act, 1999.
Bihar Tax on Entry of Goods in Local Area for Consumption,
Use or Sale, 1993: s.4 as inserted by Bihar Act 19 of 2006 - Plea
ofpetitioner that s.4 indicates that the tax levied under the Act would
G be collected and kept in a separate fund which is contrary to the
constitutional mandate of Art.266 which mandates that all public
money must be credited to consolidated fund of respective State -
Held: s.4 relates to creation offend and utilisation offunds received
from the collection of entry lax - The creation of fund and its
utilisation can in no manner effect the levy of the entry tax and the
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 667
compensatory tax theory having already negated by nine-Judge A
Constitution Bench of this Court in Jindal Stainless, the inquiry as
to whether tax is compensatory or not is not relevant ~ Constitution
of India - Art.266.
Words and phrases - Word 'any' - Connotation of - Held:
Word 'any' is a word of very wide meaning and excludes any B
limitation.
Words and phrases - Import and export, concept - In the
context of Art.286 of Constitution of India, discussed - Customs
Act, 1962 - ss.2(23), 2(25), 2(26).
Disposing of the matters, the Court c
. HELD: 1. Whether Entry Tax Legislations contemplated
levy of Entry Tax on Imported goods.
1.1 The plain and literal construction when put to Section 3
read with Section 2(d) of Orissa Entry Tax Act, 1999 clearly D
means that goods entering into local area from any place outside
the local area or outside the State are to be charged with entry
tax. Foreign territory would be a place which is not only outside
the local area but also outside the State. The writ petitioners are
trying to introduce words of limitation in the definition clause.
The interpretation which is sought to be put up is that both the E
phrases be read as: (1) "from any place outside that local area
but within that State"; (2) any place outside the State but within
India. It is well known rule of statutory interpretation that by
process of interpretation the provision cannot be re-written nor
any word can be introduced. The expression "any place" before
F
the words "outside the State" is also indicative of wide extent.
The words 'any place' cannot be limited to a place within the
territory of India when no such indication is discernible from the
provisions of the Act; (Paras 58, 59) (703-H; 704-A-C)
1.2 The Entry tax legislations are referable to Entry 52 of G
List II of Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. Entry 52 also
provided a legislative field, namely, 'taxes on the entries of goods ·
into a local area for consumption, use or sale therein'. Legislation·
is thus concerned only with entry of goods into a local area for
consumption, use or sale. The origin of goods has no relevance
with regard to chargeability of entry tax. The charging event arises H
668 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A on entry of scheduled goods into a local area. Any goods which
are entering into a local area of a State whether coming from
another local area of State, any other State or outside the country,
the char11ing event is same for all goods entering into local area.
The charging Section is clear, unambiguous and the provisions
B cannot be read to mean that the imported goods coming from
outside the country are excluded from charge of entry tax. Thus,
definition clause, Section 2(d) read with Section 3 does not exclude
the charging of the entry tax on goods entering into local area for
consumption, use or sale from outside the country. [Paras 60,
63) [704-Ji)-E; 707-E-H)
c State of Bombay v. S.F.N. Balsara AIR 1951 SC 318 :
[1951) SCR 682; CIT v. Vatika Township (P) Ltd. (2015)
1 SCC 1 : [2014] 12 SCR 1037; Mathuram Agrawal v.
State of MP (1999) 8 SCC 667 : [1999] 4 Suppl. SCR
195 - relied on.
D Miss Kishori Shetty v. The King AIR 1950 FC 69 : 1950
RLW 46 - referred to.
1.3 Sj)ction 2(c) of the Bihar Act, 1993 as amended in 2003
by adding an explanation and as amended in 2006 by inserting a
new Section 2(c), Section 2(l)(c) of Uttar Pradesh Tax on Entry
E of Goods into Local Area Act, 2007, Section 2(1)(c) of the
Uttarakhand Tax on Entry of Goods into Local Areas Act, 2009
as well as Section 2(1)(c) of the West Bengal Tax on Entry of
Goods into Local Areas Act, 2012 expressly includes entering
into local area from any place outside the territory of India. Said
F inclusion of words 'from outside the India' can be said to have
been made by way of abundant caution. The Bihar Amendment
Act, 2006 by which Section 2(c) was inserted by including clause
(iii) is also by way of abundant 'caution and to provide it expressly
which was already included in the definition of Section 2(c) read
with Section 3. The intent and purpose of amendment was clear
G that it was clarificatory and explanatory. It did not introduce a
concept which was not already there. In Section 2( d) the word
used is 'any place outside that local area or outside the State'.
The word 'any' is a word of very wide meaning and use of word
'any' excludes any limitation. All the three legislations clearly
H did not exclude goods coming from outside the territory of India
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 669
and the definition of entry of goods read with charging section A
clearly included all goods entering into. a local area. Thus, the
submission that entry tax legislation did not include imported
goods cannot be accepted. [Paras 64-67] [708-A-C, F-H; 709-
A]
2. Entry 41 & 83 of List I and Entry 52 of List II B
2.1 Entry tax legislation by the State Legislature are
referable' to Entry 52 List II as it exist prior to lOl"Amendment
Act, 2016. The submission is that the entry tax legislation intrude
into the field which is reserved to Parliament under Entry 41 and
Entry 83 of List I. In so far as trade and commerce with foreign c
countries, import and export across the customs frontiers and
definition of customs frontiers, itis the Parliament which has
exclusive legislative competence to make a law under Entry 41
and under Entry 83 on duties of customs including export duties.
[Paras 68-70] (709-A-E]
D
2.2 The Constitution of India, Part XI, Chapter I deals with
legislative relations, legislative powers of Parliament and State
Legislatures are clearly demarcated. Power to tax is an incidence
of sovereignty and there is a clear demarcation of taxing field,
which has been earmarked to the Parliament as well as to the
State Legislatures. Taxing power of both Union and State E
Legislatures are mutually exclusive and has been clearly
demarcated. This is further clear by the fact that in List III, i.e.
Concurrent List, no taxing entry is included except the entry of
stamp duty & levying of fee in respect of any of the matters in
List HI but not including fees taken in any Court. [Para 71] F
(709-F-G)
Godfrey Phillips India Ltd. & Anr. v. State of U.P. &
Ors. (2005) 2 SCC 515 : (2005] 1 SCR 732 - referred
to.
2.3 Entries in VII'" Schedule are not powers but fields of G
legislation. It is also well settled that in deciding whether any
particular enactment is within the purview of one Legislature or
the other, it is pith and substance of the legislation that has to be
looked into. Whenever a State legislation is challenged as being
under the competence of the State Legislature, the test, that one H
670 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2017] 13 S.C.R.
A must find out by applying the rule of pith and substance that
whether the legislation falls within any of the List II, if it does, no
further question arises. Attack on the ground of legislative
competence must fail. The distribution of power between Union
and States. is done in a mutually exclusive manner as is reflected
B by precise and clear field of legislation as allocated under different
list under the Seventh Schedule. No assumption of any
overlapping between a subject allocated to Union and State arises.
When the field of legislation falls in one or other in Union or
State Lists, the legislation falling under the State entry has always
been upheld. The Scheme of distribution of legislative power
C betweell Union and States in the Constitution of India relies on
the distribution of legislative power between the Federal
Government and Priwincial Government as contained in Seventh
Schedule of the Government of India Act, 1935. [Paras 74, 75]
[711-D•F; 712-D-E]
D Jindal Stainless Ltd. & Ors. v. State of Haryana & Ors.
(2016) 11 SCALE 1 - followed
The Governor General in Council v. The Province of
Madras 58 L.W. 228; State of A.P. & Ors. v. Mcdowell
& Co. & Ors. (1996) 3 SCC 709 : [1996] 3 SCR 721;
E Tlie Province of Madras v. Messrs. Boddu Paidanna
and Sons. 1942 FCR 90 - relied on
Ram Krishnu Ramnath Agarwal ofKamptee v. Secretary,
Municipal Committee, Kamptee AIR 1950 SC 11 : [1950]
StR 15; Jiyajeerao Cotton Mills Ltd. Birlanagar,
F Gwalior v. State of Madhya Pradesh AIR 1963 SC 414
: (1962] Suppl. SCR 282; D.G Gose and Co. (Agents)
Pvt. Ltd v. State of Kera/a & Am: (1980) 2 SCC 410 :
[1980] 1 SCR 804 - referred to
3. Concept & Extent of Import
G 3.1 Import and export are concepts which denote trade
between different countries. The term "import" signifies
etymologically "to bring in". To import goods into the territory
of India means to bring them into the territory of India from
abroad. (Para 84[ (719-8)
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 671
State of Travancore-Cochin & Ors. v. Shanmugha Vilas A
Cashewnut Factory, Qui/on AIR 1953 SC 333 : (1954)
SCR 53 - referred to.
Black's Law Dictionary, Tenth Edition: Advanced Law
Lexicon by P. Ramanatha Aiyar, 3'' Editition - referred
to. B
3.2 Article 286 of the Constitution provides for restrictions
as to imposition of tax on sale or purchase of goods. The subject-
matter of laws made by Parliament and legislatures of the States
as per Article 246 read with Seventh Schedule and Article 245
are subject to the provisions of the Constitution. Legislative
power as contained in List II is thus subject to express restrictions C
as imposed by Article 286. Article 286 sub-clause (1) uses the
expression "in the course of the import of the goods". The
concept "in the course of import of goods" as used in Article
286(1) can very well be implied while considering the concept of
the import of goods. In so far as Section 5 (3) of Central Sales D
Tax Act, 1956, the said provision provides that last sale or
purchase of any goods preceding the sale or purchase occasioning
the export of those goods out of the territory of India shall also
be deemed to be in the course of such export. Section 5(3) is
with regard to the export of the goods out of the territory of India
and has not been used with regard to the concept of import. The E
submissions of the writ petitioners on the strength of Section
5(3) that even first sale after the import should be treated during
the course of the import is not supported by the concept as
contained in Section 5 of the 1956 Act and the reliance on the
said provision is wholly misplaced. Restriction in the legislative F
power of the State as contained in Article 286 is with regard to
taxing on sale or purchase of goods which takes place outside
the State or in the course of import of the goods or services or
export of goods or services. Restriction of Article 286 does not
ipso facto can be placed while considering the legislative field of
the State under Entry 52 and by virtue of Article 286 no restriction G
can be put on the legislative competence of the State in the field
as defined under Entry 52. However, the concept underlined in
"the course of import of the goods" as in Article 286(1 )(b) can
very well be applied to find out as to when the import of goods
come to an end. [Paras 92-94) [722-G-H; 723-A, B-G, HJ H
672 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2017] 13 S.C.R.
A re Sea Customs Act Case AIR 1963 SC 1760 : (1964)
SCR 787 - followed.
J. V Gokal & Co. (Private) Ltd. v. Assistant Collector of
Sales Tax (Inspection) & Ors. AIR 1960 SC 595 : (1960)
SCR 852; Kiran Spinning Mills v. Collector of Customs
(2000~ 10 SCC 228; Garden Silk Mills Ltd. & Anr. v.
B Union of India & Ors. (1999) 8 SCC 744 : (1999) 3
Suppl SCR 295 - referred to.
3.3 The law relating to customs has been consolidated by
the Customs Act, 1962. The definition of imported goods as given
in Section 2(25) is - any goods brought into India from the place
c outside India but does not include goods, which have been
cleared for home consumption. The provision clearly
contemplates that once the goods are released for home
consumption, the character of imported goods is lost and
thereafter no longer the goods could be called as imported goods.
The import transit is only till the goods are released for home
D consumption. The taxing event for entry tax under Entry 52 List
II is entirely different and has nothing to do with the customs
duty. The State by imposing entry tax in any manner is not
entrenching in the power of the Parliament to impose customs
duty. The gpods are released for home consumption only after
E payment of the customs duty due to the Central Government.
The goods which are imported cannot be held to be insulated so
as to not subject to any State tax, any such insulation of the
imported goods shall be a protectionist measure which will be
discriminatqry and invalid. When all normal goods are subjected
to State tax,. no exemption can be claimed by goods, which have
F been imported from payment of entry tax. To take a common
example, all goods, which pass through a toll bridge are liable to
pay toll tax, can it be said that the imported goods which after
having been released from customs barriers and are passing
through a toll bridge, are not liable to pay the toll tax, the answer
G has to be in No. Thus, the event for levy of customs duty, which
is in the domain of the Parliament, is entirely different from that
of event of entry tax. The liability to pay State entry tax arises
only when goods enter into a local area for consumption, use and
sale, which ~vent is entirely different and separate from the levy
of a customs duty, which is on import. (Para 102) (728-F-H; 729-
H A-CJ
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 673
ITC Ltd. v. Agricultural Produce Market Committee & A
Ors. (2002) 9 SCC 232 : [2002] 1 SCR 441 - followed.
3.4 The scope and ambit of the Constitutional entries have
to be given a wide meaning and scope. There is no inhibition on
the Parliament in exercising its legislative power under Entry 41
List I to define customs frontiers and further legislate with regard B
to duties of customs. The import commences when the goods
leave the customs frontiers of the country from where the goods
are imported and continue when the goods enters into the
customs frontiers of imported country and ends when goods are
released for home consumption. Till the event of import is over,
Parliamentary Legislation, the control of Union continues for C
ensuring the realisation of the customs duties. The taxing event
pertaining to levy of entry tax occurs only after the taxing event
of levy of customs duty is over. Thus, the State Legislation
imposing entry tax in no manner encroaches upon the
Parliamentary Legislation under Entry 41 and Entry 83. There D
is no invalidity in levy of entry tax by the States. [Paras 104, 105)
[729-H); 730-A-D]
4. Original/Unbroken Package Theory
The Origin.al/Unbroken Package is a theory which was
evolved by U.S. Supreme Court in reference to imported goods. E
The U.S. Supreme Court itself has abandoned the Original
Package theory and it has been held that imported goods are not
immuned from non-discriminatory ad valorem taxes imposed by
the State. The goods imported after having been released from
customs barriers are not immuned from any kind of State taxation, F
which fall equally on other similar goods and the submission for
the petitioner that immunity from State taxation shall continue
till it reaches in the premises where it is to be taken for
consumption, sale and use cannot be accepted. [Paras 106, 118,
123] [730-E; 738-B; 739-F)
G
State of Bombay & Am: v. FN. Balsara AIR 1951 SC
318; Gramophone Company of India Ltd. v. Birendra
Bahadur Pandey & Ors. (1984) 2 SCC 534 : [1984) 2
SCR 664 - referred to.
H
•
674 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017) 13 S.C.R.
A Brown v. The State of Maryland 6 L.Ed. 678; Adolph
Low v. Alexander Austin 20 L.Ed. 517; Michelin Tire
Corporation v. WL. Wages, Tax Commissioner 46 L.Ed.
2D 495; Joanne Limbach Tax Commissioner of Ohio v.
The Hodiven & Allison Company 80 L.Ed. 2D 356 -
referred to.
1
B
5. Non-i1tclnsion of custom duty in purchase value
From thf definition of purchase value given in 2(j) of Orissa
Act, 1999, three aspects are noticeable. Firstly, purchase value
means the value of scheduled goods as ascertained from original
invoice or bill. Secondly, it includes insurance charges, excise
C duty and other charges mentioned therein. And thirdly, other
charges incidental to the purchase of such goods. The original
invoice or bill of scheduled goods, generally include the entire
value including the import duty or custom duty and in any event
the inclusion of 'all.other charges incidental to the purchase of
D such goods' h11s to necessarily mean all charges including custom
duty which is incidental to the purchase. Thus, non-inclusion of
custom duty specifically in definition of purchase value in 2(j) is
inconsequential and cannot lead to mean that the legislature never
intended to include the imported goods nnder the entry tax
legislation. [Para 125] [740-D-E]
E
6. Whether entry tax legislations are not covered by Entry
52 List 11?
6.1 The distribution of legislative power between Union
and State is a Constitutional Scheme included in the Constitution
F
of India after great deliberation. Different tax entries in List I
and List II are fields of legislation which have to be widely
interpreted and no restricted meaning of an entry has to be taken
to fetter the legislative power of the· Union or State. [Para 131[
. .
[744-C-D]
6.2 It is well settled that the nomenclature or form of a tax
G
is not a decisive factor to find out the nature of the tax. It is the
matter of legislative policy as to how the tax is to be collected.
The definition of taxation as given in Article 266(28) that tax
includes general or local tax does not in any manner support the
contention of the petitioner that tax under Entry 52 is only a local
H tax which ought to be collected through local bodies. It is the
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 675
matter of legislative policy that whether a tax is collected as a A
general tax or 'a local tax. The natnre of tax, measure of tax and
machinery for tax collection are all different aspects. It is well
within the jurisdiction of the legislature to formulate its policy
·regarding levy oHax and its collection. Entry 52 of ListJI bas to
be given its wide and full meaning and no limitation ill the
. legislative power of the State can be read. [Para 132) [744-E-G) B
6.3 The Constitution framers have .abandoned the use of
word 'octroi' which bas to be given a meaning and purpose. While
interpreting a taxing entry no shackles can be put nor use of any
expression in the Constitution of India, referring to a tax can be
tieil up to any pre-constitutional tax or levy. Further, any pre- C
qinstitutional tax practice cannot put any fetter on Constitution
farmers to define any tax, to elaborate the concept of tax or to
move away or forward from any kind of earlier levy. Taxes which
are to be used by the local authorities can be collected by, the
local authorities as well as by the State Government. It is the D
matter of legislative policy as to bow the tax is collected and
distributed. Under Listll Entry 5, the State bas legislative power
to lay down powers of the Municipal Corporation by legislation'.
It is again legislative policy that as to what machinery is to be
provided by Tue State legislature regarding collection of ta:i;es on
the entry o.f goods into a local area for consumption, use or sale. E
No capital can be made on the submission that since tax is not
being collected by local authorities it is beyond the power of the
. State under Entry 52 List U. Entry ta:i; legislation is covered by
Entry 52 List II. [Paras 133, 135) [744-G-H; 745-A, D, E)
Municipal Corporation of Delhi v. Bir/a Cotton,
Spinning and Weaving Mills, Delhi and Anr f1968) 3
SCR 251 - referred to.
7. Expression "machinery and equipment" as used in the
schedule of Orissa Act 1999
G
The submissiOn for the petitioner was that the plant which
is .imported by petitioners in completely knocked out condition . _
is not covered by expression machinery an_d equipments; It is
submitted that plant and machinery are two different concept and·
when plant is imported in a knocked out condition Item No, 9 of
H
676 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017) 13 S.C.R.
A Part ll of Schedule is not applicable. The Plant in a knocked out
condition is nothing but a collection of machineries. The plant
being a wide term including machinery also, we fail to see how a
knocked out plant shall not be covered by Item No. 9 of Part II of
the Schedule, Machinery and equipments are wide words which
B shall also cover plant in a knocked out condition. Thus, a plant
which is imported in knocked out condition is covered by the
Part ll of Schedule of Orissa Act, 1999. (Para 137, 139) (746-A,
B, E, F)
Advance Law Lexicon by P. Ramanatha Aiyar
3'4 Edition - referred to.
c
8. Section 4 relates to creation of fund and utilisation of
funds received from the collection of entry tax. The creation of
fund and its utilisation can in no manner effect the levy of the
entry tax and the compensatory tax theory. [Para 140) [747-B)
D Jaora Sugar Mi l/s(P) Ltd. v. State of Madhya Pradesh
and Ors. [1996) l SCR 523 - referred to.
9. Plea of discrimination under Article 304(a) of Constitution
of India: ' Liberty is given to petitioners to raise the plea of
discrimination under Article 304(a) in accordance with the law as
E laid down by Nine Judges Bench in Jindal Stainless Ltd. The
ends of justice would be served, if liberty is granted to the
petitioners ~o revive their writ petitions by making a proper
application before the High Court. [Paras 142, 143)[748-C, G, HJ
Mis Bharati Airtel Ltd v. Assessing Authority Orissa
Entry Tax & Anr. 2017 (12) SCALE 515 ; State of UP
F
and Ors v. Mis Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. & Etc 2017
(6) SCALE 540; Mis. Steel Authority of India Ltd. v.
State of Orissa & Anr. Civil Appeal arising out of SLP
(C) No. 18405 of 2008 - referred to.
Brown v. State of Maryland 6 LED 678 - referred to.
G
Case Law Reference
2016 (11) SCALE 1 referred to Para3
(19511 SCR 682 relied on Para 61
[2014) 12 SCR 1037 relied on Para 61
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 677
[1999] 4 Suppl. SCR 195 relied on Para62 A
[2005] 1 SCR 732 referred to Para 72
[19961 3 SCR 721 relied on Para 74
[19501 SCR 15 referred to Para 78
[1962] Suppl. SCR 282 referred to Para 79 B
[19801 1 SCR 804 referred to Para 80
(2016) 11 SCALE 1 followed Para 82
[19541 SCR 53 referred to Para87
[19601 SCR 852 referred to Para 95 c
[19641 SCR 787 followed Para96
(2000) 10 sec 228 referred to Para 100
[1999] 3 Suppl. SCR 295 referred to Para 101
[2002] 1 SCR 441 followed Para 103
D
AIR 1951 SC 318 referred to Para 121
[ 1984 I 2 SCR 664 referred to Para 122
[1995] 3 SCR 23 referred to Para 125
[19631 Suppl. SCR 216 referred to Para 129
E
[1968] 3 SCR 251 referred to Para 133
(1996) 1 SCR 523 referred to Para 140
2017 (12) SCALE 515 referred to Para 142
2017 (6) SCALE 540 referred to Para 142
F
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal Nos. 3381-
3400 of! 998.
From the Judgment and Order dated 06.01.1998 of the Division
Bench of the High Court of Kerala at Ernakulam in Writ Appeal Nos.
770,816,841,844,854,975,l003, 1004, 1005, 1022,1074, 1076,1115,
G
1121, 1147, 1149, 1235, 1264 and 1346of1997 and Writ Appeal No.
1466(B) of 1996.
WITH
T. C. (C) No. 1'19 of 2013, C.A. No. 3720-3722 of 2003, C.A.
No.15957, 15958, 15959, 15960, 15961-62, 15963, 15964, 15965, 15966, H
678 SUPREME COURT REPORTS . [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A_ 15967, 15969, 15971,.15973, 15974, 15975, 15976, 15977, 15978, 15979,
15980, 15981, 15982,.15983, 15984, 15985, 15986, 15988, 15989, 15990,
15991, 15992, 15993, 15994, 15995, 15996, 15997, 15998, 15999, 16000,
16001, 16002, 16003, 16004, 16005, 16006, 16007, 16008, 16009, 16010,
16011, 16012, 16014, 16015, 16018, 16019, 16021, 16023, 16027, 16035,
16026, 16029-33, 16037, 16038, 16039, 16040, 16042, 16043, 16045,
B 16047, 16049, 16050, 16051, 16052, 16053, 16054, 16055, 16057, 16059-
60, 16063, 16065, 16069, 16070, 16073, 16075, 16080, 16082, 16084,
16085, 16087, 16089, 16092, 16094, 16095, 16096, 16097, 16098, 16099,
16100, 16101,16102, 16103, 16104, 16105, 16107, 16108, 16109, 16110,
16120,16112,16113,16114,16115,16116,16117,16119,15968,16056,
c 16013, 16016, 16017, 16020, 16022, 16024-25, 16028, 16034, 16036,
1604!, 16044, 16046, 16048, 16058, 16061, 16062, 16064, 16071-72,
16074,16076,16081, 15970,16083,16086,16088, 16090,16091,16093,
16029-33, 16077-79, 16066-68, 16111, 15523, 15524, 15518-20, 15522,
15525, 15521, 16157, 16156, 16155 & 16163 of2017, C. A. Nos. 5860,
D 5861,4210,8734,8738,8737,8736,8740,8739,8735,8741,8744,9292,
8745, 9293 & 3026 of2012, C.A. No. 3592 & 4651of1998, C.A. No.
918of1999, W.P(C) No. 574 of2003, C.A. Nos. 6177, 6178, 6179 &
6180 of2010, C,A. Nos. 2042 & 2041 of2011.
Arvind P. Datar, S. K. Bagari, Jagdeep Dhankar, Rakesh Dwivedi,
Sr. Advs., Dinesh Kumar Garg, Ginny J. Rautray, Ms. Kanchan Kaur
E Dhodi, Ms. Vanita Bhargava, Ajay Bhargava, Ms. Abhisaar Bairagi,
Mis. Khaitan & Co., G Prakash, Jishnu M. L., Ms. Priyanka Prakash,
Ms. Beena Prakash, Vijay Shankar V.L., U. A. Rana, Himanshu Mehta,
Mis. Gagrat and Co., Sibo Sankar Mishra, Mis. Mitter & Mitter Co.,
S. Nandakumar, Ms. Tanupriya Gupta, Ms. Senjul Mehta, M. S. Saran
F Kumar, Ram Dhan Singh.Narwal, V. N. Raghupathy, P. K. Manohar,
Ms. Fereshte D. Sethna, Ms. Anuradha Dutt, Tushar Jarwal, Rahul
Sateeja, Ameya Pant, Ms. B. Vijayalakshmi Menon, Shibashish Misra,
Sylona Mohapatra, Manish Kumar Saran, Gopal Singh, Nakul Dewan,
Pradhuman Gohil, Vikash Singh, Ms. Taruna Singh Gobi!, Himanshu
Chaubey, Vinayak Panikkar, Ms. Ishita Singh, Zain Maqbool, Abhijit
G Sengupta, K. Harshavardhan, Karthik Sunder, Senthil J agadeesan, Gaurav
Kejriwal, Sujit Keshri, P. S. Sudheer, Rajan Narain, Ravinder Narain,
Ajay Aggarwal, Ms. Mallika Joshi, Praveen Kumar, Ms. Birta Gupta,
Sunil Kumar Jain, Pawanshree Agrawal, Bibekananda Mohanti, Ajit
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM .FERNANDEZ 679
Kumar Singh, Punya Garg, Sunil Jain Priyanka Parida, K. R. Sasiprabhu, A
Devashish Bharuka, Mohan Pandey,_P. V. Dinesh, Ramesh Babu M. R.,
Kedar Nath Tripathy, Ashok Kwpar Gupta ll,'Ashok Panigrahi, K. K.
Mani, Ajay Choudhary, B. Krishna Prasad, Mis. Karanjawala & Co.,
Nikhil Nayyar, Shishir Deshpande, K. V. Vijayakumar, Romy Chacko,
Pramit Saxena, Ms. Sharmila Upadhyay, Gopal Prasad, Jayesh Gaurav, B
Ejaz Maqbool, S. Udaya Kumar Sagar, E. C. Agrawala, Tejswai Kumar
Pradhan, Dr. Rajeev Sharma, V. N. Raghupathy, M. Paikaray,
R. Chandrachud, Chanchal Kumar Ganguli, Sudarsh Menon, Rahul
KaushikTarun Gulati, SparshBhargava, SishitaFarsaiya, VinayakMathur,
Vipin Upadhyay, Anupam Mishra, Kishore Kuna!, A. Venayagam Balan,
. Ms. Suruchii Aggarwal, Syed Shahid Hussain Rizvi, Mis. Arputham C
Aruna and Co., Ms. Kirti Renu Mishra, Sanskirti Pathak, Apporva
Upamanyu, Ms. Apurva Garg, Milind Kumar, C. N. Sree Kumar, Ravi
Prakash Mehrotra, Praveen Kumar, Devashish Bharuka, Gunnam
Venkateswara Rao, M. P. Vinod, Dileep Pillai, Atul Shankar Vinod, Ajay
K. Jain, Vimlesh Kumar, Roy Abraham, Ms .. Reena Roy, Ms. Seema D
Jain, Akhil Abraham, Hirninder Lal, Ms. Baby Krishnan, R. Sathish, Raj iv
Mehta, M. T. George, Sunil Kumar Jain, K. R. Nambiar, Suvendu Suvasis
Dash, Y. Prabhakara Rao, Sanjeeb Panigrahi, E. M. S. Anam, L. ·Badri
Narayanan, Aditya Bhattacharya, Victor Das, Ms. Apeksha Mehta, Punit
Dutt Tyagi, M. P. Devanath, Ms. Si).armila Upadhyay, Jagj it Singh
Chhabra, Ms. Priyanka Parida, A. N. Arora, T. G Narayanan Nair, E
· M. Shoeb Alam, Ardhendurriauli Kumar Prasad, Dharmendra Kumar
Sinha, R. V. Kameshwaran, Deba Pras_ad Mukherjee, Ms. Prabha
Swami, K. R. Sasiprabhu, Krishnayan Sen, B. S. Benthia, Aniruddha -
P. Mayee, M. K. Dua;Parijat Sinha, Advs. for the appearing parties.
Respondent-ex-parte. F
·· The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
ASHOK BHUSHAN, J. I. Leave granted.
2. These appeals relate· to entry tax levied on goods imported
from different countries and brought into local area of a State. The G
legislative competence of the State Legislature to impose entry tax on
the goodS imported from outside the country entering into local area of.
the State is questioned.The State legislations are also questioned on the
ground that the entry tax legislations do not contemplate levy of an entry
H
'.
68U SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A tax on goods imported from outside the country. In this batch of appeals
we are concerne\i only with entry tax legislations of States, namely,
State ofOrissa, State ofBihar, State ofKerala and State of Jharkhand,
the relevant provisions of which statutes shall be noticed hereinafter.
3. A nine-Judge constitution Bench in Ji11dal Stainless vs. Stale
of Haryana and another, 2016 (11) Scale I, had answered several
questions pertaining to entry tax legislat JUllS uf different States, which
has largely settl~d various issues relating tu entry tax. However, the
issue pertaining to levibility of entry tax on the imported/foreign goods
was left to be answered by regular Bench. Answering the reference
following was stated in answer No. I 0:
c '"The questions whether the entire State can be notified as a
local area and whether entry tax can. be levied on goods
entering l:qndmass o( India from another country are left tu
/;Je detern1ined in appropriate proceedings."
(emphasis by 11s)
D
4. As noted above this batch of appeals consists of appeals from
the Judgments of Orissa High Court, Patna High Court, Kerala High
( \1urt and Jharkhand High Court. Large number of appeals have been
filed questioning the different judgments rendered by different High
Courts. For deciding this batch ofappeals it is sufficient to notice facts
E of few of the appeals of each State. The parties shall be referred to as
described in the High Courts.
State of Orissa
5. In the appeals arising out of the judgments of the High Court of
F Orissa, most of the appeals have been filed against judgments dated
18.02.2008 and 09.10.2012. Judgments of different dates were also
delivered by the Orissa High Court following its judgments dated
18.02.2008 and 09.10.2012. There are appeals containing different facts
and grounds which shall separately be noticed.
6. With regard to judgment dated 18.02 .2008 delivered in bunch
G
of writ petitions, we take up Cii•il Appeal arising out of
SLP(C)No.18405 of 2008 - Mis. Steel Authority of I11dia Ltd. vs.
State of Orissa & Anr. The State of Orissa enacted Orissa Entry Tax
Act, 1999 (hereinafter referred to as" 1999 Act") to provide for levy of
tax on entry of the scheduled goods into a local area for consumption,
H use or sale therein and matters incidental thereto and connected therewith.
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 681
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.)
7. The Steel Authority of India, a public sector undertaking of A
Government of India filed the writ petition challenging the legality and
constitutional validity of Orissa Entry Tax Act, 1999 and Orissa Entry
Tax Rules, 2000 in so far as it seeks to levy and collect entry tax on
imported goods including scheduled goods when brought into the mines
premises of the writ petitioner No. I Company at Purunapani, Kalta,
B
Barsua in the District ofSundergarh and Boiani in the District Keonjhar.
The validity of the Act was challenged on various grounds including the
ground that 1999 Act is ultra vires to the Constitution. It was further
pleaded that provisions of 1999 Act do not provide for levying of tax on
imported raw materials for its plants and machineries which is used/
consumed at its factory for the manufacture of its finished products. c
The grounds were also raised that levy is not compensatory.
8. The writ petition was heard along with the bunch of writ petitions
raising some similar and some different grounds. The Division Bench
vide its judgment dated 18.02.2008 upheld the vires of 1999 Act.
D
Civil Appeals arising out of SLP(C) Nos.124 24-12425 of 2008 -
Mis. Simples Infrastructures Limited vs. State of Orissa & Ors. also
needs to be noted:
9. The writ petitioner is a company which carries on business on
works contract for construction of different types of civil and piling works E
outside at various places in the State of Orissa. While executing the
aforesaid work the writ petitioner purchases Sand, Bricks and Cements
chips and boulders for civil constructions and are transported from the
petitioner's construction site, either inside or outside the State ofOrissa
for being used in the work. The writ petitioner was directed to file returns
by the Entry Tax Officer. Writ petitioner has challenged the F
constitutionality of Orissa Act, 1999 and prayed for restraining the
respondent from realising any entry tax. The writ petition was also decided
along with the bunch of writ petitions vide High Court's judgment dated
18.02.2008 as stated above.
I 0. Large number of civil appeals have been filed against the G
judgment dated 18.02.2008. lt is not necessary to notice facts of different
cases. The writ petitioners were using raw-material brought from
different places including foreign countries, Coal was also used by the
various writ petitioners and levy on it of entry tax was questioned therein.
H
682 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A Several subsequent judgments were also delivered by the Orissa High
Court following the judgment dated 18.02.2008 which have also been
questioned in different appeals.
11. A subsequent judgment dated 9. I 0.2012 delivered by the Orissa
High Court in Writ Petition No.15519 of 2010 and other connected writ
B petitions have given rise to large number of civil appeals. The leading
writ petitiolll in which judgment dated 09.10.2012 was delivered was
writ petition No.15519 of20 I 0 -Tata Steel Limited vs. State ofOrissa &
Ors. We now proceed to notice the facts and pleadings in the aforesaid
writ petition. The writ petitioner, Tata Steel is company which has its
branches, dirvisions across the State ofOrissa. The writ petitioner carries
c on business in mining as well as manufacturing of Ferro-Chrome and
Ferro-Manganese at different plants in the State ofOrissa. For the rea~y
reference the pleadings in paragraph 3 of the writ petition needs to be
extracted which is to the following effect:
"3. That the relevant facts giving rise to the present writ
D application are inter alia are:-
(a) The petitioner in order to carry out its manufacturing
activity both inside the state of Orissa as well as in factories
located outside the state imports various raw materials from
outside India.
E
(b) That for importing the said goods from outside India, the
petitioner has obtained has obtained necessary licenses and
permissions from appropriate authorities.
(c} That the petitioner is registered under OVAT Act, CST Act
and Orissa Entry Tax Act, 1999, and has been allotted TIN
F
number by the Sales Tax Officers of the State. The petitioner
brings in various goods including scheduled goods for its
plants, from within the state and also from outside the territory
of India by way of import. The materials so purchased from
various countries are duly supported by Bill of Entry and
G other documents which have duly been incorporated in the
accounts of the petitioner company. A specimen copy of a
few Commercial Bi/ls/Bills of Entry representing import of
materials is annexed hereto as Annexure-1. "
H
. STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 683
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.)
12. The writ petitioner pleads that Legislature never intended to A
levy entry taxon the value of the goods imported from outside the country
by Entry Tax Act, 1999. Article 286(1 )(b) prevents a State from levying
Sales Tax so as not to interfere with the Union's Legislative power with
respect to the import and export across Customs Frontiers (Entry 41 of
List I) and the duties of Customs including Export Duty (Entry 83 ofList B
I).
13. The States never intended to levy entry tax on goods from
.outside the country. Referring to the definition of'purchase value', it is
submitted that the omission of "Customs Duty" in Section 2(j) was
deliberate. It is impermissible for the State to enact a legislation purported
to be under Entry 52 of List II, the incidence of which is on import of C
goods from outside India which is exclusively a matter for the Union
under Entry 41 and 83 of List I.
.14. Counter-affidavit was filed on behalf of the respondents
justifying the entry tax. The State pleaded that levy of entry tax by the
State is under Entry 52 oflist II of the Seventh Schedule. The provision_ D
of Article 286 is available only in the case of sale of goods and not
against the entry 1ax.
15. It is incorrect to suggest thatthe Legislature never intended to
levy tax on imported goo.ds coming from outside the country. The charge
under Section 3 of the Orissa Act, 1999 would suggestthat levy is on the E
basis of destination of scheduled goods. It is not the transaction of import
which is sought to be levied with entry tax. The Divisio11JBench vide its
judgment dated 09.10.2012 dismissed all the writ petitions except writ
petition No. 7 of 2008 of Mis. IFGL Refractories.
Civil Appeal No.32256 of 2013 - Mis. National Aluminium
Company Limited vs:State of Orissa & Ors. · f
16. The writ petitioner is the public sector undertaking and is
·running three units, namely, Aluminium Refinery Plant.atDamanjodi in
the District ofKoraput, Aluminium Smelter Plant atAngul in the District
ofAngul and Captive Thermal Power Plant atAngul. The writ petitioner
_:in order to carry out its manufacturing/mining activity imports various G
material and equipments including spares from outside India. For importing
the said goods from outside India, the petitioner has obtained necessary
licences and permission from appropriate authorities. The petitioner brings
in various goods including scheduled goods for its business operation
from within the State and also from outside the territory ofln4ia by way H
684 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A of import. The writ petitioner has filed the writ petition challenging the
Orissa Entry Tax Act, 1999 and levibility of entry tax on petitioner. By a
common judgment dated 09. I 0.2012 the writ petition has been dismissed.
Aggrieved by which this appeal has been filed.
Civil Appeal arising out of SLP(C) No.1426 of 2013 - Emami
B Pape1r Mills Limited vs. State of Orissa & Ors.
17. Th~ petitioner has set up a large scale industry for manufacture
of Paper, paper Board and newsprint in Orissa in the Industrial Estate of
Balgopalpur, District Balasore. The petitioner had entered into an
agreement with Global Equipment and Machinery Sales Inc.,
c Montgomeryville, Pennsylvania, United States of America and placed
orders for a Paper Plant and other machineries to be supplied by the
said company to the petitioner. The petitioner imported into India a
disassembled paper manufacturing plant in knock down condition with
spares. The petitioner also imports other machineries from other countries
and the said imported machineries and spare parts enter the Country
D through different ports and are cleared by the petitioner on payment of
the import duty levied under the Customs Act, 1962. Once the said plants
and machineries are unloaded and cleared upon payment of the Customs
Duty the said plant and machineries are transported to the petitioner's
factory at Balgopalpur, Orissa. Besides importing machinery from other
E countries the petitioner also has to purchase various machineries and
spare parts from different manufacturers in other States in India. The
petitioner was called upon to submit a statement showing the names of
the goods imported by the petitioner. The respondent further threatened
to resort to coercive measures ifthe petitioner failed to make payment
of the entry tax on the import of plant and machinery. The petitioner
F made ad hoc payment under protest. Petitioner protested against the
levy of entry tax on the plant and machinery imported from USA. The
petitioner filed a writ petition No. 13978 of 2008 Orissa Act, 1999
questioning the levy of entry tax on import from outside the country, the
constitutional validity of the Orissa Act, 1999 was also challenged.
G Counter-affidavit and rejoinder-affidavits were filed to the writ petitions
and videjudgment dated 9.10.2012 the High Court dismissed the writ
petition.
Civil Appeal arising out ofSLP(C)No.11060of2013- Mis. IFGL
Refractories vs. State of Orissa and ors.
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 685
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
18. The writ petitioner has set up a factory at Sector 'B', Kalunga A
Industrial Estate as an J00% import substitution project. The petitioner
commenced commercial production of special refractories and operating
systems used by the producers of iron and steel. The petitioner has
continually been expanding its production capacity by installing and
erecting plant and machinery both indigenous and imported. For the
B
manufacture of the refractory products, the petitioner requires imported
raw materials, stores and spares, trading items and capital goods.
Petitioner imports various materials from different countries. The
materials are fused silica, lime stabilize fused zirconia, fused magnesia,
sintered magnesia, silicon metal, natural PVC, refractory glaze, furfural
alcolhol and micro silica. Generally, these goods are imported from either c
the Kolkata Port or the Kolkata Airport where from they are transported
to the factory. Besides the raw materials imported from other countries,
the petitioner also uses raw materials available in other States within the
Union oflndia. The petitioner was under the bona fide belief that it was
not required to pay entry tax on the goods imported from abroad. Further,
D
the petitioner effected a payment under protest ofRs.37,08,682/- towards
entry tax. The petitioner filed writ petitioner No. 7 of 2008 challenging
the Entry Tax Act, 1999. The writ petition was filed basically on the
following three grounds:
a. Entry tax is not leviable on goods imported from outside India
as being violative of Article 286 read with Article 246 of the E
Constitution;
b. Entry tax is not leviable on goods purchased from other States
when the same goods are not manufactured within the State
ofOrissa in terms of Article 304(a) of the Constitution.
F
c. In any case, the goods imported from outside India/purchased
from other States by the petitioner are not specified in the
schedule appended to the Act and therefore not exigible
to entry tax.
19. The writ petition filed by the petitioner has been partly allowed
G
by a common judgment dated 09.10.2012. The High Court although
upheld the levy of entry tax on goods imported from outside the country
but invalidated the levy of entry tax on certain goods purchased/imported
by the petitioner which were not mentioned in the schedule appended to
the 1999 Act. Aggrieved by the said judgment, this appeal has been
filed. H
686 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2017] 13 S.C.R.
A Transfe!lfed Case No.149 of 2013 - Mis. Paradeep Phosphates
Ltd. vs. State of Orissa and ors.
20. The Transfer Petition (C) No.530 of 2012 was filed by the
petitioner, Mis. Paradeep Phosphates Ltd. praying for the transfer of
Writ Petition No.16541 of2007 pending in the High Court ofOrissa at
B Cuttack. The t~ansfer petition was allowed by this Court on 23.07.2013
on which this T.C. No.149 of2013 has been registered. The petitioner is
engaged in manufacture of different types of chemical fertilizers like
OAP, MOP, NiPK. The petitioner has been importing raw materials
through Paradeep Port wherein it has its Conveyor facility and the said
raw materials are unloaded from the Ships and directly dispatched to
C petitioner's factory without using any infrastructure facility provided by
the Government of Orissa. Petitioner has a plant at Paradeep under the
Revenue Distri¢t of Jagatsinghpur, Orissa. The petitioner has an adjoining
township at Paradeep. The petitioner constructed its own approach roads
from the State Highway, developed the plant and township site. The
D petitioner procures about 98% of its raw materials from outside the
country. Petitioner has been paying entry tax on imported scheduled
goods 'under protest'. Petitioner filed writ petition No.16541 of 2007
challenging the notice for assessment and payment of entry tax. Petitioner
also prayed for a writ of mandamus directing the State of Orissa not to
impose levy of entry tax on the goods imported from outside the territory
E oflndia.
21. There are few other appeals which are different from the
above mentioned conunon judgment of the Orissa High Court.
Civil Appeal Nos.3720-3722 of2003 - National Aluminium Co.Ltd.
F vs. State of Orissa & Ors.
22. The writ petitioner is a Government of India Undertaking,
engaged in production ofaluminaand aluminium. It has its captive Bauxite
Mines and Alumina refinery factory at Damanjodi in the District of
Koraput. The major raw material is bauxite. Petitioner has set up its
G own Captive Power Plant at Angul near its Smelter Plant. For production
of electricity, the basic raw material is coal, which obtained from
Mahanadi Coal Fields. The petitioner filed Original Jurisdiction Case
No. 72 of 200 I challenging the validity of 1999 Act on several grounds.
The Division Bench ofthe High Court vi de its judgment dated 13.11.2002
declined to strike down the 1999 Act. However, while declining to strike
H down the 1999 Act following directions were issued:
STATE OF KERALA v. F_R. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 687
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
"44. Jn the result, while declining to strike down the Orissa A .
Entry Tax Act, 1999 as ultra vires, we direct that:-
-.
1. Unless the basic ingredients, i.e. Entry of Scheduled goods·
. for the purpose of Consumption, Use or Sale into a local
area of the Stat? are satisfic;d, the provisions of the Orissa
Entry Tax Act, 1999 shall not be attracted; B
2. The goods which enter into local area/areas only for the
purpose of transit will not be subject to Entry Tax; and
3. Every manufacture of scheduled goods under Section 26
shall collect by way of Entry Tax amount equal to the tax C
payable on the value of the finished products under Section
3 of ihe Act from the buying dealer either directly or through
an intermediary only if the scheduled goods sold are intended ·
for ENTRY into any local area of the State.for the purpose of
Consumption, Use or_ Sale. "
D
• 23.Aggrieved by the saidjudirnent, these civil appeals have been
filed.
Civil Appeals arising out ofSLP(C) Nos.16744-46 of2013-BRG
Iron & Steel Co. Pvt. Ltd. vs. Joint Commissioner of Sales Tax. Angul,
Orissa. E
24. The petitioner company during the course of its business was
required to purchase plants and parts of plants, machinery and parts &
spares of all kinds of machinery for the purpose of setting up a
manufacturing unit at Dhenkanal, Orissa. The petitioner was also required
to purchase raw materials such as stainless steel and iron & steel goods. F
The company was also required to import and export goods particularly
import of capital goods _such as its plant and machinery from outside the
country. The petitioner has been regularly filing return under the Orissa
Entry Tax Act, 1999. However, vide letter dated 30.03.2010 entry tax
was demanded. The judgment was delivered by the High Court on G
09.10.2012 in Writ Petition No.15519of2010 holding that levy of entry
tax on imported good& was within the plliview of OrissaAct, 1999. An ·
order dated 20.10.2010 has been passed by the Joint Commission of
· Sales Tax holding the petitioner liable to pay entry tax on the imported
goods besides penalty. Petitioner has directly come to this Court against
H
688 • SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A the assessment order passed by the Joint Commissioner of Sales Tax
dated 20. l 0.2012.
Civil Appeal arising out of SLP(C)No.36486 of 20 l 0 - Mis.
Bajrangbali Alloys Pvt. Ltd. vs. Commissioner, Sales Tax & Anr.
25. The petitioner carries on the business of manufacturing and
B sale ofM.S. Ingots and M.S. Rod ITMT Bars) at Manguli in the District
of Cuttack. The petitioner directly imports goods brought from outside
the country into the local area. Petitioner filed Writ Petition No.16650
of 2010. In the writ petition, petitioner has attacked the correctness of
the assessment order dated 23.02.2010 on the ground that assessment
c order under Section 9C of the 1999 Act has been made by way ofOrissa
Entry Tax (Amendment) Act, 2005 which came into force with effect
from 19.05.2005. The writ petition has been dismissed by the Division
Bench by its judgment dated 08.11.2010 on the ground that the petitioner
is at liberty to seek its alternative remedy by filing an appeal within a
period of two weeks, the writ petition was disposed of.
D
CIVIL APPEALS OF STATE OF KERALA
26. The civil appeals relating to State of Kerala have been filed
both by State of Kerala as well as by its officers. State of Kerala has
filed appeals against judgment dated 06.01.1998 and several others
E subsequent judgments following the judgment dated 06.0 l. l 998. Another
judgment has been passed by High Court ofKerala on 18.12.2006. There
is one writ petition filed by a company. It is sufficient to notice facts of
few cases to decide the group of cases relating to Kerala.
Civil Appeal Nos. 3381-3400 of 1998 - State Of Kerala & Ors
Vs. FR. William Fernandez & Ors.
F
27. The State is in appeal against the Division Bench judgment
dated 06.0 l. l 998 of Kerala High Court delivered in a batch of writ
appeals including Writ Petition No. 770/1997; Father William Fernandez
& Ors. vs State of Kerala & Ors. The various petitioners imported
G motor vehicles from abroad after obtaining custom clearance and
payment of custom duties and thereafter brought the vehicles in the
State of Kerala. Some of the petitioners have also got their vehicles
registered under the Motor Vehicles Act which have been given notice
demanding entry tax under Kerala Tax on Entry of Goods into Local
Areas Act, 1994 (hereinafter referred to as' 1994 Act'). The writ petition
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 689
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.)
was heard by learned Single Judge who vide its common judgment dated A
20.2.1997 dismissed all the writ petitions holding that entry tax can be
collected from the owners of the vehicles who brought them from abroad
before granting them registration in the State for consumption, use or
sale. Writ Appeals were filed against judgment dated 20.2.1997 which
have been decided vi de common judgment dated 06.01.1998. Although,
B
the Division Bench held that there is no limitation upon the State's powers
· to legislate under Entry 52 List II of the VII'" Schedule of the Constitution
but in case of goods, brought from abroad their entry into local area is
outside the scope of 1994 Act, which Act is confined only to those goods
brought from outside the State, that would not include the outside borders
of the country. The Division Bench declared that vehicles bought from c
outside the country are not liable to pay entry tax.
Civil Appeal No. 6178 of2010- State ofKerala & Ors. vs. Idea
Cellular Ltd.
28. This appeal has been filed against the judgment dated
18.12.2006 of Division Bench ofKerala High Court by which judgment D
a bunch of writ petitions have been decided holding that the levy of entry
tax under 1994, Act as discriminatory and violative of Article 14, 30 I
and 304 of the Constitution of India. The Division Bench followed the
earlier Division Bench judgment of the Kerala High Court in Father
William Fernandez case decided on 06.01.1998. Writ petition was filed E
by various assesses challenging the constitutional validity of 1994, Act
and also questioning the entry tax on goods brought from outside the
State or and goods brought from outside the country to the State of
Kera la. The Division Bench held that levy of entry tax on goods imported
from other States to the State of Kerala and from abroad is not
compensatory in nature and such demand is illegal, unauthorised and F
violative of Article 301. Application for intervention has also been filed
by various petitioners which applicants have also been heard. State has
filed other appeals questioning subsequent judgments which have followed
judgment dated 06.01.1998 and 18.12.2006.
Writ Petition (C) No. 574 of 2003 -Parisons Agrotech Private G
Ltd. & Anr vs. State of Kerala & Ors.
29. This writ petition has been filed under Article 32 of the
Constitution praying for declaration that 1994, Act is ultra vires and
unconstitutional and the Act also does not apply to the entry of goods
H
690 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017) 13 S.C.R.
A imported in India from foreign countiy. The petitioner company is engaged
in the import of crude palmolin, refining the same to make it edible and
thereafter selling of palmolin oil. The petitioner imports crude palmolin
oil in bulk from Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. Purchase of crude
by the petitioner is in the course of import from foreign countries and
B imported through Cochin Port within the State of Kerala. The said sale
& purchase in the course of import is exempted from the levy of tax
under Article 286 of the Constitution of India read with Section 5(2) of
the Central Sales Tax Act, 1956. The respondent directed the first
petitioner to remit the entiy tax of purchase price of crude palmolin
imported by the'petitioner. Petitioner has also relied on Division Bench
C judgment of the Kerala High Court delivered in bunch of writ appeals
including Writ Appeal 770of1997 against which SLP/CivilAppeal has
been filed being CA 3381-3400of1998 and is pending.
Civil Appeals relating to State of Bihar
Civil Appeal arising out ofSLP(C) No. 26543 of2008 Mis ITC
D Ltd. vs. State of Bihar
;JO. This appeal has been filed against Division Bench judgment
of Patna High Court dated 27 .08.2008 by which the writ petition has
been disposed of in terms of Para 69 Page 70 of the earlier decision in
the case of Mis Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (dated 09.1.2007 reported in
E 2007 I 0 BST 140 Patna). The petitioner is a company engaged in the
business of 1t1a11ufacturing and selling of cigarettes and smoking mixtures.
Company carrying on business of manufacturing paper, paper board,
packaging mati:rials and printing, thereon for said purpose Company has
factories at different places all over the countiy including in Munger in
F the State of Bihar. For manufacturing of cigarettes smoking mixtures,
the company causes entiy of tobacco and other raw materials purchased
from outside the State ofBihar into the local area of Munger. The State
of Bihar has enacted the Bihar Tax on Entiy of Goods into Local Areas
Act 1993(hereinafter referred to as 1993, Act). The 1993, Act has been
amended by Bihar Act, 9 of 2003, Bihar Act, 11 of 2003 and Bihar Act
G 19 of2006. By Bihar Act 11 of2003, an explanation has been added to
the effect that entiy of goods into local area for consumption, use or sale
therein from any place outside the territoiy of India shall also be deemed
to be an entiy of goods for the purposes of the Act. Petitioner challenged
the vires of the Act, as amended in 2003. Petitioner prayed for direction
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 691
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
to remove, withdraw and cancel the collection of entry tax under the A
impugned Act.
Civil Appeal arising out of SLP(C) No. 11646 of 2009- VST
Distribution Storage v.The State ofBihar & Ors.
31. This appeal has been filed against judgment dated 28.08.2008
by which judgment the writ petition filed by the appellant has been B
disposed of in terms of the para 69 of the Division Bench judgment of
Patna High Court, Mis Indian Oil Cornoration Ltd. (supra).
Civil Appeal arising out of SLP(C) No. 7356of2010 - ITC Ltd vs
State of Bihar
c
32. This appeal has been filed against judgment and o,rder dated
15.02.2010 of the Division Bench of the Patna High Court by which writ
petition filed by the petitioner has been dismissed. Petitioner has
challenged the constitutional validity of 1993, Act thereby challenging
the Section 4of1993,Act as inserted by Amendment Act 19 of2006. lt
was prayed that Amendment Act be declared as ultra vires to the power D
of State Legislature. Petitioner has also challenged the demand notice
dated 20.6.2009 issued by Joint Commissioner, Commercial Tax
Bhagalpur and demand notice dated 03.07.2009 under the Amendment
Act, 19 of 2006. It was noticed in the writ petition that in view of the
judgment dated 09.01.2007 of the Patna High Court in Indian Oil E
Corporation Ltd. (supra) after the amendment by amending Act, ·19 of
2006 the entry tax sought to be levied with effect from 29.08.2006, has
become compensatory and constitutionally valid.
Civil Appeal of State of Jharkhand
Civil Appeal arising out of SLP (C) 1101 OF 2007 - State of F
Jharkhand & Ors.v.Tata Iron & SteelCo. Ltd.
33. State of Jharkhand filed an appeal against the Division Bench
judgment dated 14.08.2006 delivered in Writ Petition(T) No. 5354 of
2004, Tata Iron & Steel Co. Ltd. Jamshedpur, Sinhbhumi vs. State of
Jharkhand. The petitioner is engaged in manufacturing the iron & steel G
products by its integrated steel plant at Jarnshedpur in the State of
Jharkhand. For the purpose of manufacturing activities, company is
importing coal from Australia and Newzealand in pursuant to sevend
foreign contracts executed with foreign parties which comes to Haldia
H
692 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2017] 13 S.C.R.
A and Paradeep Ports in India and from there said coal is transported
either by rail or road to Jamshedpur in the State of Jharkhand. 1993, Act
was adopted in the State of Jharkhand after its creation from 15.11.2000.
A Notification dated 23.03 .2002 was issued under Sub section 1 of Section
2 by adding 10 new items to the scheduk. Notification dated 23.03.2002
was issued levying the entry tax on imported coal. A memorandum was
B
issued by Commissioner of Commercial lax. Petitioner prayed for
quashing a part of the Notificotion dated 23.3.2002 by which entry tax
was sought to be levied by the State 1• 1 '.:.<1 k.hand on imported coal and
other consequential relief's have been claimed.
34. The Division Bench vide its judgment and order dated
C .14.08.2006 allowed the writ petition holding that provisions of 1993, Act
as adopted by the State of Jharkhand do not satisfy the requirement of
Article 301 reap with Article 304. State Aggrieved by the said judgment
have come up in the appeal. This appeal was heard by this Court on
29.08.2017 by which proceeding the impugned judgment of the Jharkhand
D of High Court which rested on the Compensatory Theory has been set
aside. It is useful to quote the last two paras of the proceeding dated
29.08.2017 whi<:h is to the following effect:
"We need not comment upon this argument. Suffice is to slate
that insofar as the impugned judgment H'hich is rested un the
E compensatory theory stands set aside. if" any rights accrue in
favour of the respondentlassessee or the respondent has any
right to challenge the /e1•y un the aforesaid ground l1'hich
was taken before the High Court it would be open to the
respondentlasseesee to pursue the same.
F The respondentlassessee had also raised the co!llention that
coal was imported on which no entrr tax was paid. On this
aspect, we have heard the arguments and the judgment is
reserved. "
35. Thus in the present appeal, we have permitted the assessee to
G raise the only issue as tu whether on imported coal entry tax could be
levied.
36. We have heard large number of learned counsel for the writ
petitioners including Shri Arvind P. Datar, Shri A.K. Ganguli, Shri
S.K.Bagaria, Shri Jagdeep Dhan~ar, Dr. G.C. Bharuka, Shri Ashok
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 693
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
Kumar Panela, Senior Advocates. Shri Rakesh Dwivedi, Senior Advocate A
has been heard on behalf of the State of Orissa and State ofBihar. Shri
V.Giri, Senior Advocate has appeared on behalf of the State of Kera la.
Shri Ajit Kumar Sinha, Senior Advocate has also been heard.
Submissions
37. The following are the substances of submissions raised by B
different learned counsel for writ petitioners relating to State of Orissa
attacking the provisions of I 999, Act:
i. The legislature has not created any chargeability for levy of
entry tax on goods imported from outside the country in Orissa
Entry Tax Act, 1999. Entry of goods has been defined in Section c
2( d) which contemplates entry of goods into a local area from
any place (i) outside that local are.a or (ii) any place outside the
State. The provision does not contemplate goods entering from
any place outside the country. Putting a literal interpretation of
the 1999,Act, it is clear that legislature never intended to cover D
the goods imported from outside the country. It is submitted
that wherever legislature intended to impose entry tax on the
imported goods coming from outside the country, the entry tax
legislation specifically mentioned so in the le.~islation. The
reference has been made to the provisions of the Bihar Tax on
Entry of Goods into Local Areas for Consumption, Use or Sale E
Act, 1993 (as Amended by Bihar Act 11 of 2003 and 19 of
2006) wherein an explanation and a new Section 2( c) to the
following effect was inserted:- "(iii) into a local area from any
place outside the territory of India." Further in Uttar Pradesh
Tax on Entry of Goods into Local Area Act, 2007 under Section F
2( l)(c) following is specifically provided for "(iii) into a local
area from any place outside the territory of India." Similar is
the provision of Section 2(1 )(c) of Uttarakhand Tax on Entry
of Goods into Local Areas Act, 2009 and farther Section 2( l)(h)
of the West Bengal Tax on Entry of Goods into Local Area
Act, 2012 where any place outside India is specifically G
mentioned.
iLit is only Parliament which is empowered to make any law with
regard to trade & commerce with foreign countries as well as
with regard to levy of duties of customs thereon. Entry 41 covers
H
694 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A "trade & commerce with foreign countries, import and export
across custom frontiers; definition of custom frontiers" 'Entry
83 of List I covers "duties of custom including export duties".
Entire field connected or related to trade & commerce with
foreigii countries is within the exclusive domain of the Union
and beyond the legislative competence of the State Legislature.
B
Entry 52 of List II can have no application in respect of goods,
import~d from outside India which continues to be imported
goods in the course ofimport. The import movement in respect
of imports continues till the goods reach the factory, which
movement is an integral and inexplicable part of the import
c movement. From the above single taxing event and single import
movement, the State Legislature cannot carve out any taxing
event by seeking to term it as a tax from entry into local area
for consumption, use or sale therein. The entry tax legislation
imposing entry tax on the imported goods is thus beyond the
competence of State Legislation. Article 286( I )(b) of the
D
Constitution excludes the taxing power of the State in respect
of goods in the course of import.
iii. The goods imported by actual users for their captive consumption
and own use continues to remain in the course of import and
continues to retain the character of imported goods. The
E
Doctrine of Unbroken Package evolved by American Courts
do sulJports the petitioners' case. The judgment of the US
Supreme Court in Brown versus Maryland 6 L.Ed. 678 which
laid down that the constitutional prohibition of State to tax the
goods imported survives even after they have landed and cleared
F from custom, after payment of duties the protection continues
till they are sold by importer, is still good law and has been
followed subsequently.
iv. The impugned entry tax is not an entry under Entry 52 of List
II of the VIIlh Schedule of the Constitution. The tax covered
G . by Entry 52 is nothing but the levy that is known as octroi,
which is a tax levied by a local self authority on the entry of
goods into the area administered by such local government.
The expression 'local area' in Entry 52 signifies that tax in this
entry is a local tax. The local authority into whose local area,
the goods enters for consumption, use or sale therein can levy
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 695
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
and collect the said tax. The tax refers to in Entry 49 of Provincial A
List under the Government oflndiaAct, 1935 and Entry 52 of
List II under the Constitution is 'octroi', which have been prior
thereto, was levied by and for the benefit of local authorities
and usurpation of this levy by State would thus be beyond the
legislative power of the State under Entry 52.
B
v.The imported machineries which are imported in completely
knocked out condition are not covered by Schedule of 1999,
Act. A plant imported in knocked out condition is neither
machinery nor equipment and is not covered by Part II of
Schedule. Hence, no entry tax could have been levied on
imported plants which are received in knocked out condition. C
vi. Section 4 Of Bihar Act 1993 as inserted by Bihar Act 19 of
2006 is violative of Article 266 of the Constitution oflndia.
38. Shri Rakesh Dwive\li, learned senior counsel appearing for
the State of Orissa and Bihar has refuted the above submissions. He D
submits,that Section 3of1999, Act covers tax on imported goods. The
definition section has two phrases (i) from any place outside that local
area, (ii) or any place outside the State. Both the phrases on a plain and
literal consideration would include the goods which are entering from
outside the country. Foreign territory would be a place which is not only
outside the local area but also outside the State. E
39. The State Legislature is fully competent to levy entry tax
under Entry 52 List II. The legislative field as included in Entry 52 List II
has nothing to do with Entry 41 and Entry 83 of List I. Under the Indian
Constitution, the distribution of powers with regard to tax has been done
in a mutually exclusive manner in great detail and there is no overlapping F
in taxing power of the State and the Union. Duty of custom in Entry 83
List II is on import or export. The prohibition contained under Article
286 on the State Legislature are in reference to sale of goods and has
nothing to do with entry tax on entry of goods for consumption, use or
sale. Article 286 as well as Central Sales Tax, 1956 has no relevance G
with regard to Entry 52 List II.
40. The word 'import' means to bring in. The word 'imported
goods' are defined in Customs Act, 1962. The above definitions clearly
indicate that ones the goods have been cleared for home consumption
then they ceased to be imported goods. The importation happens before H
696 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A clearance for home consumption and after clearance the character as
import ceases. The Doctrine of Unbroken Package as evolved by the
US Supreme Cout•t is not attracted in this country. The judgment of the
US Supreme Court in Brown 1>ers11s Stale of Maryland, 6 LED 678
has been discredited even in USA. Jn the subsequent judgments of US
Supreme Court, the judgment of Brown vs. State ofMaryland has been
B
considerably dih;ted. The Federal Court as well as this Court has
specifically held that the judgment of US Supreme Court in Brown vs.
State of Maryland is not applicable in this country.
41. The submissions raised by one learned counsel of the
petitioners that entry tax is not covered by Entry 52 List II is wholly
c fallacious. In the Constitution of lndia, there is clear demarcation of
taxing power ofUhion and the State. When by Entry 52 List II, entry of
goods in the local area for consumption, use or sale has been specifically
provided the said entry has to be given its full meaning and content.
42. Learned counsel appearing for the writ petitioners in the State
D ofBihar in civil appeal arising out of judgment of Patna High Court as
well as Jharkhand High Court has also adopted the above submissions
raised on behalf of the petitioners. In reply thereto, learned counsel for
the State of Bihar and Jharkhand has reiterated the same submissions
as noted above.
E 43. Shri V. Giri, learned senior counsel appearing on behalf of the
State ofKerala adqpting the submission ofShri Rakesh Dwivedi contends
that the judgment ofKerala High Court holding that entry tax cannot be
levied on imported motor vehicles is fallacious. It is submitted that
definition clause and charging section in the 1994, Act are clear enough
F to include goods entering from any place outside the State for
consumption, use or sale therein including outside territory of India.
Learned counsel appearing for the respondent in civil appeals of State
of Kerala has reiterated the submissions raised on behalf of the writ
petitioners in appeals arising out ofjudgment ofOrissa High Court.
G 44. From the submission raised by learned counsel for the parties
and material on record following issues arise for consideration in this
batch of appeals:-
i. Whether Section 2( d) read with Section 3 of Orissa Entry Tax
Act, 1999, Section 2(d) read with Section 2(d) of Kerala Act,
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 697
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
1994 andBihar Act, I993 (before its amendment in 2003), never A
·intended to levy any entry tax on the goods, entering into local
area of State from any place outside the territory of India.
ii. Whether Entry Tax Legislations in question intrude into exclusive
legislative domain of Parliament as reserved under Entry 41
and Entry 83 List I. B
iii.Whether levy of entry tax on goods imported from outside
territory oflndia is legislation trenching the field of"import and
export", "duties of custom" reserved to Parliament.
iv. Whether the importation of goods, imported from a territory
outside the India continues till the goods reach in the premises/ C
factory of the importer, during which period State at no point of
time is legislative competence to impose any tax.
v.Whether doctrine of unbroken package as evolved by the
American Court are to apply with regard to imported goods of
the petitioners prohibiting the State from levying any tax till the D
goods are first sold/dealt by the importer.
vi. Whether in the definition of purchase value as contained in
Entry Tax Legislations in question, non-inclusion of custom duty
is indicator of fact that the legislature never intended to levy
entry tax on imported goods. E
vii. Whether Entry Tax Legislations are not covered by Entry 52
List II since the Entry 52 is in essence entry of levying octroi
which can be levied only by local authorities and the State has
no legislative competence to impose entry tax under Entry 52
List II. F
viii. Whether a plant, imported in knocked out condition is covered
by the Part II of the Schedule of Orissa Act, 1999.
45. Before we proceed to consider the various issues as ·noted
above, it is relevant to notice the statutory provisions relating to entry tax
applicable in the above mentioned States. G
46. The Orissa Entry Tax Act, 1999 (hereinafter referred to as
"Orissa Act, 1999") was enacted to provide for the levy and collection
of tax on the entry of goods into a local area for consumption, use or sale
H
698 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017) 13 S.C.R.
A therein and matters incidental thereto and connected therewith. Section
2 contains definitions. Section 2(d) defines "entry of goods'', Section
2( e) defines "importer", Section 2(f) defines "local area" as follows :
"2. Jn this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-
xxx xxx xxx
B
(d) "El'llry of goods" with all its grammatical variations and
cognate expressions, means entry of goods into a local area
from a11y place that local area or any place outside the Stale
for consumption, use or sale therein;
C (e) "Importer" means a dealer or any other person who in
any capacity brings or causes to be brought any scheduled
goods into a lmal area for consumption, use or sale therein;
(/) "Local area" means the areas within the limits of any-
(i) Municipal Corporation,
D
(ii) Municipality,
(iii) Notified Area Council,
(iv) Grama Panchayat, and
(v) Ot/ler local authority by whatever name called, constituted
E or continued in any law for the time being in force and shall
also ~nclude an Orissa Act industrial township constituted
under section 4 of the Orissa 23 of 1930, Municipal Act,
1950,•"
47. Section 3 relates to levy of tax. Section 3 sub-section ( 1) is as
F follows:
"3.Levy of Tax.
(1) There shall be levied and collected a tax on entry of the
scheduled goods into a local area for consumption, use or
sale therein at such rate not exceeding twelve percentum of
G
the purchase value of such goods from such date as may be
specified by the State Government and different dates and
different rates may be specified for different goods and local
areas subject to such conditions as may be prescribed."
The Orissa Act, 1999 has been amended from time to time.
H
•.
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 699
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
48. The Kerala Tax on Entry of Goods into Local Areas Act, A
1994 (hereinafter referred to as 'Kerala Act, 1994) was enacted to
provide for levy of tax on the entry of goods into the local area for
conswnption, use or sale therein. Section (2)(d) defines 'entry ofgoods',
Section 2(g) defines 'importer', Section 2(h) defines 'local area' and
2(n) defines 'purchase value' are as follows:
B
"2. (d) "entry of goods into a local area" with all its
grammatical variations and cognate expressions. means entry
of (Substituted by Act 23 of 1996 w.ej 29-7-1996.) goods
into a local area from any place outside the State for use
(Inserted by Act 12 of 2003 w.ej 1-4-2003.) consumption of C
sale therein;
(g) "Importer" means a person who brings or cause to be
brought any goods whether for himself or on behalf of his
principal or any other person, into a local area, from any
place outside the State for use, consumption, or sales therein D
or who owns the goods at the time of entry into the local
area.
(h) "Local area" means the area of jurisdiction of a local
authority;
E
(n) "purchase value" means the value of the goods as
ascertained from the original invoice and includes insurance,
excise duties, countervailing duties, sales tax, transport fee,
freight charges and all other charges incidentally levied on
. the purchase of goods and in the case of a motor vehicle
includes the value of accessories fitted to the vehicle; F
Provided that, where the purchase value of the goods is not
ascertainable on account of non-availability or non-
production of the original Invoice or when the invoice
produced is proved to be false or if the goods are acquired or
obtained otherwise than by way ofpurchase. then the purchase G
_value shall be the value or price at, which the goods of like
kind ·or q~ality is sold or is capable of being sold, in open
market"
H
700 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] !3 S.C.R.
A 49. Section 3 is a charging Section which is as follows:
..SectitJ11 3 - Levy of Tax
Substituted by Act 23 of 1996 w.e.f 29-7-/996.) (/) Suhject
tu t/le pro1·isions of this Act, tar shall be lei:ied and cul/ected
a tax on the ent1~v oj· anJ' goods into un.1· /veal area .!Ur
B conwmptio11. 11se vr sale therei11. I /nsatnl hr Act I() vl 211115.)
777<~ Tax u11 such goo,!.~ shall be al Slt<.:h rate or rates as 111ay
be.fixed by Cv,·ernme11t bv 11otifirntio11. 011 the purchase value
ol goods 11ot exceeding the tax payable for the goods as pff
the (Substituted by Act 23of1996 we.( 29-7-1996.) [Schedule
c to the Kera/a General Sales Tax Act, 1963 or the Kera/a Value
Added Tax Act, 2003.
Provided that no tax shall be levied and collected in respect
of any motor vehicle which was registered in any Union
TerritotJ' or any other State under the provisions of Motor
D Vehicles Act, 1988 (Central Act, 59of1988), prior to a period
offifteen months or morefrom the dale on which it is registered
in the State:
Provided fi1rlher that no tax shall be levied and collected in
respec/ of any (S11bsti/11led by Ac/ 23 of 1996 w.e.f 29-7-
E 1996.) goods which is !he property ol the Cenlral Government
or which is used exclusively for purposes relaling 10 !he
defence of India.
(2) The tax shall be payable by the impor/er in such manner
and within such lime as may be prescribed."
F 50. Bihar Act, 1993 also defines entry of goods in Section 2(c),
importer in Section 2(d), import value in Section 2(e) and local area has
been defined in Section 2(f) which are as follows:
"2(d) "Importer" means a dealer or any other person who is
any capacity effects or causes to be effected t he enltJ' of any
G scheduli:d goods into a local area for cons11mption, 11se or
sale therein."
(e) "Jmpor/ Value" means the va/11e of scheduled goods as
ascertained from the purchase invoice/bills and includes
insurance charges, [import duty, marine insurance charges,
H
STATE OF KERAL1\ v. FR. WJLLIAM FERNANDEZ 701
lASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
landing and wha(fage and port charges} acise duties, A
countervailing duties, sales tax, transport charges, freight
charges and all other charges incidental to the import of
scheduled gouds: Provided that where the purchase invoice/
bills are not produced or when the invoice/bi/ls produced are
proved to be false or if; the scheduled good are acquired or
B
ohtained otherwise than by >ray of purchase the import value
shall be the ra/!le price at which the scheduled goods of like
kind or quality is sold or capable of being sold in open market.
(0 "Local Areas" means the areas within the limits of a- (i)
Municipal Corporation; (ii) Municipality; (iii) Notified Area
Committee; (iv) Cantonment Board; M fown Board; {VI) Mines c
Board; (vii) Municipal Board; (\'iii) Gram Panchayat; (ix) Any
other local authority by whatever nomenclature called,
constituted or continued in any law fur the time being in
force."
51. Section 3 is a charging Section. Section sub-section(!) is as D
follows:
"3. Charge of Tax- "(I) There shall be levied and collected a
tax on entry of scheduled good' into a local area for
consumption, use or sale therein for the purpose of'
de1•elopment of trade.commerce and indu.1·tt)' in the Siate, at E
such rate, not exceeding twenty percent. of the import value
of such good1', as may be specified by the State Gorernment
in a notification published in a official gazette subject to
such conditions as may be prescribed: Provided d!tf'erent rates
for different scheduled good' may be spl!cified by the State F
Government.
Prvvided.fitrther. that i(1111 importer claims that he
imparted goods notified 1111der s11b-sec1iot1 (I) not for the
purpose of cons11111ptia11, use or sale, the burden of proving
tho/ the import was for p11rpvses other than for consumption. G
use or sale shall be on importer importing wch goods and
making such claim. " ["Provided.fi1rther, that if' an importer
claims that he imported good' notified under s11b-sec:tion
(I) not.for the purpose of'cvnwmption, use or sale, the burden
of providing that the import was for purposes other than .for
H
702 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A consumption, use or sale, shall be on importer importing
such goods and making such claim. "
"(IA) The tax under sub-section (1) shall be continued to be
levied till such time as is required to improve infrastructure
within the State such as power, road, market, condition etc.
B with a view to facilitate better market condition for trade,
commerce and industry and to bring it to the level of. National
average."
52. The definition as given in Section 2( c) was amended by Bihar
Act 19 of200(fi. It was published on 9th August, 2006. Section 2(c) was
c substituted by the amendment to the following effect:
"2(c) "Entry of goods, with all its grammatical variations and
cognate expressions. means, entry of goods;
(i) into a local area from any place outside such area,
D
(ii) into a local area from any place outside the territory of
India, for consumption, use or sale therein. "
53. In the State of Jharkhand, Bihar Act, 1993 was adopted vide
notification dated 18.. December, 2000. The amendment has been made
vide Jharkhand Act 2 of 2002 in Bihar Act 16of1993. ln exercise of
powers conferred by sub-section (I) of Section 3 of the Tax Act 1993
E
(Bihar Act 161 1993) notification dated 23"' March, 2002 was issued
specifying the conditions and rates of tax on the entry of scheduled
goods.
Whether Entry Tax Legislations contemplated levy of Entry Tax
on Imported goods
F
54. We now proceed to consider ISSUE NOS. I, relating to the
three States' enactments as noted. For answering the issue we notice
the provisions ofOrissaAct, 1999.
55. The submission which has been pressed by the learned counsel
G for the writ petitioners is that the definition of entry of goods in Section
2(d) read with Section 3 levy of charge covers only the following:
(i) Entry of goods into a local area from any place outside that
local area;
(ii) Entry of goods from local area or any place outside the State.
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 703
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
. It is submitted that entry of goods into local area can be any of A
the following places:
(i) from any place outside that local area that is from other local
area within the State of Orissa itself;
(ii) from any place outside the State that is from any place outside
the State of Orissa. B
The expression State here can only be the State of Orissa and
cannot mean the country as a whole.
(iii) from any place outside the country.
.56. The definitionofSection2(d) on its own term does not cover C
entry of goods into a local area from any place "outside the country". It
is, however, submitted that expression "any place outside the local area"
by itself would have been enough to cover the goods imported from
anywhere .outside the. local area. Outside the local area would have
been outside the State or outside the country but Legislature never D
intended to levy entry tax on goods imported from outside the country
that is why entry of goods from local area, from outside the State was
provided for. Reference of various other States' enactments have been
made where any place outside the country has been expressly mentioned.
Reference has been made to West Bengal Tax on Entry of Goods into
Local Area Act, 2012, Section2(h) which is to the following effect: E
"(h) '.'entry of goods", with all its grammatical variations and
cognate expressions, means bringing of goods into a local
area from any place outside that local area or any place
outside the State or from outside India, for consumption, use
or sale therein, whether by a dealer or an importer other F
than a dealer himself or by any other person;"
57. Section 2(1)(h) ofUttar Pradesh Tax on Entry of Goods into
Local Area Act, 2007 and Section 2(1)(c) of the Uttarakhand Tax on
Entry of Goods into Local Area Act, 2009 has been mentioned wherein
the definition clause specifically includes "into a local area from any G
place outside the territory oflndia'.
58. The plain and literal construction when put to Section 3 read
with Section 2( d) clearly means that goods entering into local area from
any place outside the local area or outside the State are to be charged
H
704 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2017] 13 S.C.R.
A with enl!y tax. Foreign territory would be a place which is not only
outside the local area but also outside the State. The writ petitioners are
trying to inti•oduce words of limitation in the definition clause. The
interpretation which is sought to be put up is that both the phrases be
read as:
B ( 1) ··from any place outside that local area but within that State";
(2) any place outside the State but within India.
59. It is well known rule of statutory interpretation that by process
of interpretation the provision cannot be re-written nor any word can be
introduced. 'Fhe expression "any place" before the words "outside the
c State" is also1indicative ofl'ide extent. The words 'any place' cannot be
limited to a place within the territory oflndia when no such indication is
discernible from the provisions of the Act.
60. The Entry tax legislations are referable to Entry 52 of List II
of Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. Entry 52 also provided a
D legislative field, namely, 'taxes on the entries of goods into a local area
for consumption, use or sale therein'. Legislation is thus concerned only
with entry of goods into a local area for consumption, use or sale. The
origin of goods has no relevance with regard to chargeability of entry
tax. In this context reference is made to judgment of Federal Court
E reported in Miss Kislrori Shelly v. The King, AIR 1950 FC 69 (1950
RLW 46). The question which was considered in the above case was as
to whether Item No.31 of List II in the Seventh Schedule of Government
oflndia Act, 1935 which provided "intoxicated liquor and narcotic drugs"
whether included foreign liquors. The arguments that provincial legislature
has no power to restrict or prevent the goods imported from foreign
F country, was repelled. Jn paragraph 4 of the judgment following has
been held:
"4. Nun: under S. JOO of the Con.\'titution Act the Provincial
legislature has. subject to the orher sub-sections of that
section, the exclusive pou'er tv 111ake tau's M ith respect to
1
G mat1ers enumerated in list Ji in the sch. VJ/. item 31 of that
list comprises "intoxicating liquor and narcotic drugs. that
is to sa)'. the production, mam!f'acture, possession, transport,
purchase and sale of intoxicating liquors, opium and other
narcotic drugs" subject to certain reservations not material
here. Prima .fc1cie, the offending prol'i.<ions are within this
H
STATE.OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 705
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
legislative power. But counsel for the appellant drew attention A
to Item 19 of List 1 which covers "Import and export across
customs frontier as defined by the Dominion Government",
and argued that if "intoxicating liquors" in Item 3 Lof List II
were held to include also liquors imported, from abroad, then
the Provincial Legislature, by prohibiting possession of such B
· liquors by all persons, whether private consumers, common
carriers, or warehouse-men, could defeat the power of the
Federal Legislature to regulate imports of foreign liquors
across the sea or land frontiers of British India which are
customs frontiers as defined by the Central Government and
thus seriously jeopardize an important source of central · C
customs revenue. As under S. 100, Constitution Act, the
Provincial legislative powers under List II were subject to the
exclusive powers of the Federal Legislature in List I, the
Bombay Act to the extent to which it trenched upon the subject
ofItem 19 of the latter List must, it was submitted, be regarded D
as a nullity. We are unable to accede to this contention. As
pointed out by this Court in Bhola Prasad v. Emperor, 1942
F.C.R. 17: (A.I.R 1912 F.C. 17: 43 Cr. L.J. 481 F.C.) the
legislative power given to the Provinces under Item 81 of List
ll is expressed.in wide and unqualified teems which in their
natural and ordinary sen11,e are apt to cover such an enactment · E
as S. 14-B in its amended form, and we see nothing in the
Federal Legislative List and more particularly in Item 19 .to
lead us to out down the fall meaning of the Provincial entry
by excluding foreign liquors from ·its purview. There is, in our
view, no irreconcilable coriflict here such as would necessitate
recourse to the principia of Federal supremacy laid down in F
S. JOO, Constitution Act. Section 14-B does not purport to
restrict or prohibit dealings in liquor in respect,of its
importation or exportation across the sea or land frontiers of
British India. It purports to deal with the possession. of
intoxicating liquors which, in the absence of limiting words, G
must include foreign liquor. It is far fetched, in our opinion,
to suggest that, in so far as the provision covers ff?reign ·•
liquors, it is legislation with respect to import of liquors into
British India by sea or land. "
H
706 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A 61. To the same effect judgment of this Court in State ofBombay
vs. S.F.N. Balsara, AIR 1951 SC 318 is referred. The submission
which has been pressed by the learned counsel for the writ petitioners is
that in a taicing statute one has to merely look into the text and there is no
room for any intentment in deciding liability of the subject to tax regard
must be had to i;>lain and strict letter oflaw. Reliance has been placed on
B
the judgment CIT v. Vatika Township (P) Ltd., (2015) 1 SCC 1. In
paragraph 41.2 and paragraph 41.3 following has been held:
"41.:Z. Alt the same time, it is also mandated that there cannot
be imposition of any tax without the authority of law. Such a
law has to be unambiguous and should prescribe the liability
c to pay taxes in clear terms. If the provision concerned of the
taxing statute is ambiguous and vague and is susceptible to
two interpretations, the interpretation which favours the
subjects, as against the Revenue, has to be preferred. This is
a well-established principle of statutory interpretation, to help
D finding out as to whether particular category of assessee is
to pay a particular tax or not. No doubt, with the application
of this principle, the courts make endeavour to find out the
intention of the legislature. At the same time, this very
principle is based on "fairness" doctrine as it lays down that
if it is not very clear from the provisions ofthe Act as to whether
E the particular tax is to be levied to a particular class ofpersons
or not, the subject should not be fastened with any liability to
pay tax. This principle also acts as a balancing factor between
the two jurisprudential theories ofjustice - Libertarian theory
on the one hand and Kantian theory along with Egalitarian
F theory propounded by John Rawls on the other hand.
41.3. Tax laws are clearly in derogation of personal rights
and property interests and are, therefore, subject to strict
construction, and any ambiguity must be resolved against
imposition of the tax. In Billings v. United States, the Supreme
G Court clearly acknowledged this basic and long-standing rule
of statutory construction: (L Ed p. 598)
"Tax statutes ... should be strictly construed; and if any
ambiguity be found to exist, it must be resolved in favour
of the citizen. "
H
STATE OF. KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 707
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
62. Further, in Mathuram Agrawal v. State of M.P., 1999(8) A
sec 667, in paragraph 12 following has been stated:
"12.... The intention of the legislature in a taxation statute is
to be gathered from the language of the provisions particularly
where the language is plain and unambiguous. In a taxing
Act it is not possible to assume any intention or governing B
purpose of the statute more than what is stated in the plain
language. It is not the economic results sought to be obtained
by making the provision which is relevant in interpreting a
fiscal statute. Equally impermissible is an interpretation which
does not follow from the plain, unambiguous language of the
statute. Words cannot be added to or substituted so as to give c
a meaning to the statute which will serve the spirit and
intention of the legislature. The statute should clearly and
unambiguously convey the three components of the tax law
i.e. the subject of the tax, the person who is liable to pay the
tax and the rate at which the tax is to be paid. If there is any D
ambiguity regarding any of these ingredients in a taxation
statute then there is no tax in law. Then it is for the legislature
to do the needful in the matter. "
63. There cannot be any dispute to the proposition as laid down
by this Court in the above noted cases. Statutes which are in consideration E
are the statutes where clear charging provision has been enacted and
charging of entry tax is on entry of the scheduled goods into a local area
for consumption, use or sale. Thus, the charging event arises on entry of
scheduled goods into a local area. Any goods which are entering into a
local area of a State whether coming from another local area of State,
any other State or outside the country, the charging event is same for all F
goods entering into local area. We, thus, are of the clear view that charging
Section is clear, unambiguous and the provisions cannot be read to mean
that the imported goods coming from outside the country are excluded
from charge of entry tax. No such indication is discernible from any
provision of the Act. Charging event is complete as and when goods G.
enter into local area for use, sale or consumption irrespective of its origin.
We, thus, are of the vie\V that definition clause, Section 2(d) read with
Section 3 does not exclude the charging of the entry tax on goods entering
into local area for consumption, use or sale from outside the coiintry.
H
708 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A 64. In so far as reference of Section 2( c) of the Bihar Act, 1993
as amended in 2003 by adding an explanation and as amended in 2006
by inserting a new Section 2(c ), Section 2(1 )(c) ofUttar Pradesh Tax on
Entry of Goods into Local Area Act, 2007, Section 2( 1)(c) of the
Uttarakhand Tax on Entry of Goods into Local Areas Act, 2009 as well
B as Section 2(l)(c)ofthe West Bengal Tax on Entry of Goods into Local
Areas Act, 2012 which expressly includes entering into local area from
any place outside the territory of India, we only say that the said inclusion
of words 'from outside the India' is a provision made by way ofabundant
caution.
65. The Bibar ArnendmentAct, 2006 by which Section 2(c) was
C inserted by inclucjing clause (iii) is also by way of abundant caution and
to provide it expressly which was already included in the definition of
Section 2(c) read with Section 3.
66. Similarly when by Bihar Act 11 of2003 Section 2 was amended
in following manner:-
D
"2. Amendment of Section-2 of Bihar Act 16, 1993-
i)Aftt!r the proviso to sub-section(e) of section-2 of the Act,
the following explanation shall be inserted and shall be deemed
always to have been so inserted-
E "Explanation- Entry of goods into a local area for
consumption, use or sale therein from any place outside the
territory 11f India shall also be deemed to be an ·entry of goods
for the p11rposes of this Act.
F the intent and purpose of amendment was clear that it was
clarificatory and explanatory. It did not-introduce a concept which was
not already there. ·
67. In Section 2(d) the word used is 'any place outside that local
area or outside the State'. The word 'any' is a word of very wide meaning
G · and use of word 'any' excludes any limitation. We, thus, are of the view
that all the three legislations clearly did not exclude goods coming from
outside the territory of India and the definition of entry of goods read
with charging section clearly included all goods entering into a local area.
Thus, the submissions of learned counsel fur~he petitioners that entry
H tax legislation did not include imported goods cannot be accepted.
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ . 709
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
Entry 41 & 83 of List I and Entrv 52 of List II A·
68. Issue Nos. 2 and 3 being interrelated are being taken together.
Entry tax legislation by the State Legislature are referable to Entry 52
List II as it exist prior to 101" Amendment Act, 2016, which was as
follows:-
"Taxes on the entry of goods into a local area for consumption, B
use or sale therein."
69. The submission, which has been pressed to impugn the State
· legislation is that the entry tax legislation intrude into the field which is
reserved to Parliament under Entry 41 and Entry 83 of List I, which are
as follows:- C
Entry 41- "Trade and commerce with foreign countries; import
and export across customs frontiers; definition of
customs frontiers."
Entry 83- "Duties of customs including export duties." D
70. In so far as trade and commerce with foreign countries, import
and export across the customs frontiers and definition of customs frontiers,
it is the Parliament which has exclusive legislative competence to make
a law under Entry 41 and under Entry 83 on duties of customs including
export duties. E·
7 I. The Constitution of India, Part XI, Chapter I deals with
legislative relations, legislative powers of Parliament and State
Legislatures are clearly demarcated. Power to tax is an incidence of
sovereignty'and there is a clear demarcation of taxing field, which has
been earmarked to the Parliament as weUas to the State Legislatures.
F
Taxing power of both Union and State Legislatures are mutually exclusive
and has been clearly demarcated. This is further clear by the fact that in
List III, i.e. Concurrent List, no taxing entry is included except the entry
of stamp duty & levying offee in respect -0fany of the matters in List III
but not including fees taken in any Court.
72. Constitution Bench of this Court .in Godfrey Phillips India G
Ltd. & Anr. Vs. State of U.P. & Ors., (2005) 2 SCC 515, had
elab-Orately considered the entries in Seventh Schedule of the Constitution
of India. Following was laid down in Paragraphs 44 and 45:-
H
710 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A "44. The Indian Constitution is unique in that it contains an
exhaustive enumeration and division of legislative powers of
taxation be(ween the Centre and the States. This mutual
exclusivity is reflected in Article 246(1) and has been noted
in H.M Seervai s Constitutional Law of India, 4th Edn.. Vol.
1 at p. 166 in para 1A.25 where, after commenting on the
B
problems created by the overlapping powers of taxation
provided for in other countries with federal structures such
as the United States, Canada and Australia, the learned author
opined:
"The lists contained in Schedule VII to the Government of
c India Aot, 1935, provided for distinct and separate fields
of taxation, and it is not without significance that the
concurrent legislative list contains no entry relating to
taxation but provides only for 'fees' in respect of matters
contained in the list but not including fees taken in any
D court. List I and List II of Schedule VII thus avoid
overlapping powers of taxation and proceed on the basis
of a/locating adequate sources of taxation for the
federation and the provinces. with the result that few
problems of conflicting or competing taxing powers have
arisen under the Government of India Act, 1935. This
E scheme of the legislative lists as regards taxation has been
taken over by the Constitution of India with like beneficial
results,"
45. This view has also been reiterated in Hoechst
Pharmaceuticals Ltd. v. State of Bihar, (1983) 4 SCC 45: (SCC
F pp. 92-93, paras 75 & 76)
"A scrutiny of Lists I and II of the Seventh Schedule would
show that there is no overlapping anywhere in the taxing
power and the Constitution gives independent sources of
taxation to the Union and the States. Following the scheme
G of the Government of India Act, 1935, the Constitution has
made the taxing power of the Union and of the States
mutually exclusive and thus avoided the difficulties which
have arisen in some other Federal Constitutions from
overlapping powers of taxation.
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 711
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
.:. Thus, in our Constitution, a conflict of the taxing power of A
the Union and of the States cannot arise."
(See also State of WB. v. Kesoram Industries Ltd., (2004) JO
sec 201.r
73. This Court further held that in construction of a taxing entry,
an interpretation which may lead to overlapping must be eschewed. If B
the taxing power is within a particular legislative field, it would follow
that other fields in the legislative lists must be construed to exclude this
field. In Para 46,following was held :
"46. Therefore, taxing entries must be constmed with clarity
and precision so as to maintain such exclusivity, and a C
construction of a taxation entry which ,;,ay lead to
overlapping must be eschewed. If the taxing poV.>er is within
a particular legislative field, it would follow that other fields
in the legislative lists must be constmed to exclude this field
so that there is no possibility of legislative trespass. " D
74. Entries in VII'" Schedule are not powers but fields oflegislation.
It is also well settled that in deciding whether any particular enactment
is within the purview of one Legislature or the other, it is pith and substance
of the legislation that has to be looked into. Whenever a State legislation
is challenged as being under the competence of the State Legislature, E
the test, which has been laid down by this Court is that one must find out
by applying the rule of pith and substance that whether the legislation
falls within any of the List II, if it does, no further question arises. Attack
on the ground oflegislative competence must fail. This Court in State of
A.P. & Ors. Vs. Mcdowell & Co. & Ors., (1996) 3 SCC 709 laid
down following in Paragraph 36:- F
"36. Jn view of our finding that the impugned enactment is
perfectly within the legislative competence of the State
Legislalllre and is fully covered by Entry 8 read with Entry 6
of List JI, it is not necessary for us to deal with the arguments
based upon clause (3) of Article 246 of the Constitution except G
to say the following: once the impugned enactment is within
the four corners of Entry 8 read with Entry 6, no Central law
whether made with reference to an ·entry in List I or with
reference to an entry in List Ill can affect the validity of such
State enactment. The argument of occupied field is totally out H
712 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A ofplace in such a context. If a particular matter is within the
exclusive competence of the State Legislature, i.e.. in List II
that represents the prohibited field for the Union. Similarly, if
any matter is within the exclusive competence of the Union, it
becomes a prohibited field for the States. The concept of
occupied field is really relevant in the case of laws made with
B
reference to entries in List Ill. In other words, whenever a
piece of legislation is said to be beyond the legislative
competence of a State Legislature, what one must do is to find
out, by applying the rule of pith and substance, whether that
legislation falls within any of the entries in List JI. If it does,
c no further question arises; the attack upon the ground of
legislative competence shall fail .... "
75. The distribution of power between Union and States is done
in a mutually exclusive manner as is reflected by precise and clear field
oflegislation as allocated under different list under the Seventh Schedule.
D No assumption of any overlapping between a subject allocated to Union
and State arises. When the field of legislation falls in one or other in
Union or State Lists, the legislation falling under the State entry has
always been upheld. The Scheme of distribution of legislative power
between Union and States in the Constitution of India relies on the
distribution of legislative power between the Federal Government and
E Provincial Government as contained in Seventh Schedule of the
Government of India Act, 1935. The Government of India Act, 1935 has
been referred to as ConstitutionAct by the Privy Council. In this context,
reference is made to a judgment of Federal Court reported in AIR 1942
FC 33, The Province of Madras Vs. Messrs. Boddu Paidanna and
F Sons.(1942 FCR 90), the Madras Legislature has enacted Madras
Genera! Sales Tax Act, 1939. The respondent was carrying on business
which consists of purchase of ground nuts for the purpose of extracting
oil from the kernels of the nuts and the making of groundnut cake out of
the residue was assessed to tax under the 1939 Act. The levy of tax
was challenged by the respondent before the District Munsif and the
G High Court of Madras on the ground that first sale of goods manufactured
in the Province was a duty of excise, which is not within the competence
of Provincial Legislature. The High Court accepted the challenge and
held that State Legislature was not competent to tax. In the Government
oflndiaAct, 1935, the Federal Legislature, under List I Entry 45, has an
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 713
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
exclusive power to impose duties of excise whereas the Provincial A
Legislature, under List II Entry 48, has an exclusive power to impose
taxes on the sale of goods. CHIEF JUSTICE GWYER reversing the
judgment of the High Court held that duties are levied upon· the
manufacturer or producer in respect of manufacturer or production of
the commodity taxed whereas tax on the sale of goods is levied as qua
B
seller and not qua manufacturer. Federal Court held that there is no
overlapping in law. Following observations were made:-
"The duties of excise which the Constitution Act assigns
exclusively to the Central Legislature are, according to the
Central Provinces Case, duties levied upon the manufactory
or producer in respect of the manufacture or production of c
the commodiiy taxed. The tax on the sale of goods, which the
Act assigns exclusively to the Provincial Legislatures, is a tax
levied on the occasion of the sale of the goods. Plainly a tax
levied on the first sale must in the nature of things be a tax on
the sale by the manufacturer or producer ; but it is levied D
upon him qua seller and not qua manufacturer or producer.
It may well be that a manufacturer or producer is sometimes
doubly hit ; but so is the taxpayer in Canada who has to pay
income-tax levied by the Province for provincial purposes,
and a/so income-tax levied .by the Dominion for Dominion
purposes: see Caron v. The King {1924} A.C. 999; Forbes v. E
Att.-Gen. for Manitoba {1937] A.C. 260. /(the taxpayer who
pays a sales tax is also a manufacturer or producer of
commodities subiect to a central duty of excise. there may no
doubt be an· overlapping in one sense ; but there is no
overlapping in law. The two taxes which he is called on to F
pay are economically two separate and distinct imposts .... "
76. Federal Court further laid down that manufacture and sale
has no necessary connection and both are independent. It was further
held that:-
"•..• JI is the fact of manufacture which attracts the duty, even G
though it may be collected later; and we may draw attention
to the Sugar Excise Act in which it is specially provided that
the duty is payable not only in respect of sugar w.hich is issued
from the factory but also in respect ofsugar which is consumed
within the factory. In the case of a sales tax. the liability to H
714 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2017] 13 S.C.R.
A tax arises on the occasion of a sale. and a sale has No.
necessary connexion with manufacture or production. The
manufacturer or producer cannot of course sell his commodity
unless he has first manufactured or produced it : but he is
liable. ifat all. to a sales tax because he sells and not because
he manufactures or produces: and he would be free (ram
B
liability ifhe chose to give away everything which came (ram
his factory.
In our opinion the power of the Provincial Legislatures to
levy a tax on the sale of goods extends to sales of every kind.
whether first sales or not; and we regret that we are unable to
c agree with the contrary opinion which has been expressed by
the High Court.. .. "
77. The above judgment of Federal Court was upheld by Privy
Council in The Governor General in Co11ncil Vs. The Province of
Madras, reported in 58 L.W. 228. LORD SIMONDS held that in
D event a controversy should arise whether one or other Legislature is not
exceeding its own, and encroaching on the other's, constitutional
legislative power, and in such a contrbversy it is a principle, that it is not
the name of the tax but its real nature, its "pith and substance", which
must determine into what category it falls. After referring to the provisions
E of Madras General Sales Tax Act, 1939, Lordship opined that its real
nature, its pith and substance is that it imposes a tax on the sale of
goods. The Privy Council further observed that the Indian Constitution
(The Government of India Act, 1935) contains what purports to be an
exhaustive enumeration and division of legislative powers between the
Federal and the Provincial Legislatures. Upholding the Legislative power
F of the Provincial Legislature, the Privy Council laid down following:-
"....An exhaustive discussion of this subject. from which their
Lordships have obtained valuable assistance, is to be found
in the judgment of the Federal Court in re the Central
Provinces and Berar Sales of Motor Spirit and Lubricants
G Taxation Act No. 14 of 1938 ('39) 26 A.I.R. 1939 F.C. 1.
Consistently with this decision, their Lordships are of opinion
that a duty of excise is primarily a duty levied upon a
manufacturer or producer in respect of the commodity
manufactured or produced. It is a tax upon goods not upon
sales or the proceeds of sale of goods. Here again their
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 715
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
Lordships find themselves in complete accord with the A
reasoning and conclusions of the Federal Court in the Boddu
Paidanna case. Province of Madras v. Boddu Paidanna and
Sons. Reported in ('42) 29 A.l.R. 1942 F.C. 33 The two taxes.
the one levied upon a manufacturer in respect of his goods,
the other upon a vendor in respect of his sales, may, as is B
there pointed out, in one sense overlap. But in law there is no
overlapping. The taxes are separate and distinct imposts. If
in fact they overlap, that may be because the taxing authority,
imposing a duty of excise, finds it convenient to impose that
duty at the moment when the exercisable article leaves the
factory or workshop for the first time upon the occasion of C
its sale. But that method of collecting the tax is an accident of
administration: it is not of the essence of the duty of excise
which is attracted by the manufacture itself. ... "
78. This Court in the case of Ram Krishna Ramnath Agarwal
of Kamptee Vs. Secretary, Municipal Committee, Kamptee, AIR D
1950 SC 11 had occasion to consider the levy of octroi on the entry of
excisable goods. The appellant, on 30.11.1945 brought to Kamptee,
from outside tobacco to make bi dis. Municipality directed for recovery
of the octroi duty under Section 66( 1)( e) of the Central Province
Municipalities Act, 1922. The appellant challenged the leviability of octroi
on the ground that tobacco is excisable goods under Central Excises and E
Salt Act, 1944. It is only Central Government, who is entitled to recover
the excise duty and the octroi is not payable. The High Court had rejected
the contention and the appeal was dismissed by this Court holding that
levy of excise duty is not in conflict with the levy of an impost on the
entry of the goods. In Para 10 of the judgment following has been held:- F
"JO. This discussion clearly shows that the relevant question
is what is the nature of the tax. Excise duty is a tax on
manufactured goods. Octroi duty is a tax levied on the entry
of goods within a particular area. Under the Excise Act,
tobacco becomes excisable goods within the meaning of Item G
9 in the Schedule. The subsequent use of such manufactured
goods in making different articles only affects the rate of tax.
Therefore, tobacco becomes subject to excise duty when it
reaches the stage of manufacture mentioned in Item 9 of the
Schedule to the Excise Act. Even before it is converted into
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716 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A bidis or any other article mentioned in the entry it has become
excisable goods and liable to pay excise duty. The levy of
such duty is therefore not in conflict with the levy of an impost
on the entry of the goods within a certain area. "
79. Another judgment which needs to be noticed is Jiyajeerao
B Cotton Mills Ltd., Bir/anagar, Gwalior Vs. State ofMadhya Pradesh,
AIR 1963 SC 414. The appellant was a textile mill generating electricity
for the purpose of running its mills. State of Madhya Pradesh imposed
electricity duty under Central Provinces and Berar Electricity Duty Act,
1949. The imposition of duty was challenged on the ground that Provincial
Legislature has no competence to impose electricity duty since on
c manufacture of electricity, it is Central Legislature under Entry 84 List I
has competence. This Court repelling the contention laid down following
in Paragraph 6 :-
"6. It is difficult to see how the levy of duty upon consumption
of electrical energy can be regarded as duty of excise falling
D within Entry 84 of List I. Under that Entry what is permitted
to Parliament is levy of duty of excise on manufacture or
production of goods (other than those excepted expressly by
that entry). The taxable event with respect to a duty of excise
is "manufacture" or "production". Here the taxable event is
E not production generation of electrical energy but its
conrmmption. If a producer generates electrical energy and
stones it up, he would not be required to pay any duty under
the Act. It is only when he sells it or consumes it that he would
be rendered liable to pay the duty prescribed by the Act. The
Central Provinces and Berar Electricity Act was enacted
F under Entry 48-B of List II of the Government of India Act,
1935. The relevant portion of that Entry read thus:
''Taxes on the consumption or sale of electricity"
Entry 53 of List II of the Constitution is to the same
G effect............ The language used in the legislative -entries in
the Constitution must be interpreted in a broad way so as to
give the widest amplitude ofpower to the legislature to legislate
and not in a narrow and pedantic sense. We cannot, therefore,
accept either of the two grounds urged by Mr Viswanatha
Sastri challenging the vires of the Act. "
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 717
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
80. This Court in the above case further held that language used A
in the legislative entries in the Constitution must be interpreted in a broad
way so as to give the widest amplitude of power to the legislature to
legislate and not in a narrow and pedantic sense. Constitution bench
judgment in D. G Gose and Co. (Agents) Pvt. Ltd. Vs. State of Kera/a
&Anr., (1980) 2 SCC 410 also need to be noticed. TheKeralaBuilding B
Tax Act, 1975 imposing tax on building under List II Entry 49 "tax on
land and buildings" whereas List I Entry 86 "Taxes on the capital value
of assets, exclusive of agricultural land, of individuals and companies;
taxes on the capital of companies."
81. Referring to the aforesaid two taxes under List I and List II,
this Court laid down that two taxes are separate and distinct imposts and C
they cannot be said to be over-lap each other and shall be within the
competence of the Legislatures concerned In Para 9 of the judgment,
following has been held:-
"9. It has to be appreciated that in almost all cases, a tax has
two elements which have been precisely stated by Seervai in D
his "Constitutional Law of India", 2nd Edn., Vol. 2, as follows,
at p. 1258:
"Another principle for reconciling apparently conflicting
tax entries follows from the fact that a tax has two elements:
the person, thing or activity on which the tax is imposed, E
and the amount of the tax. The amount may be measured in
many ways; but decided cases establish a clear distinction
between the subject-matter of a tax and the standard by
which the amount of tax is measured. These two elements
are described as the subject of a tax and the measure of a F
tax. "
It may well be that ones building may imperceptibly be the
subject-matter of tax, say the wealth I.ax. as a component of
his assets, under Entry 86 (List I); and it may also be subjected
to tax, _say a direct tax under.Entry 46 (sic 49)(List JI), but as G
the two taxes are s_eparate'iind distinct imposts, they cannot
be said to overlap each other, and would be within the
competence of the legislatures concerned. "
82. Nine Judges Constitution Bench in Jindal Stainless Ltd. &
Ors. Vs. State of Haryana & Ors., (2016) 11SCALE1 has also held H
718 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2017] 13 S.C.R.
A that taxing power of the Union and the States are mutually exclusive.
Approving the findings expressed by H.M. Seervai in its treatise
Constitutional Law of India, following was observed:-
'" ...... The celebrated author, in our opinion, was right in saying
so jbr the taxing power of the Union and the States are
B mutually exclusive. While the Parliament cannot legislate on
the subjects reserved for the States, the States cannot similarly
trespass onto the taxing powers of the Union. If the
Constitutional scheme does not allow the Parliament to usurp
the taxing powers of the State Legislatures, such process of
usurpation cannot also be permitted to take place in the garb
c of making Union executive's concurrence an essential pre-
reqiiisite for any taxing legislation. The following passage
from Seervai s book (Vol. 3, Page 2607) is in this regard
instructive:
23.43. Thirdly, the whole scheme of taxation in our
D Constitution would be completely dislocated if Article 304(b)
included a tax. The taxing powers of the Union and the States
have been made mutually exclusive so that Parliament cannot
deprive the States of their taxing powers as has happened in
countries where the powers of taxation are concurrent. It
E would be surprising if the Union legislature, i.e. Parliament
could not take away the taxing powers of the State legislatures
and yet it would be open to the Union executive Under Article
304(b) to deprive the State legislatures of their taxing powers."
83. As noted above, although, Nine Judges Constitution Bench
F had left the question open of validity of entry tax on goods imported
from countries outside the territories of India, the two Hon 'ble Judges,
i.e. Justice R. Banumathi and Justice Dr. D. Y. Chandrachud while
delivering separate judgment have considered the leviability of entry tax
on imported goods in detail. Both Hon 'ble Judges have held that there is
no clash/overlap between entry levied by the State under Entry 52 List
G II and the custom duty levied by the Union under Entry 83 List I. We
have also arrived at the same conclusion in view of the foregoing
discussions. We thus hold that entry tax fegislations do not intrude in the
legislative field reserved for Parliament under Entry 41 and under Entry
83 of List I. The State Legislature is fully competent to impose tax on
the entry of goods into a local area for consumption, sale and use. We
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 719
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
thus repel the submission of petitioner that entry tax legislation of the A
State encroaches in the Parliament's field.
Concept & Extent of Import
84. Now, we come to Issue No.IV relating to import and its extent.
Import and export are concepts which denote trade between different
countries. The term "import" signifies etymologically "to bring in". To B
import goods into the territory of India means to bring them into the
territory of India from abroad.· Black's Law Dictionary, Tenth Edition,
defines import as follows:-
"J, A product brought into a country from a foreign country
where it originated imports declined in the third quarter. c
See parallel imports. 2. The process or activity of bringing
foreign goods into a country the import of products affects
the domestic economy in significant ways. Cf Export. n. 3.
Meaning; esp .. implied meaning the court must decide the
import of that obscure provision. 4. Importance; significance D
time will tell the relative import of Judge Kozinski s decisions
in American law. "
85. In Advanced Law Lexicon, by P. Ramanatha Aiyar, 3"' Edition,
import has been defined in following words:-
"The term "import" means to bring into a country merchandise E
from abroad, and is the direct converse of the term "export"
which means to carry from a state or country, as wares in
commerce. " .
86. The Customs Act, 1962 defines the terms "import", "imported
goods" and "importer" in Sections 2(23), 2(25) and 2(26) respectively, F
which are as follows;-
"2(23) "import" with its grammatical variations and cognate
expressions, means bringing into India from a place outside
India;"
2(25) "Imported goods" means any goods brought into India G
from a place outside India but does not include goods which
have been cleared for home consumption;
2(26) "importer", in relation to any goods at any time between
their importation and the time when they are cleared for home
H
720 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A consumption, includes [any owner, beneficial owner] or any
person holding himself out to be the importer;"
87. This Court had occasion to consider the concept of import
and export ii:t c_ontext of Article 286 of the Constitution of India in State
of Travancore-Cochin & Ors. Vs. Shanmugha Vilas Cashewnut
B Factory, Qui/on, AIR 1953 SC 333. Travancore-Cochin General Sales
Tax Act, Section.3 provided for levy of a tax on the total turnover of
every dealer for each year. Facts of the case have been noted in Para
3 of the judgment, which are as follows:-
"3. The respondents are dealers in cashewnuts in the State,
c and their business consists in importing raw cashewnuts from
abroad and the neighbouring districts in the State of Madras
in addition to purchases made in the local market, and, after
converting them by means of certain processes into edible
kernels, exporting the kernels to other countries, mainly
America. The oil pressed from the shells removed from the
D cashewnuts was also exported. The Constitution having come
into force on January 26, 1950, the respondent in each appeal
claimed exemption under Article 286(/)(b) in respect of the
purchases made from that date till May 29, 1950, the end of
the account year. The Sales Tax authorities having ·rejected
E the clqim, the resppndents applied to the High Court under
Article 226, and that court uphf!/d the claim and quashed the
assessments in so far as they related to the said period The
State has preferred the appeals. "
88. This Court while considering the exemption under Article
F 286(l)(b) has laid down the following in Para 10:-
"As regards the first mentioned category, we are of opinion
that the transactions are not within the protection of clause
(J){b). What is exempted under the clause is the sale or
purchase of goods taking place in the course of the import of
the goods into or export of the goods out of the territory of
G
India. Jt is obvious that the words "import into" and "export
out pf' in this context do not mean the article or commodity
imported or exported. The reference to "the goods" and to
"the territory of India" make it clear that the wort;ls "export
out of" and "import into" mea'! ·the exportation out of the
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 721
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
country and importation into the country respectively. The A
word "course" etymologically denotes movement from one
point to another, and the expression "in the course of" not
only implies a period of time during which the movement is in
progress but postulates also a connected relation .... "
89. The purchase for the purpose of import and similarly, the sale B
after import were held to be distinct legal transactions, it was held:-
" JO. The phrase "integrated activities" was used in the
previous decision to denote that "such a sale" (i.e. a sale
which occasions the export) "cannot be dissociated from the
export without which it cannot be effectuated, and the sale c
and the resultant export form parts· of a single transaction".
It is in that sense that 'the two activities - the sale and the
export - were said to be integrated. A purchase for the
purpose of export like production or manufacture for export,
is only an act preparatory to export and cannot, in our
opinion, be regarded as an aci done "in the course of the D
export of the goods out of the territory of India", any more
than the other two activities can be so regarded. As pointed
out by a recent writer:
"From the legal point of view it is essential to distinguish the
contract of sale which has as its object the exportation of E
goods from this country from other contracts of sale relating
to the same goods, but not being the. direct and immediate
cause for the shipment of the goods.... When a merchant
shipper in the United Kingdom buys for the purpose ofexport
goods from a manu.facturer in 'the same country the contract F
of sale is a home trdnsaction; but when he resells these goods
to a buyer abroad that contract of sale has to be classified as
an export transaction. "
This passage shows that, in view of the distinct character ·
and quality ofthe two transactions, it is not correct to speak G
of a purchase for export, as an activity so integrated with the
exportation that the former could be regarded as done "in
the course of'' the latter. The same reasoning applies to the
first sale after import which is a distinct local transaction
effected after the i'r'portation of the goods into the country
H
722 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A has been completed. and having no integral relation with it.
Any attempt therefore to invoke the authority of the previous
decision in support a/the suggested extension of the protection
of clause (J)(b) to the last purchase for the purpose of export
and the first sale cifter import on the gro11nd of integrated
activities m11st fail."
B
90. The writ petitioners have also placed reliance on the contents
of Article 286 of the Constitution especially Article 286(1 )(b) read with
Article 286(2). Article 286(1) and (b) are as follows:
"Article 286. Restrictions as to imposition of tax on the sale
C or purchase of goods:-
(/)No law of a State shall impose. or authorise the imposition
of, a tax on the s11pp/y of goods or of services or both, where
such supply takes place-
(a) ... ..... .
D
(b) in the course of' the import of the goods or services or
both into. or export of the goods or services or both out of,
the territory of India. "
91. It is supported that though Article 286 deals with the restriction
on the State kgislative power qua imposition of tax on the sale or purchase
E
of goods nevertheless the formulation of the principle by the Parliament
with regard to "in the course of the import or export" clearly shows that
the legislative domain in this regard is with Parliament and not with States.
In point of fact, any legislation relating to the "course of import or export"
has to relate to Entry 41 read with Entry 83 of List I and it cannot relate
F to any other Entry and definitely not to any Entry in State List. Reliance
was also placed on Section 5(3) of the Central Sales Tax Act, 1956. On
the strength of Section 5, it is sought to be contended that on parity of
logic the first sale after the import be treated as in the course of import.
92. Article 286 of the Constitution provides for restrictions as to
G the imposition of the tax on the sale or purchase of goods. The subject-
matter of laws made by Parliament and legislatures of the States as per
Article 246 read with Seventh Schedule and Article 245 are subject to
the provisions of the Constitution. Legislative power as contained in List
II is thus subject to express restrictions as imposed by Article 286. Article
286 sub-clause (I) uses the expression "in the course of the import of
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 723
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, l]
the goods". The concept "in the course of import of goods" as used in A
Article 286( 1) can very well be implied while considering the concept of
the import of goods. In so far as Section 5 sub-section (3) of Central
Sales Tax Act, 1956, the said provision provides that last sale or purchase
of any goods preceding the sale or purchase occasioning the export of
those goods out of the territory oflndia shall also be deemed to be in the
B
course of such export. Section 5(3) is with regard to the export of the
goods out of the territory of India and has not been used with regard to
the concept of import. Section 5(1), (2), (3) are relevant which are to
the following effect:
"Section 5. When is a sale or purchase ofgoods said to take
place in the course of import or export.- (I) A sale or purchase c
of goods shall be deemed to take place in the course of the
export of the goods out of the territory of India only if the
sale or purchase either occasions such export or is effected
by a transfer of documents of title to the good' qfier the goods
have crossed the customs frontiers of India. D
(2) A sale or purchase of good shall be deemed to take place
in the course of the import of the goods into the territory of
India only if the sale or purchase either occasions such import
or is ~fleeted by a transfer of documents of title to the goods
before the goods have crossed the customs frontiers of India. E
(3) Not withstanding anything contained in sub-section (I),
the last sale or purchase of any good' preceding the sale or
purchase occasioning the export of those goods out of the
territory of India shall also be deemed to be in the course of
such export, if such last sale or purchase took place after, F
and was for the purpose of complying with, the agreement or
order for or in relation to such export. "
93. The submissions of the writ petitioners on the strength of
Section 5(3) that even first sale after the import should be treated during
the course of the import is not supported by the concept as contained in
G
Section 5 of the 1956Act and the reliance on the said provision is wholly
misplaced.
94. As noted above, the restriction in the legislative power of the
State as contained in Article 286 is with regard to taxing on sale or
purchase of goods which takes place outside the State or in the course
H
724 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A of import of the goods or services or export of goods or services. The
restriction of Article 286 does not ipso facto can be placed while
considering the legislative field of the State under Entry 52 and by virtue
ofArticle 286 no restriction can be put on the legislative competence of
the State in the field as defined under Entry 52. However, the concept
underlined in "the course ofimport of the goods" as in Article 286( I)(b)
B
can very well be1applied to find out as to when the import of goods come
to an end. We thus proceed to examine certain cases/judgments of this
Court which were delivered in the context of Article 286.
95. The tenn import again came for consideration before this Court
in J. V. Gokal & Co. (Private) Ltd. Vs. Assistant Collector of Sales
c Tax (Inspection) & Ors., AIR 1960 SC 595. This Court explained the
word import and the phrase "in the course of the import of the goods into
the territory of India". In paragraphs 9and11, following has been held:-
"9. What does the phrase "in the course of the import of the
goods into the territory of India" convey? The crucial words
D of the phrase are "import" and "in the course of". The term
"import" signifies etymologically "to bring in". To import
goods into the territory of India therefore means to bring into
the 'territory of India goods from abroad. The words "course"
means "progress from point to point". The course of import.
therefore, starts from one point and ends at another. It starts
E when the goods cross the customs barrier in foreign country
and ends when they cross the customs barrier in the importing
country. These words were subject ofjudicial scrutiny by this
Court in State of Travancore-Cochin v. Shanmugha Vilas
Cashew Nut Factory}. Construing these words, Patanjali
F Sastri, C.J.. observed at p. 62:
"The word 'course' etymologically denotes movement from
one point to another. and the expression 'in the course of'
not only implies a period oftime during which the movement
is in progress but postulates also a connected relation. "
G As regards the limits of the course. the learned Chief Justice
observed at p. 68:
"it would seem. therefore, logical to hold that the course
of the export out of. or of the import into the territory of
India does not commence or terminate until the goods cross
the customs barrier. "
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 725
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
Das, J., as he then was, in his dissenting judgment practically A
agreed with Patanjali Sastri, C.J., on the interpretation of
the said words. The learned Judge expressed his view at p.
92 thus:
"The word 'course' conveys to my mind the idea of a
gradual and continuous flow, an advance, a journey, a B
passage or progress from one place to another.
Etymologically it means and implies motion, a forward
movement. The phrase 'in the course of' clearly has
reference to a period of time during which the movement is
in progress. Therefore, the words "in the course of the
import of the goods into and the export of the goods out of C
the territory of India 'obviously cover the period of time
during which the goods are on their import or export
journey'."
We respectfully agree with the aforesaid observations of the
learned Judges. The course of the import of the goods may D
be said to begin when the goods enter their import journey
i.e. when they cross the customs barrier of the foreign country
and end when they cross the customs barrier of the importing
country."
"II. The legal position vis-a-vis the import-~_ale can be E
summarised thus: (1) The course of import of goods starts at
a point when the goods cross the customs barrier of the foreign
country and ends at a point in the importing country after the
goods cross the customs barrier; (2) the sale which occasions
the import is a sale in the course of import; (3) a purchase by F
an importer of goods when they are on the high seas by
payment against shipping documents is also a purchase in
the course of import, and (4) a sale by an importer of goods,
after the property in the goods passed to him either after the
receipt of the documents of title against payment or otherwise,
to a third party by a similar process is also a sale in the course G
of import. "
96. Learned counsel for the petitioners has placed much reliance
on Nine Judges Constitution Bench in re Sea Customs Act Case, AIR
H
726 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A 1963 SC 1760. This Cuurt in the aforesaid case had answered a
reference made tmder Article 143( I). Three questions to be answered
were as follows:-
"(!)Du the provisions of Article 289 of the Constitution
preclude the Union from imposing. or authorising the
B imposition of, custums duties on the import or export of the
property of a Stale used.for purposes other than those specified
in c/a11se (2) of that article?
(2) Do the prol'isions of Article 289 of the Constitution of
India preclude the Union Ji-om imposing, or authorising the
C imposition of, excise duties on the production or manufacture
in India of the property of a State used for purposes other
than those specified in clause (2) of that article?
(3) Will sub-section (2) of Section 20 of the Sea Customs Act,
I878 (Act 8 of 1878), and sub-section (I-A) of Section 3 of
D the Central Excises and Salt Act, 1944 (Act I of I944) as
amended by the Bill set out in the annexure be inconsistent
with the provisions of Article 289 of the Constitution of
India?"
97. In the above context, this Court had examined the distribution
E oflegislative power between the Union and the States. This Court held
that there is no overlapping in the matter of taxation between the two
Lists, i.e., List I and List II. This Court held that all customs duties
including export duties are within the powers of Parliament with which
States are not concerned. In Para 9 of the judgment, following
observations are made:-
F
"..... All customs duties, including export duties, relating as
they do to transactions of import into or export out of the
country are within the powers of Parliament. The States are
not concerned with those. They are. only concerned with taxes
on the entry of goods in local areas for consumption, use or
G sale therein, covered by entry 52 in the State List. Except for
duties of excise on alcoholic liquors and opium and other
narcotic drugs. all duties of exercise are leviable by
Parliament. Hence, it can be said that by and large, taxes on
income, duties of customs and duties of excise are within the
exclusive power of legislation by Parliament. "
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 717
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
98. It is relevant to notice that this Court clearly noticed the power A
of States to levy entry tax on entry of goods in local area for consumption,
sale or use. The above observations. made by the Constitution Bench
clearly support the submission ofleamed counsel for the State that power
of State under Entry 52 was recognised while considering the Union's
power to levy the customs duty. This Court filrther laid down that in the
B
case of levy of customs duty, the taxable event is the import of goods
within the customs barriers. In paragraph 26 of the judgment, following
was stated:-
"(26) Similarly in the case of duties of customs including
export duties though they are levied with reference to goods,
the taxable event is either the import of goods within the c
customs barriers or their export outside the customs ~arriers.
They art: also indirect taxes like excise and cannot in our
opinion be equated with direct taxes on goods themselves.
Now, what is the true nature of an import or export duty?
Truly speaking, the imposition of an import duty, by and large, D'
results in a condition which must be fulfilled before the goods
can be brought inside the customs barriers i.e. before they
form part of the mass of goods within the country. Such a
condition is imposed by way of the exercise of the power ~f
the Union to regulate the manner and terms on which goods
may be brought into the country from a foreign land. ... " E
99. Learned counsel for the writ petitioners has laid much emphasis
on the observations made by nine-Judge Constitution Bench in paragraph
26 as quoted above. The above observations were made by the nine-
Judge Constitution Bench while considering the nature of import and
export. It was held that the imposition of import duty results in a condition F
which must be fulfilled before the goods can be brought inside the customs
barriers i.e. before they form part of mass of goods within the country.
When the goods land in the custom area of the Indian territory and
released for the home consumption, it forms part of the mass of goods
within the country and the importation is complete. We, thus, do not find G
any inconsistency in the constitutional concept of import as envisaged in
Article 286( 1)(b) and the concept of import as is contained in Customs
Act, 1962.
100. This Court had also occasion to consider the issue as to
when import would be completed in the case of Kiran Spinning Milfs H
728 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A Vs. Collector of Customs, (2000) 10 SCC 228, following was held in
paragraph 6:-
".... The import would be completed only when the goods are
to cross the customs barriers and that is the time when the
import duty has to be paid and that is what has been termed
B by this Court in Sea Customs case (SCR at p. 823) as being
the taxable event. The taxable event, therefore, being the day
of crossing of customs barrier, and not on the date when the
goods had landed in India or had entered the territorial
waters, we find that on the date of the taxable event the
additional duty ofexcise was leviable under the said Ordinance ·
c and, therefore, additional duty under Section 3 of the Tariff
Act was rightly demanded from the appellants. "
101. Similar view was expressed in the case of Garden Silk Mills
Ltd. & Anr. Vs. Union of India & Ors., (1999) 8 SCC 744, in
paragraph 18, which is to the following effect:-
D
"18. It would appear to us that the import of goods into India
would commence when the same cross into the territorial waters
but continues and is completed when the goods become part
of the mass of goods within the country; the taxable event
being reached at the time when the goods reach the customs
E barriers and the bill of entry for home consumption is filed. "
102. The law relating to customs has been consolidated by the
Customs Act, 1962. The definitions of"import", "imported goods" and
"importer" have already been noticed above. The definition of imported
goods as given in Section 2(25) is - any goods brought into India from
F the place outside India but does not include goods, which have been
cleared for home consumption. The provision clearly contemplates that
once the goods are released for home consumption, the character of
imported goods is lost and thereafter no longer the goods could be called
as imported goods. The import transit is only till the goods are released
G for home consumption. The taxing event for entry tax under Entry 52
List II is entirely different and has nothing to do with the customs duty.
The State by imposing entry tax in any manner is not entrenching in the
power of the Parliament to impose customs duty. The goods are released
for home consumption only after payment of the customs duty due to
the Central Government. The goods which are imported cannot be held
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 729
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J:]
to be insulated so as to not subject to any State tax, any such insulation A
of the imported goods shall be a protectionist measure which will be
·discriminatory and invalid. When all normal goods are subjected to State
tax no exemption can be claimed by goods, which have been imported
from payment of entry tax. To take a common example, all goods, which
pass through a toll bridge are liable to pay toll tax, can it be said that the
F
imported goods which after having been released from customs barriers
and are pa5sing through a toll bridge, are not liable to pay the toll tax, the
answer has to be in No. Thus, the event for levy of customs duty, which
is in the domain of the Parliament, is entirely different from that of event
of entry tax. The liability to pay State entry tax arises only when goods
enter into a local area for consumption, use and sale, which event is c
entirely different and separate from the levy of a customs duty, which is
on import,
103. Learned counsel for the petitioner has contended that the
definition given in the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962 cannot control
· the scope and ambit of the Constitutional entries. It is submitted that D
Constitutional entries have to be read giving widest possible amplitude
and have to be given wide meaning and their scope and ambit cannot be
controlled by a Parliamentary Legislation or by the definitions given in a
Parliamentary Legislation. In the case of ITC Ltd. Vs. Agricultural
Produce Market Committee & Ors.(2002) 9 SCC 232, the
Constitutional Bench in paragraph 32 laid down as under:- E
"32. In State of A.P. v. McDowell & Co. also it was held that
the ambit and scope of a constitutional entry cannot be
determined with reference to a parliamentary enactment. If it
is otherwise, it would result in Parliament enacting and/or
amending an enactment thereby controlling the ambit and F
scope of the constitutional provision. That cannot be the law.
The power to legislate with which we are concerned is
contained in Article 246. The fields are demarcated in the
various entries. On reading both, it has to be decided whether
the legislature concerned is competent to legislate when its G
validity is questioned. The ambit and scope of an entry cannot
be determined with reference to a parliamentary enactment. "
104. There cannot be any dispute to the proposition as laid down
by this Court in the above case that the scope and ambit of the
Constitutional entries have to be given a wide meaning and scope. There
H
730 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A is no inhibition on the Parliament in exercising its legislative power under
Entry 41 List I to define customs frontiers and further legislate with
regard to duties of customs. Even if we do not confine to the definition
of imported goods as given in the Customs Act, 1'!62, the generally
accepted meaning and definition of import as has been laid down in
cases as note<l above is that import commences when the goods lea','_e
B
the customs frpntiers of the country from where the goods are imported
and continue ''1Jen the goods enters into the wstoms frontiers of imported
country and ends when goods are released for home consumption. Till
the event of import is over, Parliamentary Legislation. the control of
Union continues for ensuring the realisation of the customs duties. ·
c 105. In view of the foregoing discussions, we are of the clear
opinion that taxing event with regard to levy of customs duty by
Parliament and levy of entry tax by States under Entry 52 List II are
entirely different and separate. The taxing event pertaining to levy of
entry tax occurs only after the taxing event of levy of customs duty is
D over. Thus, the State Legislation imposing entry tax in no manner
encroaches upon the Parliamentary Legislation under Entry 4 I and Entry
83. There is no invalidity in levy of entry tax by the States.
Origimd/Unbroken Package Theory
106. The Original Package/Unbroken Package is a theory which
E was evolved by U.S. Supreme Court in reference to the imported goods.
The genesis of the theory is from the Chief Justice Marshall, in the
case of Brown Vs. The State of Maryland, 6 L.Ed. 678. State of
Maryland has enacted a law that all importers of foreign articles or
commodities shall, before they are authorized to sell, take out a license
F for which they shall pay fifty dollars. The above provision of the State
of Maryland was challenged by Brown on the ground that the provision
is repugnant to following two provisions in the Constitution of the United
States:-
" I. To that which declares that 'no State shall, without the
G consent of Congress, lay any imposts, or duties on imports or
exports, except what may be absolutely necessary for
executing its inspection laws. '
2. To that which declares that Congress shall have power 'to
regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several.
States, and with the Indian tribes. '"
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 731
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
107. Chief Justice Marshall in above context has laid down A
following:-
" .... .It is sufficient for the present to say. generally. that when
the importer has so acted upon the thing imported, that it has
become incorporated and mixed up with the mass of property
in the country, it has. perhaps. lost its distinctive character B
as an import. and has become subject to the taxing power of
the State; but while remaining the property of the importer, in
his warehouse. in the original form or package in which it
was imported, a tax upon it is too plainly a duty on imports to
eoc·ape the prohibition in the constitution.
108. The Original Package theory is propounded from the aforesaid c
judgment. Another judgment of the U.S. Supreme Court, which relied
on the case of Brown Vs. The State ofMaryland and further formulated
the doctrine is C. Adolph Low V. Alexander Austin, 20 L.Ed. 517.
The facts and issue which arose in the aforesaid case had been noted in
the beginning of the judgment, which is to the following effect:- D
"The plaintiffs have been for several years past. and still
are. importing, shipping and commission merchants, in the
city of San Francisco, in the state of California. Jn 1868.
they received. on consignment from parties in France, certain
champagne wines of the value of $10,000, upon which they E
paid the duties and charges at the custom-house. They then
stored the wine in their warehouse in San Francisco, in the
original cases in which the wines were imported, where they
remained for sale. While in this condition they were assessed
as the property of the plaintiff. for state, city and country
taxes, under the general revenue law of California, which F
subjects all property, real or personal, in the state, with certain
exceptions to an ad valorem tax. The defendant was at the
time the tax collector of the city and country of San Francisco,
and as such officer levied upon the cases of wines thus stored,
for the amount of the tax assessed and was about to sell them, G
when the plaintiffs paid the amount and the charges incurred,
under protest, and then brought the present action in one of
the district courts of the state, to recover back money paid.
The district court gave judgment for the plaintiffs; the supreme
court of the state reversed the judgment and the case is brought
here on writ of error. H
732 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2017] 13 S.C.R.
A The simple question presented in this case for our
consideration is whether imported merchandise, upon which
the duties and charges at the custom-house have been paid,
is subject to state taxation, whilst remaining in the original
cases, unbroken and unsold, in the hands of the importer"
B I09. Ju~tice Field relied on the statement made by Chief Justice
Marshall in the case of Brown Vs. The State of Maryland as quoted
above. Relying on the said judgment, Justice Field laid down following:-
" .... But the obvious answer to this position is found in the
fact, which is in substance, expressed· in the citations made
c from the opinions of Marshal and Taney, that the goods
imported do not lose their character as imports, and become
incorporated into the mass of property of the Stale, until they
have passed from the control of the importer or been broken
up by him from their original cases. Whilst retaining their
character as imports, a tax upon them in any shape, is within
D the constitutional prohibition...... "
110. The law laid down in the above two cases is relied upon by
the counsel for the petitioner to contend that original import package
continues till the goods reaches to the premises/factory of the petitioner
and during such continuance ofimport under original package, State has
E no jurisdiction or authority to levy any tax including the impugned entry
tax.
111. We now proceed to first examine the subsequent judgments
ofthe United States Supreme Court, which deal with the above mentioned
two decisions of the United States Supreme Court. Michelin Tire
F Corporation Vs. W.L. Wages, Tax Commissioner, 46 L.Ed. 2d 495
is the case which is relied upon by the counsel for the State. In the
above case, respondent has imported tires and tubes from France and
Nova Scotia. Thus, articles were included in an inventory maintained in
a wholesale distribution warehouse in the county. The Tax Commissioner
G and Tax Assessors of Gwinnett County assessed ad valorem property
taxes against inventory of imported tires and tubes. The petitioner
challenged it on the ground that State taxes were prohibited by Art. I, §
10, cl. 2, of the Constitution. The State Supreme Court held against the
respondents that the tyres were subject to ad valorem property tax. The
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 733
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
appeal was taken to the U.S. Supreme Court questioning the decision of A
the Georgia Supreme Court. Referring to the judgment of Low Vs. Austin
as well as Brown Vs. The State of Maryland, the U.S. Supreme Court
observed as under:-
"Low v. Austin, supra, is the leading decision of this Court
holding that the States are prohibited by the Import-Export B
Clause from imposing a nondiscriminatory ad valorem
property tax on imported goods until they lose their character
as imports and become incorporated into the mass ofproperty
in the State. The Court there reviewed a decision of the
California Supreme Court that had sustained the
constitutionality of California s nondiscriminatory ad valorem c
tax on the ground that the Import-Export Clause only
prohibited taxes upon the character of the goods as imports
and therefore did not prohibit nondiscriminatory taxes upon
the goods as property. See 13 Wall., at 30-31 20 L Ed 517.
This Court reversed on its reading of the se"'.inal opinion D
construing the Import-Export Clause, Brown v. Maryland, 12
Wheat. 419, 6 L.Ed. 678 (1827), as holding that "(w)hilst
retaining their character as imports, a tax upon them, in any
shape, is within the constitutional prohibition." I 3 Wall., at
34 20 L Ed 517.
E
Scholarly analysis has been uniformly critical ofLow v. Austin.
It is true that Mr. Chief Justice Marshall, speaking for the
Court in Brown v. Maryland, supra, at 442, 6 L Ed 678 said
that "while (the thing imported remains) the property of the
importer, in his warehouse, in the original form or package
in which it was imported, a tax upon it is too plainly a duty on F
imports to escape the prohibition in the constitution."
Commentators have· uniformly agreed that Low v. Austin
misread this dictum in holding that the Court in Brown
included nondiscriminatory ad valorem property taxes among
prohibited "imposts" or "duties, "for the contrary conclusion G
is plainly to be inferred from consideration of the specific
abuses which led the Framers to include the Import-Export
Clause in the. Constitution. See, e. g., Powell, State Taxation
of Imports When Does an Import Cease to Be i;m Impoft?, 58
Harv L Rev 858 (1945); lf_ote, The Supreme Court, 1958 Term,
H
734 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017) 13 S.C.R.
A 73 Harv L Rev i26, i 76 (1959); Early & Weitzman, A Century
of Dissent: The Immunity of Goods imported.for Resale From
Nondiscriminatory State Personal Property Taxes, 7 Sw U l
Rev 247 (1975); Dakin, The Protective Cloak of the Export-
Import Clause: Immunity for the Goods or Immunity for the
Process?, i9 la L Rev 747 (1959).
B
Our independent study persuades us that a nondiscriminatory
ad valorem property tax is not the type of state exaction which
the Framers of the Constitution or the Court in Brown had in
mind as being an "impost" or "d11ty" and that Low v. A11stin s
reliance upon the Brown dict11m to reach the contrary
c conclusion was misplaced. "
112. U.S. Supreme Court further held:-
"Nothing in the history of the import-Export Clause even
remotely suggests that a nondiscriminatory ad valorem
D property tax which is also imposed on imported goods that
are no longer in import transit was the type of exaction that
was regarded as objectionable by the Framers of the
Constit11tion. For such an exaction, unlike discriminatory state
taxation against imported goods as imports, was not regarded
as an impediment that severely hampered commerce or
E constituted a form of tribute by seaboard States to the
disadvantage of the inferior States.
it is obvious that such nondiscriminatory property taxation
can have no impact whatsoever on the Federal Governments
exclusive regulation of foreign commerce, probably the most
F important purpose of the Clause's prohibition. By definition,
such a tax does not fall on imports as such because of their
place of origin. It cannot be used to create special protective
tarijft or particular preferences for certain domestic goods,
and it cannot be applied selectively to encourage or
discourage any importation in a manner inconsistent with
G
federal regulation. "
113. It was fiirther held:
".... The Import-Export Clause clearly prohibits state taxation
based on the foreign origin of the imported goods, but it
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 735
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.)
cannot be read lo accord imported goods preferential A
treatment that permits escape from uniform taxes imposed
without regard to foreign origin for services which the State
supplies ..... "
114. Referring to Brown Vs. The State ofMaryland, it was further
held:- B
"The Court stated that there were two situations in which the
prohibition would not apply. One was the case of a stale lax
levied after the imported goods had lost their status as imports.
The Court devised an evidentimy tool, the "original package"
test, for use in making that determination. The formula was: C
"It is sufficient for the present to say, generally, that when
the importer has so acted upon the thing imported, that ii has
become incorporated and mixed up with the mass of property
in the count1y, it has, perhaps, lost its distinctive character
as an import, and has become subject to the taxing power of
the State; but while remaining the property of the importer. in D
his warehouse, in the original form or package in which it
was imported, a lax upon ii is too plainly a duty on imports to
escape the prohibition in the constitution." Id., at 441-442 6
L Ed 678. "It is a matter of hornbook knowledge that the
original package statement of Justice Marshall was an E
illustration, rather than a formula, and that its application is
evidentimy, and not substantive .... Galveston v. Mexican
Petroleum Corp., 15 F2d 208 (SD Tex 1926)."
115. The U.S. Supreme Court concluded by holding:-
" Thus, it is clear that the Courts view in Brown was that merely F
because certain actions taken by the importer on his imported
goods would so mingle them with the common property within
the State as to "lose their distinctive character as imports"
and render them subject to the taxing power of the State, did
not mean that in the absence of such action, no exaction could G
be imposed on the goods. Rathe1; the Court clearly implied
that the pmhibition would not apply to a state tax that treated
imported goods in their original packages no differently from
the "common mass ofproperty in the count1y "; that is, treated
it in a manner that did not depend on the foreign origins of
the goods." H
736 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2017] 13 S.C.R.
A 116. Only one more judgment of U.S. Supreme Court needs to be
noticed is Joanne Limbach Tax Commissioner of Ohio Vs. The
Hooven & Allison Company, 80 L.Ed. 2d 356. This Court referring
to C. Adolph Low Vs. Austin (supra), Brown Vs. The State of
Maryland (supra) and Michelin Tire Corporation Vs. W.L. Wage,,
Tax Commissioner (supra) made following observations:-
B
"In Low v. Austin, supra, this Court, in an opinion by Justin·
Field, unanimously enunciated the "original-package"
doctrine, although perhaps not for the first time, see Browr1
v. Maryland, I2 Wheat 4I9, 442, 6 L Ed 678 (I827). It he/cl
that, under the Import-Export Clause, goods imported .from "
c foreign country are not subject to state ad va/orem propert.1·
taxation while remaining in their original packages, unbroken
and unsold, in the hands of the importer.
In Michelin Tire Corp. v. Wages, supra, an importe1
challenged the assessment of Georgia s nondiscriminatory aci
D valorem property tax upon an inventory of imported tires and
tubes maintained at a wholesale distribution warehouse. Thi."
Court rejected the challenge to the state tax on the imported
tires.I It found that in the history of the Import-Export Clause,
there was nothing to suggest that a tax of the kind imposea
E on goods that were no longer in import transit was the type of
exaction that was regarded as objectionable by the Framers.
The tax could not affect the Federal Governments exclusive
regulation offoreign commerce since it did not fall on imports
as such. Neither did the tax interfere with the free flow of
imported goods among the States. The Clause, while not
F specifically excepting nondiscriminatory taxes that had some
impact on imports, was not couched in terms of a broad
prohibition of every tax, but prohibited States only from laying
"Imposts or Duties," which historically connoted exactions
directed only at imports or commercial activities as such. The
G Court concluded that its reliance a century earlier in Low v.
Austin "upon the Brown dictum ... was misplaced." 423 US,
at 283, 46 L Ed 2d 495, 96 S Ct 535. Chief Justice Taneys
opinion in the License Cases, 5 How 504, 12 L Ed 256 (1847),
was carefully analyzed, with the Court concluding that that
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR WILLIAM FERNANDEZ_ 737
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
opinion had been misread in Low. "Precisely contrary" to A
the reading it was given in Low, Chief Justice Taney s License
Cases opinion was authority "that nondiscriminatory ad
valorem property taxes are not prohibited by the Import-Export
Clause." 423 US, at 301, 46 L Ed 2d 495, 96 S Ct 535. It
followed. this Court concluded. that· "Low v Austin was
8
wrongly decided" and "therefore must be and is,
overruled." ..... ..
117. Justice Blackmun delivering the judgment in the above
case clearly noticed the departure in the opinion of U.S. Supreme Court
and abandonment of Original Package Doctrine, it is useful to quote C
following observations of the Court:-
" To repeat: we think it clear that this Court in Michelin
specifically abandoned the concept that the Import-,Export
Clause constituted a broad prohibition against all forms of
state taxation that fell on imports. Michelin changed the focus
of Import-Export Clause cases from the nature of the goods D
as imports to the nature of the tax at issue. The new focus is
not on whether the goods have lost their status as imports but
is, instead, on Whether the tax sought to be imposed is an
"Impost or Duty." See P. Hartman, Federal Limitations on
State and Local Taxation, § 5:4 (1981); Hel/erstein, State E
Taxation and the Supreme Court: Toward a More Unified
Approach to Constitutional Adjudication?, 75 Mich L Rev
1426, 1427-1434 (1977). Cf Montana v. United States, 440
U.S. 147, 59 L Ed 2d 210, 99 S Ct 970 (1979).
Hooven I held that, under the Clause, a nondiscriminatory F
state ad valorem personal property tax could not be imposed
until the imported goods had lost their status as imports by
being removed from their original packages. This decision
was among the progeny ofLow v. Austin for it, too, was decided
on the original-package doctrine. Thus, Hooven I is
inconsistent with the later ruling in Michelin that such. a tax G
is not an ''Impost or Duty" and therefore is not prohibited by
the Clause. Although Hooven I was not expressly overruled
in Michelin, it must be regarded as retaining no vitality since
the Mic~elin decision. The conclusion of the Supreme Court
of Ohio that Hooven I retains· current validity in this respect H
738 SUPREME COURT REPORTS . [2017) 13 S.C.R.
A is therefore in error. A contrary ruling would return us to the
original-package doctrine. So that there may be no
misunderstanding, Hooven I, to the extent it espouses that
doctrine, is not to be regarded as authority and is overruled. "
118. From the above, it is clear that the U.S. Supreme Court itself
B has abandoned the Original Package theory and it has been held that
imported goods are not immuned from non-discriminatory ad valorem
taxes imposed by the State.
I I 9. Now, we come to the judgment of Federal Court and this
Court wherein the aforesaid doctrine has been considered and specifically
c departed with.
120. Federal Court in the case of The Province of Madras Vs.
Messrs. Boddu Paidanna and Sons.(supra) has noticed the case of
Brown Vs. The State of Maryland (supra). The Federal Court held
that in our Constitution no such question arises and made the following
D observations:-
"... .In the Indian Constitution Act no such question arises;
and the right of the Provincial Legislatures to levy a tax on
sales can be considered without any reference to so formidable
a power vested in the Central Government. Lastly. the
E prohibition in the American Constitution is against the laying
of "any imposts or duties on imports or exports"; the
prohibition is not merely against the laying of duties of
customs, but is expressed in what we conceive to be far wiser
terms ; and it does not appear to us that it would necessarily
follow from the principle of the Maryland decision that in
F India the payment of customs duty on goods imported from
abroad or the payment of an excise duty on goods
manufactured or produced in India can be regarded as
conferring some kind of licence or title on the importer or·
manufacturer to sell his goods to any purchaser without
G incurring a further liability to tax. That was the view which
commended itself to the Court in the Maryland Case and it
.was a view adopted and argued before us. The analogy with
the American case is an attractive one; but for -the reasons
which we have given we are wholly unable to accept it. "
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 739
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
121. In State of Bombay & Anr. Vs. RN. Balsara, AIR 1951 A
SC 318, this Court has clearly held that Original Package Theory has
no application in this country. In Paragraph 23, following has been held:-
"23. I find considerable force in the opinion thus expressed
by G)l'.J'er. C.J. and agree that the "original package" doctrine
has no application to this country. In the United States, the B
widest meaning could be given to the Commerce clause, for
there was no question of reconciling that clause with another
clause containing the legislative power of the State. Under
the provisions of the Government of India Act, a limited
meaning must be given to the word "import" in Entry 19 of
List I .in order to give effect to the very general words used in c
Entry 31 of List II."
122. One more judgment of this Court, which needs to be noticed
is Gramophone Company of India Ltd. Vs. Birendra Bahadur
Pandey & Ors., (1984) 2 SCC 534,in which again Original Package
doctrine.has been disapproved. In Paragraph.JO, following has been D
laid down:-
"..... We must however say that the "original package doctrine"
as enunciated by Chief Justice Marshall on which reliance
was placed was expressly disapproved first by the Federal
Court in the Province of Madras v. Boddu Paidanna and again E
by the Supreme Court in State of Bombay v. F.N. Balsara..... "
123. In view of the foregoing discussions, we conclude that goods
imported after having been released from customs barriers ~e not
immuned from any kind of State taxation, which fall equally on other
similar goods and the submission of the learned counsel for the petitioner F
that immunity from State taxation shall continue till it reaches in the
premises where it is to be taken for consumption, sale and use cannot be
accepted. . . J
NON-INCLUSION OF CUSTOM DUTY IN PURCHASE VALUE
G
124. The petitioners referring to definition of purchase value as
given in Section 20) of the OrissaAct, 1999 and other entry tax enactments
contends that the definition ofpurchase value having not included "custom
duty" legislature intended that no entry tax be levied on the purchase
value. For ready reference Section 20) is reproduced below: -
H
740 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2017] 13 S.C.R.
A "2lj). "Purchase value" means the value of scheduled goods
as ascertained, from original invoice or bill and includes
insurance charges, excise duties countervailing charges, sales
tax, transport charges, freight charges and all other charges
incidental to the purchase of such goods:
B Provided that where purchase value of any scheduled goods
-is not ascertainable on account of non-availability or non-
production of the original invoice or bill or when the, invoice
or bill produced is proved to be false or if the scheduled goods
are required or obtained otherwise than by way of purchase,
then the purchase value shall be the value or the price at
c which the scheduled goods of like kind or quality is sold or is
capable of being sold in open market; "
125. From the definition of purchase value given in 2(j) three
aspects are noticeable. Firstly, purchase value means the value of
scheduled goods as ascertained from original invoice or bill. Secondly, it
D includes insurance charges excise duty and other charges mentioned
therein. And thirdly, other charges incidental to the purchase of such
goods. The original invoice or bill of scheduled goods, generally include
the entire value including the import duty or custom duty and in any
event the inclusion of 'all other charges incidental to the purchase of
E such goods' has to necessarily mean all charges including custom duty
which is incidental to the purchase. Thus, non-inclusion of custom duty
specifically in definition of purchase value in 2(j) is inconsequential and
cannot lead to mean that the legislature never intended to include the
imported goods under the entry tax legislation. This Court had occasion
to consider a provision in Maharashtra Municipalities (Octroi) Rules,
F 1968 which contained provision to determine the value on which octroi
is leviable. In Garware Nylons Ltd. vs. Pimpri Chinchwad
Mahanagar Palika and Ors, (1995) 3 SCC 345 Rule 17 came for
consideration. The facts were given in para 2 of the judgment in following
manner:
G "2. The appellant is a public limited company. It manufactured
nylon and polyester yarn. Between September 1983 and
August 1984 it imported goods liable to octroi. The
Corporation authorities claimed that the appellant was liable
to include the customs duty paid by it in the valuation of the
goods as it was a component of the value of the· said goods
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 741
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
for the purpose ofRule 17(a). The appeal filed by the appellant A
before the Civil Judge failed. The order was challenged by
way of writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution. The
High Court negatived the claim. Rule I 7(a) is extracted
below:
"17: Provisions to determine value where octroi is leviable B
ad-valorem. - (a) If the original invoice is produced by the
importer and accepted by the Octroi Officer the value of
the goods means the value made up of the cost price of the
goods as ascertained from that invoice plus freight charges,
carrier charges, shipping dues, insurance, excise duties,
sales tax, vend fee and all other incidental charges incurred C
by the importer till the arrival of the goods within the octroi
limits".
Since the words "custom duty" are not mentioned in the rule,
it gave rise to an argument before the High Court and in this
Court whether it could be included while determining the value D
under Rule 17. The High Court relying basically on the
decision of this Court in Shroff & Co. v. Municipal Corpn of
Greater Bombav. 1989 Supp(I) SCC 347 held that even
though the customs duty was not mentioned in the rule yet it
was liable to be included while determining the value under E
Rule 17. The learned counsel for the appellant urged that
since the words "custom duty" do not find place in Rule 17,
they could not be included for determining valuation under
the rule. Reliance was also placed on Goodyear India Ltd. v.
State of Haryana, (1990) 2 SCC 71 and McDowell & Co.
Ltd. v. CTO, (1977) I SCC 441 and it was urged that in case F
the provision in taxing statute was susceptible to two
constructions, then the one favouring the assessee should be
accepted. "
126. Similar argument was raised before Court that custom duty
having not mentioned in Rule 17, no octroi is leviable bn import of goods. G
The argument was repelled by this Court in para 4 of the judgment
which is to the following effect:
"4. Rule 17 provides for determination of value of goods
brought inside the Corporation or Municipal Board for
H
742 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2017] 13 S.C.R.
A consumption, use or sale. The use of various words in the
rule widens its scope. It provides for inclusion of cost price,
charges such as freight, carrier, customs duties and then all
other incidental charges, dues etc. The mention of various
charges. am;I duties is more illustrative than exhaustive. It only
indicates that it is not only the expenses which are usually
B
incurred in normal course of commercial activity, but any
incidental expenditure shall constitute the value of the goods.
The rule has to be understood in broad sense. No goods can
be imported from outside without payment of customs duty
unless it is exempt. There appears to be no reason to exclude
c it while determining the value of the goods. In any case, if
duty countervailing could be considered to be incidental
charg~ for importation, there is no valid reason to exclude
custom duty from it. "
127. We thus do not find any substance in the submission of
D petitioner that non-inclusion of custom duty in definition of purchase
value leads to conclusion that entry tax is not payable on entry tax.
Whether entry tax legislations are not covered by Entry 52
List II?
128. Shri l\jay Agarwal one of the learned counsel for the writ
E petitioners has emphatically submitted that entry tax is ultra vires of
Entry 52. Elaborating his submission, he contended that on proper
interpretation of Entry 52, the tax described therein is to be levied only
by a local authority. The tax leviable in Entry 52 is nothing but octroi.
The entry tax was imposed by the several States in 1990, up to which
F date local bodies continued to impose octroi. He submits that tax is not
covered by Entry 52. Learned counsel for the petitioner referring to a
definition of tax in Article 366(28) contends that Constitution itself
contemplates local taxes and tax under Entry 52 is nothing but local tax
to be levied by local authorities for purpose oflocal area. The history of
entry tax and legislative practice also leads to the same conclusion. The
G Government of India Act, 1.93 5 included in the Provincial List Item No.
49 to the effect that 'Cesses on the entry of goods into a local area for
consumption, use or sale'.
129. Neither the Government of India Act, 1935 nor the
Constitution ofIndia has used 'octroi'. Constitution of India consciously
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 743
[ASJiOK BHUSHAN, J.]
avoided to use the term 'Octroi'. List II Item No. 52 provided tax on the A
entry of goods in local area for consumption, use or sale. List I Entry 89
contained another tax, namely, 'terminal tax on goods and passengers
carried by railway, sea or air, tax on railway fair and freight'. This court
in Burmah-Shell Oil Storage and Distributing co. of India Ltd.
Belgaum vs. The Belgaum Borough Municipality, Belgaum, AIR
1963 SC 906, had addressed the history of octroi and the constitutional B
entry regarding entry of goods. This Court has stated that Constitution
has avoided the word 'octroi', in para 15 following has been mentioned:
"15. It will be noticed that in the Government of India Act
'octroi' was named but not described and now the Constitution
avoids the word 'octroi ', as did the Government of India Act C
1935 before, and gives a description .... "
130. In para 17 & 18 following has been held: .
"17. Octrois and terminal taxes were different taxes though
they resembled in one respect, namely. that they were leviable D
in respect of goods brought into a local area. While terminal
taxes were leviable on goods 'imported or exported' from the
Municipal limits denoting thereby that they were connected
with the traffic of goods, octrois, according to the legislative
practice then obtaining were, leviable in respect of goods
brought into a Municipal area for consumption or use or sale. E
It is not necessary lo cite the Municipal Acts prior to 1935
but a reference to them will amply prove that such was the tax
which was contemplated as octroi. "
"18. When the Government of India Act 1935 was enacted
terminal taxes became a central subject, vide entry No. 58 of F
List I, which reads as follows:-
"58. Term_inal taxes on goods or passengers carried by
railway or air. "
At that time, it was suggested by Sir Walter Leyton that both G
octrois and terminal taxes should be provincial subjects and
that it would perhaps be possible to fuse the two. The Joint
Committee, however. recommended otherwise and terminal
taxes were separated from octrois and included in the central
list. The proceeds of the terminal taxes, however. were to be
H
744 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017) 13 S.C.R.
A distributed among the provinces. In a/locating 'octrois' to the
Provinces, the word itself was avoided because terminal taxes
are also octroi in a sense and instead a description of the tax
was mentioned in entry No. 49, which has been quoted already, ·
and which read "Cesses on the entry of goods into a local
area for consumption, use or sale ". This scheme has been
B
repeated in the Constitution with the difference that the entry
relative to terminal tax now reads "terminal taxes on goods
and passe11gers carried by railway, sea or air", and the word
"taxes" replaced the word "cesses" in the entry relative to
octrois. "
c 131. The distribution oflegislative power between Union and State
is a Constitutional Scheme included in the Constitution of India after
great deliberation. Different tax entries in List I and List II are fields of
legislation which have to be widely interpreted and no restricted meaning
of an entry has to be taken to fetter the legislative power of the Union or
D State.
132. lt is well settled that the nomenclature or form of a tax is not
a decisive factor to find out the nature of the tax. It is the matter of
legislative policy as to how the tax is to be collected. The definition of
taxation as given in Article 266 (28) that tax includes general or local tax
E does not in any manner support the contention of the petitioner that tax
under Entry 52 is only a local tax which ought to be collected through
local bodies. It is the matter of legislative policy that whether a tax is
collected as a general tax or a local tax. The nature of tax, measure of
tax and machinery for tax collection are all different aspects. The
submission of the petitioner that tax in Entry 52 should be collected by
F local authorities and State has no legislative competence to levy such
tax is fallacious. It is well within the jurisdiction of the legislature to
formulate its policy regarding levy of tax and its collection. Entry 52 of
List II has to be given its wide and full meaning and no limitation in the
legislative power of the State can be read as contended by counsel for
G the petitioner.
133. The Constitution framers have abandoned the use of word
'octroi' which has to be given a meaning and purpose. While interpreting
a taxing entry no shackles can be put nor use of any expression in the
Constitution of India, referring to a tax can be tied up to any pre-
H constitutional tax or levy. Further, any pre-constitutional tax practice
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 745
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
cannot put any fetter on Constitution farmers to define any tax, to A
elaborate the concept of tax or to move away or forward from any kind
of earlier levy. This Court in Municipal Corporation ofDelhi v. Birla
Cotton, Spinning and Weaving Mills, Delhi and Anr, 1968 (3) SCR
251 has laid down the following:
"To insist that the legislature should provide for every matter B
connected with municipal taxation would make
municipalities mere tax collecting departments of
Government and not self-governing bodies which they are
intended to be. Government might as well collect the taxes
and make them available to the municipalities. That is not a
correct reading of the history of Municipal Corporations and c
other self governing institutions in our country. "
134. Thus, taxes which are to be used by the local authorities can
be collected by the local authorities as well as by the State Government.
It is the matter of legislative policy as to how the tax is collected and
distributed. Under List II Entry 5, the State has legislative power to lay D
down powers of the Municipal Corporation by legislation. It is again
legislative policy that as what machinery is to be provided by the State
legislature regarding collection of taxes on the entry of goods into a local
area for consumption, use or sale. No capital can be made on the
submission that since tax is not being collected by local authorities it is E
beyond the power of the State under Entry 52 List n.
135. We thus do not find any substance in the submission of the
learned counsel for the petitioner that entry tax legislation is not covered
by Entry 52 List II.
EXPRESSION "MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT" AS USED F
IN THE SCHEDULE OF ORISSA ACT 1999
136. Part II of the Schedule to the Orissa Act, 1999 provides
Item 9 as follows:
"Item 9. Machinery and equipments [including earthmovers, G
excavators, bulldozers and road-rollersJ [and spare parts and
components} used in manufacture, mining, generation of
electricity, or for execution of works contract or for any other
purposes. "
H
746 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2017] 13 S.C.R.
A 13 7. The submission which has been pressed by learned counsel
for the petitioner is that the plant which is imported by petitioners in
completely knocked out condition is not covered by expression machinery
and equipments. It is submitted that plant and machinery are two different
concept and when plant is imported in a knocked out condition Item No.
B 9 of Part II of Schedule is not applicable.
138. Thie Advance Law Lexicon of P RamanathaAiyar 3"' Edition
defines 'Plant' as follows:
"Plant" means the fixtures, machinery, tools, apparatus,
appliances etc., necessary to carry on any trade or mechanical
c business, or any mechanical operation or process.
, Webster defines the word "plant" to be "the fixtures and tools
necessary to carry on any trade or mechanical business. "
The word is defined by Worcester to be "The machinery,
apparatus or fixtures by which a business is carried on". The
D word is not equivalent to the word "undertaking", which is
defined by Webster as "any business. work or project which
a person engages in or attempts to perform; enterprise". "
139. The Plant in a knocked out condition is nothing but a collection
of machineries. The plant being a wide term including machinery also,
E we fail to see how a knocked out plant shall not be covered by Item No.
9 of Part II of the Schedule. Machinery and equipments are wide words
which shall also cover plant in a knocked out condition. We thus reject
the contention of the counsel for the petitioner_ that a plant which is
imported in knocked out condition is not covered by the Part II of Schedule
of Orissa Act, 1999.
F
140. One more submission raised by one of the learned counsel
for the writ petitioners also needs to be noted. Section 4 of Bihar Act,
1993 as inserted by Bihar Act 19 of 2006 was also challenged on the
ground that it violates constitutional provision ofArticle 266. Section 4
deals with "utilization of the proceeds of the levy under the Act". Section
G 4 sub-section ( l) provides that the proceeds of the levy under the Act
shall be appropriated to the fund and shall be utilised exclusively for the
development of trade, commerce and industry in the State of Bihar.
Presumably, the said amendment was brought by the State Legislature
to support the State's claim that levy is compensatory in nature. The
H submission of the writ petitioners is that Section 4 indicates that the tax
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 747
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.] ·
levied under the Act would be collected and kept in a separate fund A
which according to the writ petitioners is contrary to the constitutional
mandate ofArticle 266 of the Constitution, which specifically mandates
that all public money must be credited to the Consolidated Fund of
respective States. There are two reasons due to which the above
submissions cannot be accepted. Firstly, Section 4 relates to creation of B
fund and utilisation of funds received from the collection of entry tax.
The creation of fund and its utilisation can in no manner effect the levy
of the entry tax and the compensatory tax theory having already negated
by nine-Judge Constittition Bench of this Court in Jindal Stainless
(supra), the inquiry as to whether tax is compensatory or not is not
relevant. Secondly, this Court in Jaora Sugar Mills(P) Ltd. v. State of C
Madhya Pradesh and Ors., 1996 {1) SCR 523 while considering Article
266 of the Constitution of India has already held that it is difficult to
understand how the Act can be ·said to be invalid because the cesses
recovered under it are not dealt with in the manner provided by the
Constitution. Following observations were made by the Court:
D
"It is doubtful whether a plea can be raised by a citizen in
support of his case that the Central Act is invalid because the
moneys raised by it are not dealt with in accordance with the
provisions of Part XII generally or particularly the provisions
of Article 266. We will, however. assume that such a plea can
be raisep by a citizen for the purpose of this appeal. Even so, E
it is difficult to understand how the Act can be said to be
invalid because the cesses recovered under it are not dealt
with in the manner provided by the the Constitution. The
validity of the Act must be judged in the light of the legislative
competence of the Legislature which passes the Act and may F
have to be examined in certain cases by reference to the
question as to whether fandamental rights of citizens have
been improperly contravened, or other considerations which
may be relevant in that behalf Normally, it would be
inappropriate and indeed illegitimate to hold an enquiry into
the manner in which the funds raised by an Act would be G
dealt with when the Court is considering the question about
the validity of the Act itself."
141. Although learned counsel for the writ petitioners sought o
distinguish the above decision on the ground that the said observations
H
748 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2017] 13 S.C.R.
A were made while the Court was considering the entirely different issue
that is an issue relating to inter-se transfer of money from Consolidated
Funds of respective States to Consolidated Fund of India. As per aforesaid
judgment the challenge to the validity of the Act on the ground that it is
violative of Article 266 was repelled. What was held by this Court as
B quoted above clearly negates the submissions raised by the learned
counsel for the writ petitioners on the basis of Article 266. In any view
of the matter, the said ground has no relevance with regard to levy of
entry tax on imported goods.
142. Learned counsel appearing for the various petitioners relating
to civil appeals from State of Orissa in the end has sought for liberty
C from this Court to urge grounds of discrimination under Article 304( a) of
the Constitution of!ndia. Learned counsel for the petitioners have relied
on order of this Court in Civil Appeal No. 4756 of 2017, M/s Bharati
Airtel Ltd vs. Assessing Authority Orissa Entry Tax & Anr dated
29.03.2017 as well as order of this Court in Civil Appeal Nos. 997-998
D of 2004, State of UP and Ors vs. M/s Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. &
Etc dated 21.03.2017. It is submitted that this Court has granted liberty
to petitioner to file fresh writ petition in order dated 29.03.2017 to raise
question of discrimination under Article 304( a) as per law laid down by
Nine Judges Bench in Jindal Stainless Ltd & Anr vs. State of
Haryana & ors.
E
143. Learned counsel appearing for the State of Orissa has
opposed the prayer of the petitioner seeking liberty to raise the issue. It
is contended that petitioners have not raised the relevant issues nor
pleaded in support of the plea of discrimination under Article 304(a).
The parameters under which entry tax can violate the Article 304(a) has
F now been conclusively laid down by Nine Judges Bench in Jindal
Stainless Ltd.(supra). We are thus of the view that liberty be given to
petitioners to raise the plea of discrimination under Article 304(a) in
accordance with the law as laid down by Nine Judges Bench in Jindal
Stainless Ltd.(supra). We, however, are of the view that for the above
G purposes, it is not necessary to grant any liberty to file a fresh writ
petition at this stage and at this distance of time. The ends ofjustice shall
be served, if liberty is granted to the petitioners to revive their writ
petitions by making a proper application before the High Court. In the
writ petitions which have been dismissed by the Orissa High court against
which present appeals are decided, the liberty to revive such petition
H
STATE OF KERALA v. FR. WILLIAM FERNANDEZ 749
[ASHOK BHUSHAN, J.]
and to urge ground under Article 304(a) is granted which can be availed A
only within the period of30 days from the date of this judgment.
144. In view of foregoing discussion, we arrive at the following
CONCLUSIONS:
(i) Orissa Entry Tax Act, 1999, Kerala Tax Act, 1994 and Bihar
Tax on EnJry of Goods in Local Area for Consumption, Use or B
Sale, 1993 (before its amendment by Bihar Act, 2003 and 2006)
do not exclude levy of entry tax on the goods imported from any
place outside territories of India into a local area for consumption,
use or sale.
(ii) All the Entry Tax Legislations questioned in these appeals are C
legislations which are within the legislative competence of the
State legislatures and do not intrude the legislative domain of
Parliament as reserved in Entry 41 & Entry 83 of List I.
(iii) The import of goods from any territory outside India comes to
an end when the goods enter into the custom frontiers of India D
and are released for home consumption.
(iv) After import of goods comes to an end the State legislature
has full legislative competence to levy entry tax under Entry 52
List II.
E
(v) The Original Package Theory as developed by the American
Supreme Court in case of Brown vs. State of Maryland(supra)
is not applicable in this country and the imported goods are not
exempted from entry tax till it reaches to the factory premises/
destination of its consumption, use or sale.
F
(vi) Non inclusion of custom duty in the definition of purchase
value in the statute of entry tax is not an indicator of the fact that
legislature never intended to levy entry tax on imported goods.
(vii) Entry tax legislation are fully covered by Entry 52 List II and
the submission that essence of Entry 52 is octroi which can be
levied only by local authorities and State has no legislative G
competence to impose entry tax under Entry 52 List II is fallacious.
(viii) A plant imported in knocked out condition is fully covered
with the definition of machinery and equipment under Part II of
Schedule of the Orissa Act, 1999.
H
750 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2017] 13 S.C.R.
A 145. In view ofour foregoing discussion and conclusion, we decide
all the appeals in this batch of appeals in following manner:
(i) All the appeals filed against the judgments ofOrissa High Court
are dismissed. The Transfer case is also dismissed.
(ii) All the appeals filed against the judgment of Patna High Court
B are di$missed.
(iii) Tile civil appeal filed against the judgment of J hark hand
High Court stands allowed.
(iv) The appeals filed by the State of Kerala are allowed. The
C judgment of the Division Bench holding that no entry tax was
leviable on the vehicle imported from territories outside the counlly
is set aside, restoring the judgment of the learned Single Judge.
(v) Writ Petition 574 of 2003, Parisons Agrotech Pvt. Ltd vs.
State of Kerala & Ors. is dismissed.
D (:vi).In Civil Appeals filed against judgment ofOrissa High Court,
appellants who were writ petitioners before the High Court are
given liberty to file an application within 30 days from today to
revive their writ petitions and urge ground of discrimination under
Article 304(a) as per law laid down by Nine Judges Bench in
Jindal Stainless Ltd.(supra).
E
146. Parties shall bear their own costs.
147. Before we close, we record our deep appreciation for the
valuable assistance rendered by various learned counsel appearing in
this batch of Civil Appeals which has immensely benefited us in coming
F to correct conclusion on various issues involved in these cases.
Devika Gujra1 Matters disposed of.
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