Holding

Octroi is not leviable on goods brought into the municipal area for export, and procedural non‑compliance does not defeat the right to refund; consequently the refund claims must be granted.

Summary

Tata Engineering and Locomotive Co. Ltd., which manufactures motor vehicle parts outside Thane, maintained a bonded warehouse inside Thane municipal limits and imported parts for temporary storage, breaking bulk and exporting them. The company paid octroi under a current‑account facility and filed 1,182 refund claims for octroi paid between Jan 1983 and Mar 1984. The Municipal Corporation of Thane rejected the claims on two grounds: (i) alleged violation of Rule 25(3)(d) because the goods were ‘sold’ within the octroi limits, and (ii) non‑compliance with procedural requirements for export and refund. The High Court dismissed the writ petition and the company appealed. The Supreme Court held that octroi is not leviable on goods brought into the municipal area for export; therefore the refund claims must be allowed. The Court further ruled that procedural lapses (forms, intimation, breaking bulk) are not conditions precedent to the right of refund and that Rule 24(2) and Rule 62 of the municipal act can operate together. No unjust enrichment was found. The appeal was allowed and the corporation was directed to pay the refunds, with no order as to costs.

Issues considered

The taxability of octroi on goods imported into municipal limits for temporary detention and eventual export.
Whether Rule 25(3)(d) bars refund when the exporter and importer are the same but the goods are sold to parties outside the municipal limits.
Whether failure to comply strictly with the procedural requirements (forms, intimation, breaking bulk) disqualifies a claimant from obtaining a refund.
Whether Rule 24(2) of the Octroi Rules is inconsistent with Rule 62 of the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation Act, 1949.
Whether granting a refund would result in unjust enrichment of the appellant.

Legislation cited

Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation Act, 1949s. 105, s. 127, s. 142, s. 338
Maharashtra Municipalities Act, 1965s. 105
Maharashtra Municipalities (Octroi) Rules, 1968s. Rule 10(2), s. Rule 24, s. Rule 24(2), s. Rule 25, s. Rule 25(3)(d), s. Rule 28, s. Rule 28(2)(b), s. Rule 29, s. Rule 30, s. Rule 62

Subjects

OctroiRefund of taxBonded warehouseCurrent account facilityBreaking bulkProcedural complianceMunicipal corporation taxUnjust enrichmentConstitutional lawExport

Judgment

TAT A ENGINEERING AND LOCOMOTIVE A
COMPANY LTD. AND ANR.

v.
MUNICIPAL CORPORATION OF
THE CITY OF THANE AND ORS.
B
NOVEMBER 22, 1991

[A.M. AHMADI, V. RAMASWAMI AND K. RAMASWAMY, JJ.J

Maharashtra Municipalities (Octroi) Rule, 1968:
c
Rule 25 (3) (d)-Octroi--Levy of-Goods imported within munici-
pal limits and stored in Warehouse for temporary detention and even-
tual exports-Goods sold within municipal limits for export and consump-
tion outside municipal limits--Held octroi not leviable-Taxable event of
octroi-What is.
D
Rules 28,29 and 3~ctroi~efund of-Non-compliance with
procedure-Effect of-Compliance with procedure not a condition prece-
dent for eligibility of refund-Compliance with procedure shall be tested
having regard to the nature of transaction and the object ofprocedure.

Doctrine of unjust enrichment-No evidence to suggest that octroi E
levied was recovered from customers-Refund of octroi would not lead-to..
unjust enrichment.

Rule 24-0ctroi-"Breaking the bulk"-Procedure to be
followed-Rule 24 held not inconsistent with Rule 62 of Chapter VIII of
the schedule to the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation Act, F
1949-0bject of Rule 24(2) explained.

Rule 28(2) (b)-Refund of octroi-Requirements of-Requirement
of exporting goods out of municipal limits within six months of import-
Proof of-Equitable principle ''first export was of goods first
imported"-Applicability of G

The appellant-company was carrying on business of manufac-
ture and sale d motor vehicles, spare parts of motor vehicles and
excavators. Their manufacturing units we.re located outside the mu-
nicipal limits of the respondent corporation. P~rsuant to the per-
mission granted by the Respondent Corporation under Rule 10(2) of H

445
446 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1991] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A the Maharashtra Municipalities (Octroi) Rules, 19.68 the appellant
company was maintaining a bonded warehouse within the municipal
limits of the Respondent-Corporation. The motor vehicles parts and
excavators parts brought from the Company's own factories as well
parts imported from abroad were stored in this warehouse. These
products were brought in bulk and thereafter taken or sent out
B from the Municipal limits in smaller packings depending on the
requireinents of the customers in various parts of the country.

The appellants were also granted current account facilities without
the requirement of immediate payment of octroi at the Octroi Naka.
Accordingly, the appeliants were carrying out their activities of im-
C ports and exports under the current account procedure with facility
of unpacking the bulk, repacking and exporting.

Under the Octroi Rules the octroi becomes refundable when
the goods in respect of which octroi. was paid are exported out of
octroi limits within 6 months of their import. During the period 1st
D January, 1983 to 31st March, 1984 the appellant-Company made
1182 claims for refund of octroi which were rejected by the Corpo-
ration on the grounds: (1) the Co~pany had "sold" the spare parts
within the octroi limits of the Corporation in contravention of Rule
25(3) (d) of the Maharashtra Municipalities (Octroi) Rules, 1968;
(2) the procedure prescribed for export and the claim of refund had
E not been strictly followed.

The appellants filed a writ petition under Article 226 in the
High Court of Bombay contending that the action of the Municipal
Corporation in refusing refund was unc,mstitutional and illegal. The
Division Bench of the High Court dismissed the writ petition. The
F Company filed an appeal in this Court· against the decision of the
High Court.

In appeal to this Court it was contended on behalf of the ap-
pellant (i) since the sales were not for consumption or use within the
octroi limits and that the parts were sold to parties outside the
G octroi limits and also for consumption or use o_utside such limits the
rejection of the claims by the Respondent-COiporation on the ground
that the sales were within the municipal limits in contravention of
rule 25(3) (d) of the Rules is illegal; (ii) Under Rule 62 of Chapter
VIII of the Schedule to Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation
Act, 1949, prior intimation of the intention to 'break the bulk' is
H enough and there is no necessity for the company to get the sanction

-
TATA ENGINEERING CO. v. MUNICIPAL CORPN. 447

of Superintendent ofOctroi or break the bulk in the presence of an · A
officer deputed for the purpose as required under sub-rule (2) of·
Rule 24 of the Maharashtra Municipalities (Octroi) Rules, 1968;
Rule 24(2) of the Octroi Rules is inconsistent with Rule 62 and to
the extent of inconsistency it shall be deemed to be not applicable.
On behalf of the respondent Corporation it was contended (i) . B
that the meaning of words "sales therein" in the definition of octroi
in the Acts and in Entry 52 of List II of VII Schedule to the Consti-
tution could not be limited to sales of the goods tor purposes of
consumption or use within the municipal limits; (ii) there was a
change in the ownership of the goods since a sale in law had taken
inside the octroi limits though the purchaser was residing and car- C
rying on business outside the octroi limits and under the sale the
goods were intended to be and in fact exported for the purpose of
consumption and use outside the octroi limits; (iii) that while Rule
62 (c) deals with prior intimation Rule 24(2) deals with the sanction
and breaking of the bulk in the presence of an officer deputed for
that purpose and both the rules can stay together and operate and D
there is no inconsistency; (iv) since the appellants have recovered

- the amounts paid by them by way of octroi duty from their dealers
or customers they are not entitled to refund; ordering of
selves at the cost of the public to whom the burden had already
been passed.
refund
would amount to allowing the appellants to unjustly enrich them-

E
Allowing the appeal, this Court,
l:IELD: 1. In the case of impost of oct~oi the taxable event is
the entry of goods which are meant to reach an ultimate user or
consumer in the area. Mere physical entry into the octroi limits
would not attract levy of ocfroi. When the goods are brought in not F
for consumption within the area but for temporary detention and
eventual export, octroi is n·ot leviable. The octroiable event in such
a case shall be deemed not to have happened. This is particularly so
because in the case of goods not consumed or used within the actroi
area but exported there is a constitutional bar- for the levy of octroi.
In view of the constitutional bar, octroi is not leviable if the goods G
are not brought into the octroi area for purposes of consumption or
use in the area but for export and in fact exported by the importer
himself or the sale by him occasions the export. [458-B-C, 472 H,
473-A, 475-EJ

1.1 Having regard to the nature and incidence of octroi unless H
the octroiable goods are consumed or used or are meant to reach an
448 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1991) SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A ultimate user o·r consumer in the octroi area no octroi. is leviable.
The words 'sale therein' in the words 'consumption, use or sale
therein' in the definition octroi means sale of octroiable goods to a
person for the purpose of consumption or use by such person in the
octroi area. If sale was intended for consumption or use in the
octroi area whether the purchaser actually consumed inside or out-
B side octroi area is irrelevant. Therefore octroi rules cannot be read
as enabling the municipality to levy and collect octroi even in cases
where the goods have not been imported for consumption or use.
[475-C, 474-B]

Burmah Shell Co. v. Belgaum Municipal, (1963] Suppl. 2 S.C.R.
C 216; Hira Lal Thakur Lal Dalal v. Brash Broach Municipality, (1976)
Suppl. SCR 82; Municipal Council of Jodhpur v. Parekh Automobiles
Ltd. & Ors., {1999) l S.C.C. 367 and H.M.M. Ltd. v. Administrator,
(1989] 4 S.C.C. 640, relied on.

Khandelwal Traders Ako/a v. The Ako/a Municipal Council, AIR
D 1985 Bom. 218, approved.

1.2 Since the goods were sold by the Company to outside pur-
chasers and the goods under the transactions of sale were intended
to be exported and were in fact exported, for consumption or use
...
outside the municipal limits no octroi duty was leviable and the
E octroi duty paid on entry into the municipal limits was, therefore,
liable to be refunded. Accordingly the rejection of the refund claims
on the ground that Rule 25(3) (d) had not been strictly complied
with is iilegal and could not be sustained. [457 G-H]

2. Once octroi is not leviable the deposit made by the im-
porter pending export is in the nature of a trust and refund!lble in
F the event of the export of the goods. [473-G-H] ·

· 2.1 Under the octroi scheme, when the goods in respect of
which octroi is paid are exported, the octroi becomes refundable.
Right to refund arises because the goods are not consumed inside
the area but exported and the .tax becomes not leviable. (458-C)
G
2.2 If there is no consumption or use, octroi is not attracted
and if any levy bas been made and the amount collected, the same
becomes legally refundable even when the goods are exported in
~
.
parts and in smaller packages. [472-H]

H 3. The rules mereiy regulate the system on which refund shall
TATA ENGINEERING CO. v. MUNICIPAL CORPN. 449 ·

be allowed. In a given set of facts, whether the rules have been A
compl'ied with will have to be tested having regard to the nature of
the particular transaction and whether the object of the procedure
provided is otherwise fully satisfied. (458-D, 473 H, 474-A]

3.1 The object of requiring intimation or sanction and pres-
ence of an officer when breaking the bulk in the scheme of octroi B
levy and refund is to ensure that dutiable goods do not escape the
assessment and refunds are made only in respect of go-0ds exported.
· In other words the whole requirement relates to the identification of
the goods. In that sense if the same is otherwise complied with the
right to refund cannot be denied. [474 A-BJ
.., c:
3.2 Rules 24 to 30 of the Maharashtra Municipalities (Octroi)
Rules, 1968 and the forms in the system of levy of Octroi are in-
tended to regulate the procedure for collection identification of du-
tiable goods and correlation of goods exported with the goods im-
ported for the purpose of refunds of octroi collected. [475-DJ
D
The rules do not contain any specific provision that an appli-
cant for refund who has failed to follow the procedure would be
disentitled to claim the refund. (473-G]

3.3 Compliance with the procedure prescribed in the Rules for
filing claims of refunds are not conditions precedent for the right or E
eligibility for refund or the liability to refund but are provisions
regarding proof of export of the goods imported and are not meant
to be exhaustive either. They are to be interpreted and understood·
in that sense. (475 E-F)

Municipal Committee Khurari v. Dhannala/ Sethi & Ors., [1969] F
1 S.C.R. 166; Kirpal Singh Duggal v. Municipal Board, Ghaziabad,
(1968) 3 S.C.R. 551, applied.

3.4 Since the rejection of the claims for refund was merely on
the ground that either form 4 and original invoices were not pro-
duced or columns 5 and 6 of Form 11 or the corresponding columns G
in Form 12 had not been filled with reference to an original invoice
or Form ,4 or deposit receipt and the refusal to issue export pass
certificates on those very grounds are untenable the orders of rejec-
tion are invalid. (475 G-H]

4. The object of the Rules fixing a period of limitation for H

I r
450 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1991) SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A exl>ort however is different. The export cannot be put in perpetual
doubt and the goods may be considered to have come to a 1·epose if
·they were not exported within a pa~ticular period provided in the
rules. [475-F) •

4.1 However an equitable principle could be followed in this
B regard and it may be presumed that the goods which came in first
hav~. gone out first. If the goods are mixed up and unidentifiable
due to breaking bulk and ·repacking in smaller and assorted pack-
ages before export the principle that the first export was of the
goods first imported, subject to any evidence available to the con-
trary, may be applied and the six months period prescribed under
C Rule 28(2) (b) for export may be determined accordingly. [475 A-B,
H, 476-A)

Clayton's case, 1814-23 All. E.R. 1, applied.

5. There is no inconsistency between Rule 62 and Rule 24(2).
D The intimation contemplated in Rule 62 imply that the breaking the
bulk shall be done with the knowledge of the octroi authorities. But
it cannot be said that the rules further provide that after intimation
the breaking of the bulk shall be done in the presence of the officers
and after sanction that would in any case be inconsistent. There-
fore, both the rules can stand together. [471 F-G)
'E
6. There in no evidence that any of the articles sold by the
Company is subject to any price control by the Government or that
the Company had charged any octroi separately in the bills. Docu-
mentary evidence do not also show that any octroi was separately
charged and collected by the Company. Therefore the question of
F unjust enrichment does not arise. (476 F-H]

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal No. 4702 of
1991.

From the Judgment and Order dated 26.8.88 of the Bomaby High
G Court in W.P. No. 2264 of 1984.

T. Andharujina, F.H. Talyarkha, R.F. Nariman, R. Narain, Ashok
Sagar and Ms Amrita Mitra for the Appellants.

K.K. Singhvi, B.N. Singhvi and Anil K. Gupta for the Respondents.
H
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
TATA ENGINEERING CO. v. MUNICIPAL CORPN. [V. RAMASWAMI, J.] 451

V. RAMASW AMI, J. Leave granted. A

· tje First appellant-Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company
Limited (hereinafter called the 'Company') is a company registered under
the Indian Companies Act, 1913 and the second appellant is one of its
Directors. The Company is carrying on business of manufacture and sale
of motor vehicles and spare parts of motor vehicles and excavators. Their B
manufacturing units are at Pune and Jamshedpur outside the Thane Mu-
nicipal Corporation limits. They have a bonded warehouse within the
municipal limits in which they bring and stock motor vehicles parts· and
excavators parts from their own factories at Pune and Jamshedpur. They
also bring in parts manufactured by their ancillaries within India and also
parts imported from aboard. These products or parts are brought in bulk C
and thereafter taken or sent ·out from the. Municipal limits in smaller
packings depending on the requirements of the customers in various parts
of the country. It is stated that the parts imported or purchased from others
and brought in are relatively very small in quantity and the major portion
of the activity related to their own factory produced parts.
D
On and from lst October, 1982 with the notification under Section 3
of the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation Act, 1949, the Thane
Municipal Council became a Municipal Corporation (hereinafter called
the Corporation). Prior to the constitution of the Corporation it was a
municipality and were governed by the Thane Municipal Council consti-
tuted under the Maharashtra Municipality Act, 1965. Prior to 1st October, E
1982 the Thane Municipal Council had granted to the Company current
account facilities in respect of payment of octroi under the Maharashtra
Municipalities Act, 1965 and the MaharaShtra Municipalities (Octroi) Rules,
1968 made thereunder. The Municipal Council had also granted permis-
sion under Rule 10 (2) to the Company for maintaining a godown or
warehouse of their own. Their is no dispute that even after the coming F
into existence of the Thane Municipal Corporation the appellants were
permitted to have a war~bouse of their own and keep a current account
facility without the req\iifement of immediate payment of octroi at the
Octroi Naka. In tenns of granting those facilities the Company had made
as security a cash deposit of Rs. 7 lakhs with the Corporation and had also
given a Bank Guara.tiiee for an equiv.a'.tent amount as agreed to between G
the Company and the. Corporatiori. However, there is some dispute as to
what were the fonnalt~ies that were dispensed with in the matter of claim-
ing refund of the octroi when the goods were exported. But suffice it to
say at this stage that the appellants were permitted to carry out their
activities of imports and exports under the current account procedure with
a facility .~f unpacking the bulk, repacking and exporting. H

j
452 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1991] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A During the period 1st January, 1983 to 31st March, 1964 it is stated
that the appellants had made 1182 claims for refund. All these claims
were rejected by the letters of the Corporation dated 31.8.1983, 12.1.1984,
5.4.1984 and 6.4.1984. They were rejected on the following two grounds :
(I) the Company had "sold" the spare parts within the octroi limit (which
is co-terminus with the Corporation limit) in contravention of Rule 25 (3)
B (d) of the Maharashtra Municipalities (Octroi) Rules, 1968 (hereinafter
called the "Rules"), (2) the procedure prescribed for export and the claim
of refund had not been strictly followed. The non~compliance with the
procedure prescribed referred to in the second ground according the Cor-
poration were: (i) Form 4 of the Octroi Rules and the original invoices
were not submitted, or (ii) Forms 11 and 12 filed were incomplete and all
C the required information were not given or (iii) certificate of the Octroi
exit Naka Officer had not been obtained. The rejection of the claim was
either on one or more than one or all the grounds mentioned above. The
appellants filed a writ petition under Article 226 in the High Court of
Judicature at Bombay contending that the action of the Municipal Corpo-
ration in refusing refund is unconstitutional ·and illegal and for certain
D other reliefs. The Division Bench of the High Court which heard the same
dismissed the writ petition on the 26th August, 1988. It is against this
judgment that the present appeal has been filed.

It appears that during the hearing of the writ petition the learned
counsel appearing for the Corporation did not counter the contention of
E the Company that the rejection under Rule 25 (3) (d) was not correct and
the learned Judges have also recorded the same in the judgment. But the
learned counsel for the respondent befor~ us stated that it i~ not correct to
say that he had conceded any point and that since he could not argue that
point in view of the decision of another Division Bench of the same High
Court.in Khande/wa/ Trader Ako/av. The Ako/a Municipal Council,! AIR
F 1985 Bombay 218 which was binding on the Bench which heard the.writ
petition and also in view of certain observations of this Court in Burmah
Shell Company v. Belgaum Municipal, [I963f Suppl. 2 SCR 216 and
Hiralal Thakorlal Dalal v. Bra.sh Broch Municipality, [1976] Suppl. SO~
82 he did not press the point. We have therefore, permitted the point to b~
argued in this appeal.
G
Before we discuss the points in controversy we may state that in the
counter-affidavit filed in the writ petition the respondents have admitted
that the Company was enjoying the current account facility prior to 1.10.1982
and the respondent-Corporation had also given the said facility to the
Company even after lst October, 1982 on their making a cash deposit of
H Rs. 7 Lakhs and furnishing a Bank Guarantee for a like sum as s~curity
TATAENGINEERINGCO. v. MUN!CIPALCORPN. [V. RAMASWAMl,J.] 453

~
for grant of that facility. The respondent had also admitted that the Com- A
pany had been given permission under Rule I 0 (2) to maintain their own
/.
godown from 12th December, 1982. Broadly stated under the current
__, account facility granted, no octroi duty is recoverable in cash from the
appellants at the entry octroi naka point. However, the Company was
required to submit a statement of goods imported in Form 5 before the
I 0th of the following month. The officers of the respondent after scrutiny B
of the s.tatement so filed determine the octroi duty payable thereon and
debit the amount in the current account kept and send a demand notice to
the company. The Company is required to pay the amount to the Corpora-
tion within 15 days of the determination of duty.
~
The first submission of Mr. Andharujina, learned counsel for the c
appellants was that the sales were not for consumption or use within the
octroi limits and that the parts were sold to parties outside the octroi limits
and also for consumption or use outside such limits and therefore the
rejection of the claims on the ground that the spare parts were sold within
. the municipal limits and that it amounted to a contravention of Rule 25
(3) (d) of the Rules is illegal. Mr. K.K. Singhvi, the learned counsel for D
the Corporation on the other hand contended that the meaning of words
"sales therein" in the definition of octroi in the Acts and in Entry 52 of
List II could not be limited to sales of the goods for purposes of consump-
tion or use within the municipal limits.

When an importer wants to export dutiable goods temporarily de- E
tained by him in his own godown he shall present an intimation-cum-
application for written permission in Form 11 to the Superintendent of
Octroi to export such goods. Rule 25 (3) (d) states that no such intimation
shall be accepted unless :

"the exporter and the importer of these goods are one and the F
same person and such articles have not undergone change of
ownership"

The case of the Corporation was .that there was a change in the
ownership of the goods since a sale in law had taken place inside the
octroi limits though the purchaser was residing and carrying on business
J G
outside the octroi limits and under the sale the goods were intended to be
and in fact exported for the purpose of consumption and use outside the
octroi limits.

Section 127 of the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation Act,
· 1949 and the corresponding S. I 05 of the Maharashtra Municipalities Act,
1965 authorises the Muncipality to levy "Octroi". Both these Acts define H

-
454 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1991) SUPP.2 S.C.R.

A octroi as meaning a tax on the entry of goods into the municipal area "for
consumption, use or sale therein". The Maharashtra Municipalities (Octroi)
Rules 1968 made under the Maharashtra Municipalities Act, 1965, pro-

B
vides for ·the levy, collection and refunds of octroi duty on the goods
specified in the schedule thereunder and the procedure for the same. These
Rules were in force in Thane Municipality before Thane was declared as
"City" under the Bombay Municipal Corporations Act LDC of 1949. How-
-
ever these Rules are continued in the Thane Municipal Corporation by
virtue of paragraph 5 of Appendix IV to the Act LDC of 1949.

The legislative entry relating to the constitutional power to levy this
tax is found in List II Entry 52 of the 7ih Schedule to the Constitution
c which reads :

"52. Taxes on the entry of goods into a local area for con-
sumption, use or sale therein".

The Bomaby Municipal Boroughs Act, 1925 which was in force
D prior to the enactment of the Maharashtra Municipalities Act, 1965 also
contained a similar provision in section 73 enabling the Municipalities
covered by that Act to levy "Octroi on animals or goods or both brought
within the octroi limits for consumption or use therein". This provision
was amended by Amending Act 35 of 1954 by substituting the words "use
or sale" for the words "or use" with effect from May 5, 1954. In other
E words before 1954 the word "sale" was not included in the provision of
octroi on goods which the Municipality was authorised to impose. After
the amendment the Municipality could levy octroi on goods brought within
the octroi limits "for consumption, use or sale therein". This provision
came up for consideration ih Bunnah Shell case (supra). Two of the

F
categories of transactions which were considered in this case related to
transactions under which (l) goods were sold by the Company through its
dealers or by itself and consumed within the octroi limits by persons other
-
than the Company and (2) goods sold by the Company through its dealers
or by itself inside the octroi limits to other persons but consumed by them
outside the octroi ·limits. The Company contended that the tax .could not
be collected on goods which were merely sold but not consumed inside
G the octroi limits. In connection with this contention this Court considered
the meaning of words "consumption, use or sale therein" and observed: /.:
"It is not the immediate person who brings the goods into a
local area who must consume them him-self, the act of con-
sumption may be postponed or may be perfonned by someone
H else but so long as the goods have been brought into t11e local
TATA ENGINEERING CO. v. MUNICIPAL CORPN. [V. RAMASWAMI, J.] 455

area for consumtion in that sense, no matter by whom, they A
satisfy the requirements of the Boroughs Act and octroi is

--
payable".
" ..... The goods must be regarded as having been brought in for
purposes of consumption when a person brings them either for
his own use or consumption, or to put· them in the way of
B
others in the area, who are to use and consume".
And concluded holding :
"In our opinion, the Company was liable to pay octroi tax on
goods brought into local area (a) to be consumed by itself or
.,,
I
sold by it to consumers direct and (b) for sale to dealers who in
their turn sold the goods to consumers within the municipal
c
area irrespective of whether such consumers bought them for
use in the area or outside it. The Company was, however, not
liable to Octroi in resp~ct of goods which it brought into the
local area and which was re-exported".
The ratio is thus not a mere sale inside that attracts octroi but a sale D
intended for consumption of the goods inside the octroi area though ulti-
mately the person to whom it was sold for consumption does not consume
the goods inside but does the same outside the limit.
After consideration of the judgment in Burmah Shell Company's
case (supra) the Gujarat High Court in one of the cases arising for refund E
of octroi duty paid, took the view that octroi leviable on goods brought
within the octroi limits 'for consumption, use or sale therein' and that the
word 'sale' could not be given the narrow meaning of a sale for consump-

-- tion to the ultimate consumer within the octroi limits. Accordingly if the
goods were sold within the octroi limits by the importer even if it resulted
in export and coQ.sumption ·was also outside the octroi limit, octroi duty
paid is not refundable. This decision came up in appeal before this Court
F

and the decision of this Court is reported in Hiralal Thakorlal Dalal v.
Brash Broach Municipality, [1976] Suppl. SCR 82. On facts that case
related to a consignment sale and the goods were despatched to destina-
tion outside octroi limits for consumption there. A plea for review of the
G
_. decision in Bunnah Shell Company's case (supra) was also made in this
case. However a Constitution Bench rejected the request for reconsidera-
tion and held that the word "sale" in the colloquium of the words "con-
sumption, use or sale therein" means sale for consumption within the
octroi limits. The ratio of these two decisions was considered by the
Bombay High Court in Khandelwal Traders Ako/a 's case (supra), which
was referred to in the Judgment under appeal. It was held in this case also H
456 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1991) SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A that where a dealer imports goods within the octroi limits not for ultimate
consumption or sale for consumption within the limits but for the purpose
of export and obtain permission for export he is not liable to pay octroi on

B
such goods notwithstanding that. in the larger sense· for purposes of export
he sells the goods within the octroi limits, that is to say even where the
situs of the sale could be fixed within the octroi limit. The matter is now
put beyond any pale of doubt by the latest decision of this Court in
-
Municipal Council, Jodhpur v. Mis. Parekh Automobiles Ltd. & Ors.,
[1990] l SCC 367. Rule 13 (4) of the Rajasthan Municipal Octroi Rules,
1962 which was one of the provisions considered in this case provided
that

C "In cases provided for in sub-rule (3) (that is who is given the
account current facility)-amount of octroi duty payable shall
be based on the total amount· of the octroi as shown by the
entry passes less the total amount or'goods transported outside
the municipal limits as shown by the transport passes:

D Provided that in computing the octr.oi duty payable under sub-
section (4), the goods transported outside the municipal limits
shall be lessened only if such goods have not been sold within
the municipal limits and if they have been exported out of
such limits within a period of six months from the date of their
import in such limits".
E
Relying on this provision the municipality in that case contended
that if the sale had taken place within the octroi limits though the sale was
not for consumption or use within the octroi limits, duty was payable and

F
no refund could be claimed. The learned Single Judge who heard the
matter in the High Court did not permit the importer to raise the question
that the sale took place only outside the octroi limits of Jodhpur and
proceeded on the footing that the sale of product in question took place
·-
within the octroi limits of Jodhpur. He however accepted the contention of
the Indian Oil Corporation (importer) that the sale to the dealer was for
the purpose of export and the dealer did export the goods outside the
octroi limits and that, therefore, even if the sale was said to have been
G effected within the octroi limits no octroi was leviable. Since admittedly
the goods had been sold in Jodhpur octroi limits only for their onwards
transmission for use and consumption in Oangia was outside the octroi
limits he held that no octroi duty was payable. This view of the learned
Single Judge was confirmed on appeal by the Division Bench of the High
Court. On appeal this Court confirmed this view and held that the Indian
H Oil Corporation (importer) who had the current account facility and gov-

I.
TATA ENGINEERING CO. v. MtJNICIPALCORPN. [V. RAMASWAMI,J.] 457

emed by the tenns.ofiule 13 was entitled to go on paying octroi duty "on A
to basis of the goods brought by it within the municipality less the goods
.;.., tr&isported outside the municipality even where the transport .outside the
municipality may be in pursuance of a sale within the municipality so
} long as 5uch sale is in pursuance of an intention that the goods should be
conswn~d or used outside the municipal limits".
B
In the present case the sales were to person who were carrying on
business outside the limits of the Corporation and the goods were al~o

..
intended to be consumed or used outside such limits and in fact the goods
were also exported. The ratio of the decisions above(eferred clearly, therefore;
governs this case, even if it were to be assumed that the sale in the general ·
sense took place inside the municipal limits. c
However we may state that it was the contention of the learned
counsel for the appellant that the sale in· fact took place outside the mu-
nicipal limits and in support of this contention he relied on the following
facts among others. The spare parts were consigned by the. Company to
out station purchasers. The goods were transported by the Company them- D
selves across the octroi limits. The consignment or lorry receipt· men-
tioned the consignee as self. The bills for collection were sent through
;
~ Bank and the goods were not to be delivered to the consignee until the
payment was made by the consignee through the Bank. Right of disposal
expressly reserved with _the· vendor. On the other hand on behalf of the
Corporation it was contended that orders were Df>th received and accepted E
in Thane, goods were despatched from Thane and challans were also
made in the name of the buyers and the property in the goods passed
within Thane. The sale had in fact taken place within municipal area. In
fact he further contended that being a question of fact we are not entitled
to go into the same in view of the finding of the High Court. It is not
necessary for us, ·however, to consider this aspect and we would ~or the F
purpose of this case proceed on the assumption that technically the sale in
law bad taken place inside the municipal limits.

Since the goods were sold by the Company to outside purchasers
and the goods under the transactions of sale, were intended to be exported
G
,." and were in fact exported, for consumption or use outside the municipal
limits no octroi duty was leviable and the octroi duty paid on entry into 'j

the municipal limits was, therefore, liable to be refunded. Accordingly the
rejection of the refund claims on the ground that Rule 25 (3) {d) had not
been strictly complied with is illegal and could not be sustained. Such Of
those claims which were rejected only on the grounds of contravetion of
H
458 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1991] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A Rule 25 (3) (d) shall now be taken up by the respondent and passed for
payment.

In the case of impost of octroi the taxable event is the entry of goods
which are meant to reach an ultimate user or consumer in the area. Mere
physical entry into the octroi limits would not attract levy of octroi. When
B the goods are. brought in not for consumption within the area but for
temporary detention and eventual export, octroi is not leviable. But in
order to ensure, in such circumstances, that.the goods are exported and to
prevent evasion of octroi on goods consumed inside the octroi limit, Rules
provide for deposit of a certain sum of money or the actual octroi duty
payable subject to a right to get a refund of the same when the goods are
C exported. When the goods in respect of which octroi was_ paid are ex-
ported, the octroi became refundable and that is the very scheme· of the
levy of octroi. The octroiable event in such a case shall be deemed not
have h"appened. Right to refuiid arises because the goods are not con-
sumed inside the area but exported and the tax becomes not leviable. The
rules merely regulate the system on which refunds shall be allowed. The
D procedure prescribed and the need to adhere to the procedure shall have to
be considered in the light of these legal incidence and nature of octroi
duty. ·

Before we deal with the question whether the Company had not
followed any of the procedure prescribed and the right of the Corporation
E to deny refund of octroi on non-compliance with any of those provisions
in the Rules, it is necessary to broadly set out the different types of
procedures prescribed, depending on different purposes of in\ports and
exports, contemplated under the Rules. This may be broadly classified
into five categories, (i) goods imported for consumption, use or sale in the
municipal area, (ii) goods imported not for consumption, use or sale within
F the municipality but for immediate export, (iii) goods intended to be
temporarily detained within the municipality in the bonded warehouse
·maintained by the Corporation and eventual export; (iv) goods intended
for temporary detention in the private licensed bonded wharehouse of the
importer and eventual export; and (v) goods imported by any person,
mercantile firm or body which has been permitted by the municipal Cor-
G poration to keep an current account. In the first case, since octroi is
attracted on arrival of the d_utiable goods at the Octroi Naka the importer
pays the amount of octroi assessed by the octroi officer and takes the
goods inside the municipal limits. In the second case, the importer gives a
declaration-cum application that the goods are not being imported fu the
municipal limits for consumption, use or sale but are intended for immedi-
H ate export outside the octroi limits. He is required to deposit an amount in
TATA ENGINEERING CO. v. MUNICIPALCORPN. [V. RAMASWAMI, J.) 459

accordance with the scale fixed under clause (b) of sul>-i"ule (1) of Rule A
(5). On such deposit being made a receipt is given in the form prescribed
by the Entrance Naka Inspector and a written permission-c~-transit pass
issued by the Octroi Officer. On arrival of the goods at the exit Naka and
j on surrender of the-written permission-cum-transit pass the deposit amount
is refunded. In the third category of cases, the importer makes an applica-
tion to the Octroi officer at the Entrance Naka for a written permission to B
deposit such goods at the bonded warehouse maintained by the Corpora-
tion. The Octroi Officer then makes an entry on the application that the
importer is allowed to proceed with the goods to the bonded warehouse.
The Officer in-charge of the bonded warehouse will receive the goods and
keep them in the bonded warehouse until exported. When the importer
~ wants to export the goods he is required to apply for a written permission- c
cum-export pass in the prescribed form and also deposit an amount equal
to the octroi leviable therein. On such deposit made a written permission-
cum-export pass is issued. When the goods are taken out of the municipal
limits the Officer Incharge of the Exit Naka endorses the export pass
certifying the export and the refund of the deposit is claimed thereafter
producing the certificate issued by the Exit Naka Officer. In the fourth D
category, the importer gives a declaration in Form 4 that the goods are
meant for temporary detention with him at his own warehouse for even-
tual export. After verification of the particulars furnished in that form
with the invoices and other documents produced he is required to deposit
at the Entry Octroi Naka point itself an amount equal to the amount of full
octroi duty thereon as deposit. A receipt is given by the Octroi Inspector E
stating that the said amount "on account of deposit" has been recovered.
When he wants to export the dutiable goods detained with him he presents
an intimation-cum-application in Form 11 for written permission to export
the goods. He is also required to produce the goods at the Central Octroi
officer along with the application. On satisfaction that all the conditions
prescribed have been fulfilled and after verification of the goods a written F
permission-cum-refund export pass in Form No. 12 is given to the im-
porter. On presentation of these documents the Octroi officer at the Exit
Naka gives a certificate that the goods mentioned therein have passed
octroi limits and with that the refund application is made and refund
obtained.
G
.... _ The instant case falls under the fifth category. The Company has
been permitted by the Municipal Corporation to keep the dutiable goods
in a bonded warehouse of their own with a current account fac~lity. The
rules which were relied on by the Respondent and some of which are said
to have not been complied with by the Company may be set out :
H
"10. Maintenance of Bonded Warehouses. -
SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1991] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A (I) x x x
(2) A Council may permit any importer to maintain a private
Bonded Warehouse for keeping goods which are imported by
such importer for temporary detention and eventual export and
grant a licence to such importer for that purpose subject to the
conditions and restrictions laid down in such licence. A fee
B shall be charged for such licence at the rates specified in the
bye-laws relating to the grant of such licence."
"14.Declarations to be made by importer, etc. - (1) On arrival
of any dutiable goods at the Octroi Naka, the Octroi Officer
shall call upon the importer or the driver of the Vehicle or
c conveyance or the person incharge of the pack-animal or other
persons bringing the goods-
(a) x x x x
(b) x x x x
(c) x x x x
D
(d) to make a declaration in Form 4, in respect of the goods
intended for temporary detention with himself and even- ·,
tual export;
(e) to make a declaration in Form 5, in respect of the goods
imported by, or on behalf of, any person, mercantile firm
E
or body which has been permitted by the Council to keep
an account current under Section 142;
"IS.Procedure for assessment and recovery of octroi. -
(4) On receipt of a declaration in Fotm 5 under the last pre-
F ceding rule, the Octroi .Officer shall ascertain whether the name
of the person, mercantile firm or body on whose behalf the
goods are being imported is on the list of persons, firms or
bodies allowed to keep an account current, and if so, check the
goOds with the details entered in the declaration and fill up the
certificate below the declaration and issue a pass in Form 6.
G The Octroi Officer shall forward all such declarations together
with a list in duplicate thereof to the Central Octroi Officer for
further action in accordance with the provisions of Section
142.
"24.Procedure for temporary detention of dutiable goods meant
for eventual export, with importer himself. - (1) Where dy:ti-
H able goods intended for temporary detention within the oc~oi
TATA ENGINEERING CO. v. MUNICIPAL CORPN. [V. RAMASWAMI, J.) 461

limits and eventual export are to be detained by the importer at A
his residence or a Bonded Warehouse licensed under sul>-rule
(2) of rule 10 within the octroi limits, he may do so on giving
a declaration to the Octroi officer in Form 4, and on paymen~
of an amoµnt equal to the amount of full octroi due thereon as
deposit either in cash or in the form of Bank Guarantee at the
Entrance Naka. B
(2) In case the importer cannot export the goods without breaking
bulk or without assemble and testing in the case of machinery,
he shall do the same only with the sanction of the Superintend-
ent of Octroi in the presence· of an officer deputed for this
purpose by the said Superintendent. Such goods, if necessary C
shall be formed into packages, which may be sealed and marked
by the Officer so deputed.
"25.Procedure for export of dutiable goods temporarily de-
tained with importer. - (I) When the importer wants to export
dutiable goods detained with him, he shall present an intim~
tion-cum-application for written permission in Form 11 to the D
Superintendent of Octroi to export such goods, giving neces~
sary details; and produce such goods for verifica!ion on any
working day during the hours fixed by the Chief Officer at the
Central Octroi Office or at any other Branch Office, as may be
established by the Council for the purpose.
E
(2) A separate intimation-cum-application shall be given by
each· importer or hts own goods. One such intimation-cum-
application shall be sufficient for a single consignment. When
such consignment contains goods of different descriptions, full ·
details shall be given separately in the intimation-cum-applic~
tion. Not more than one fntimation-cum-application for export F
can be giv~n by an importer for goods passing through an Exit
Nakain'aday.
(3) No such intimation-cum-application shall be accepted un-
less- ·

(a) it is complete in all respects and signed by the importer
G
himself or by a person authorised by him in writing in
this behalf;
(b) it is supported by the receipt for the deposit paid at the .
time of import and is accompanied by the original in-
-voice, if any, filed at the time of import; H
462 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1991) SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A (c) the goods produced for inspection and intended to be ex-
ported are, subject to the provisions of sub-rule (2) of the
last preceding rule, identical with what they were at the
time of import.
\-
(d) the exporter and the importer.of these goods are one and
the same person and such articles have not undergone
B change of ownership.
-..
Note. - The requirement of clause (c) shall not be applicable in
the case of dutiable goods to which sub-rule (3) or (4) of the
last preceding rule applies.
(4) On receipt of such intimation-cum-application and on ar- I-·
c
rival of the goods intended for export, at the Central Octroi
Office or Branch Office, the Superintendent of Octroi or any
officer authorised by him shall-
(a) satisfy himself that all the conditions prescribed above
are fulfilled;
D
(b) verify that the goods actually produced for inspection are
as described in the intimation-cum-application and in the
relevant import invoice, if any, or in the import declara-
tion in Form 4, and seal and mark such goods whenever
deemed necessary; and
E
(c) issue a written permission-cum-refund export pass in Form
12 after obtaining a specimen signature of the importer or
his authorised agent on such pass.
(5) The importer accompanied by an escort, if provided by the
Council, shall then take the goods beyond the octroi limits
F through the Exit Naka within the time limit and by the route
specified in the pass. Before crossing the Exit Naka; the impoter
shall present the goods to the Octroi Officer at the Exit Naka
for inspection, with the pass. The time limit shall be fixed with
due regard to the distance of the Exit Naka from the Central
Octroi Office or the Branch office, but in no case it shall
G exceed 12 hours from the time of issue of the pennission-cum-
t:"'
refund export pass.
(6) The Octroi Officer at the Exit Naka, on presentation of
such goods as well as the pass, shall satisfy himself that-
(a) the pass as well as the goods are presented within the
H specified time limit; ,
TATA ENGINEERING CO. v. MUNICIPAL CORPN. [V. RAMASW AMI, J.) 463 •

(b) the seals or marks, if any, are inact; and A
(c) the goods actually tally with those mentioned in the pass.
On being so satisfied, he shall make relevant entries in the
register maintained for the purpose, obtain signature of the
importer thereon, sign a certificate as given on the pass, de-
liver the same to the importer and allow the goods to pass B
beyond the octroi limits.
28. Provision for refund of deposit.- (l) When any goods for
which a deposit has been paid under rule 24 at the time of their;
import are exported, the amount of deposit recovered shall,
subject to the provision of sub-rule (2), be refunded.
c
(2) The refund shall be admissible, if all the conditions below'
are satisfied.-
(a) The refund is applied for within one month from the date.
of export. ·
(b) The goods are exported out of the octroi limits within a D
period of six months of their import.
(c) The application for refund is supported by a duly certified
written permission-cum-refund export pass.
(d) All the conditions in sub-rule (3) of rule 25 are fulfilled.
E
(e) The amount claimed as refund is withdrawn within three
months from . the date of intimation to the importer to
receive the amount.
(t) The goods exported were declared to be intended for tern~
. . _porary de_ten~ion with the importer and eventual export at
th-e time of ill)port: · F
Provided that the· said period of six months shall not apply to
goods imported by the Food Corporation of India established
under section 3 of the Food Corporation Act, 1964.
2,. Procedure for refund. - (1) The Application for refund of
deposit shall be made in Form 13 by the importer himself or G
by his duly authorised agel\t in this behalf in writing on any
working day duritig th~ .~ptirs fixed for money transactions by
the Cowwil at the ·ro~tral Octroi Office within one month
from the ~te of the.actual export. If the last day for claiming
refund falls on a public holiday such application shall be ac-
cepted on the next working day. H
464 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1991) SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A. (2) Such application shall be accompanied by the duly certi-
fied relevant written permission~cum-refund export pass and
shall contain reference to the connected export intimation-cum-
application already given by the importer. There shall be a
separate application for each written permission-cum-refund
export pass.
B (3) If the refund application is ·in order and satisfies all the
conditions specified in the last preceding rule, the amount of
the refund shall be correctly detennined subject to the limita-
tion prescribed in the next succeeding rule". ·
30. Value, weight, etc. of goods for purposes of refund. - When
c the refund is claimed in respect of goods on which duty is
le viable ad-valorem, the value for the purposes of refund shall
be the value as per invoice on the strength of which the duty •.
was originally paid together with such cost of carriage and
other incidental charges that were then determined. Where the
value was determined in the absence of invoice on the basis of
D market rate prevalent on the day of import, that value only
should be considered and not the market price prevalent in the
local market on the day of export".
FORM4
(Rules 14, 24 and 25)
Declaration in respect of the dutiable goods imported into the Mu-
E
nicipal octroi limits, which are intended for temporary detention with the
importer and eventi.Jal export.

To
The Octroi Officer,
·F Octroi Naka No ............ ..
.. .. ... .. .. .. .. Municipal Council.
!, .................... (insert full name and address of the importer) hereby
declare that the below mentioned goods are meant for temporary detention
with me at ........ (specify address at which to be kept) for eventual export
outside the· octroi limits. I am willing to pay an amount equal to the
G a.mount of full octroi due thereon as deposit either in cash or in the form
of Bank Guarantee and may claim refund according to the rules if these
goods are exported outside limits within six months from the date of their
import. The below mentioned details are true and according to the origi-
nal invoice, true copy of which is filed herewith. The said invoice covers
all the goods imported by me as per Bill of Entry/Railway Receipt/ Goods
H Transport Memo/Air consignment Note No .......... dated ....... .
TATA ENGINEERING CO. v. MUNICIPALCORPN. [V. RAMASWAMl,J.] 465

Sr. Noi & date No.and Des.:ription Weight Value plus all Sender's '·Re-
A
II( No. of import des.:ri- of the or incidental charges name& m3rks
.~
document ption of goods goods which are to be address
packages given separately in full
._.I.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
B

Full residentiaVbusiness address of the importer.
Date ......... . Signature of the_ Importer
I have checked the above particulars with the invoice and verified
the goods, which are found to be correct. Ture copy of the invoice ap- C
pended is verified and found to be correct. The weight or quantity or ·
value, together with the incidental charges declared, is correct. The tax-
able weight/quantity/value of the goods is ......and the rate ofoctroi... .... ,

Date........... Inspector/Clerk.
The amount of Rs .......... on account of deposit has been recovered D
under receipt No ..........dated .......... .
Date ......... . Inspector/Clerk. ·
FORMS
(Rules 14 and 15)
E
Declaration in respect of the dutiable goods imported on behalf of
person, firm, or body allowed to keep an account current.
To
The Cctrrii Officer,
OctroCNaka No ....... .. F
Municipal Council..
1, ........................ (insert the full name and address of the importer) hereby
declare that the below mentioned goods are being imported into the Mu-
nicipal Octroi limits on behalf of.. ............ (insert the name of persons,
firm or body allowed to keep an account current) and that the below
mentioned value at).d weight/quantity of the goods is true and correct and
is according to the original invoice, true copy of which is filed herewith.
The said invoice fully covers all the goods imported by me today as per
Bill of Entry/Railway Receipt/Goods Transport Memo/ Air Consignment
Note No ......... dated ......... .I further undertake to produce the said invoice
for your inspection whenever demanded by you within one year from
H
today.
466 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1991] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A To be filled in by the importer To be filled in
at the Central
Octroi Office

Sr. Bill of Entry' Number 1&&£1i1!1i2D Value plus Rate of Amount
No. Railway Receipt' descri- Weight incidental Octroi of
Goods Transport ption of Goods quantity charges which 'Octroi
B Memo/Air packages Gross are to be given recoverable
Consignment Note separately
2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Date.......... Signature of the importer Dues entered in
c · I have checked the above particulars with the Account Current
invoice and verified the goods, which are found to Date ......... .
be correct. True copy of the invoice appended is Octroi
verified and found to be correct. The weight or Su:j>erintendent
quantity or value, together with the incidental charges
declared, is correct. Issued pass No ........ :.dated ......... .
D
Date............... Inspector/Clerk
FORM6
(Rule 15)
Pass for goods imported on behalf of person, finn or body allowed to keep
E an account current
..........Municipal Council :.......... Municipal Council Book No .....Entrance
Naka No..... : Book No ..... Entrance Naka No .....
Counterfoil of pass Pass for goods
imported by in account current ....... .
F (Name of Person, finn or body)

Desc_r.iption No. and Description Weight,
Description of the quantity
of packages goods or value
1 2 3
G

. •"

,''

Dated.......... . , ,,. Dated ....... :..
·H Entnµ1ee>. ,Naka Insp~ptor/(;lerk Entrance Naka In~pector/Clerk
~- . . ' ·- .
TATA ENGINEERING CO. v. MUNICIPAL CORPN. [V. RAMASWAMI, J.] 467

Form 11 A
(Rules 25 and 26)

Intimation-cum-application for written permission for Export of Goods
Temporarily detained with the Importer

To B
The Superintendent of Octroi,
.................... Municipal Council.

Sir,

I ....... ,..... ,......... (insert the full name and address of the im- C
porter) hereby declare my intention to export the goods to.....................through
Naka No ........... as detailed below. The certified copy of original invoice/
invoices under which these goods were imported are appended herewith. I
have produced the goods for actual verification. Kindly grant me the
permission to carry the goods to the said Naka.
D
SI. Description Quantity Date of Import Depo~it Gross
No. of the (Number of Import & No. invoice receipt weight
goods bags or of entrance No.and number&
cases) Naka date date
2 3 4 5 6 7

E

Value Amount to be Number of Name and How Remarks F
refunded Refund Export address of exported
pass granted the consignee
8 9 10 11 12 13

Date ......... .. Si~e of Importer G

Veri-fied the contents and the weight as above and found correct.
'
T Countersigned.
Octroi Officer. Signature ofthe Re~d lnspector/CJerk.
Receipt No ....... .
.H
A
468 SUPREME COURT REPORTS

FORM12
(1991] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.
'-
(Rule 25)

Written Permission-cum-Refund Export Pass

Receipt No ..............................- Date ............................. 19
B
SI. . Month · Name and Name and Description Quantity Gross
no. and address of address of of the (number of weight
date the importer the consignee goods bags or cases)
2 3 4 s 6 7

..,.
c Value. Deposit
to be
How
exported
Exist Date & time· by Whether Remarks I

refunded
Naka
No.
which the goods goods
should reach the sealed or
\
ExportNaka escort given
8 9 10 11 12 13 14

*Fee for Written Pennission-Cum-Refund Pass Rs... ,. ..... Miscellaneous Receipt
D No .......... , dated......... .

Signature''or the importer Signature of Octroi Officer

I hereby certify that the goods mentioned above have passed outside
the octroi limits this day the .......... of the month ....... :.. 19 . Time ........... am./
E p.m. in my presence Railway receipt... ......./Vehicle No ......... The seals, if
any, thereon were intact when the goods were presented to me for verifi-
cation.

Date .......... . Signature of the Exist Naka Of(icer
NakaNo .......... .
F
*This fee should be levied in accordance with the bye-laws framed under
section 338 for granting permission to take the goods from the -Central
Octroi Office or Branch Office to the Exist Naka.

FORM13
G (Rule 29)

Application for Refund of Deposit
To

The Superintendent of Octroi,
H ..........Municipal Council.
TATA ENGINEERING CO. v. MUNICIPALCORPN. [V. RAMASWAMI, J.] 4(9

.
Sir, A
I, ................the resident of..........hereby apply for refund of deposit
as per enclosed Written Permission-cum-Refund Export Pass
No ........... dated ......... ., as the goods mentioned in the pass were exported
on..........under my intimation-cum-application, dated......... .I, therefore, request
you to 2t'3nt the refund of Rs ......... and oblige. B

Enclosure:

Date ......... . Signature of Importer
)

On a reading of these rules it appears to be that Rules 24, 25 and 28 C
in terms would apply only to cases falling under category four, stated
above. The· declaration in Form 4 referred to in R;ule 24 and deposit of the
amount equivalent to octroi duty payable at the eµ.try point, production of
the goods for verification at the Central Octroi Office are all consistent
wjth its being applicable to a case where dutiable goods are imported for
.. temporary detention and eventual export by a person having a bonded D
· warehvuse of his own contemplated in Rule 14 (I) {d) and not Rule 14 (I)
. (e). However, Rules 29 and 30 are genefal in tenns and may be invoked in
both the cases falling under Rule 14 (I) (d) and (e). Sub-rule (3) of Rule
29 refers to the compliance of the conditions in Rule 28 and that is how it
may be said that the provisions of Rule 28 are .attracted to the cases of a
person having a bonded warehouse and the facility of account current. E
However, .the Rules have to be read and applied in such way that they do
not conflict with but are consistent with the facility of current account
given to the Company. Form 5 which is applicable to a case falling under
Rule 14 (1) (e) does not require the Company (importer) to give a declara~
tion at the time of arrival of the goods at the entry Naka point that the
"goods are meant for temporary detention with" the Company at its ware- F
house "for eventual export outside the octroi limits". The Company need
not also make any deposit with the Naka Inspector at the point of entry.
An amount equivalent to the octroi duty payable in respect of the goods is
only entered in the account current after the goods have reached the
warehouse and verified by the Octroi Officer. Form 4 is not applicable to
the case of the Company which has got a current account facility. The G
Company, is, therefore, bound to give a declaration only in Form 5, and
need not give a declaration as in Form 4 nor is there any obligation to
deposit an amount equivalent to the full octroi duty with the Octroi In-
spector at the Entry Naka Point. Further reference to original invoice~in
Forms 4 and 5 is only for the purpose of che~king the particulars ente ed
into in the forms. The production of an invoice is not, having regard to he H 1
470 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1991] SUPP. 2 s.c.R:
A purpose of such production, to be insisted blindly. If the particulars fur-
nished in the fonn including weight/quantity or value could be established
satisfactorily by other documents, we have no doubt that will be sufficient
compliance vdtb the Rules. Column 5 of Fonn I I also refers to invoice
and the date of invoice. This is again to correlate the goods exported with
the goods imported. If the identity of the goods could be established by
B evidence other than the production of invoices that should satisfy the
Rules. The invoice as such has no bearing on the liability of the goods for
octroi or the right of the Company for refund.

So far as the production of the original invoices are concerned, the
learned counsel for the Company pointed out that the goods are brought ,.._
c from their own manufacturing units at Pune and Jamshedpur and it will ....
only be a stock transfer and this requirement of producing orig!nal invoice
could not be complied with and is not applicable. Under the current ac-
l
'
count procedure the invoices, if any and all the other documents are
verified when the goods reach the \Yarehouse with reference to the de-
scriptiOn of the goods, weight/quantity, value and other particulars and it
D is only after verification the octroi duty leviable is detennined and amount
is debited in the account current ~d the demand also is issued.
The learned counsel for the appellant also ·referred to certain docu-
ments to show that for every category of article, the Company has given a
distinctive number and the goods are easily identifiable and the number of
E items or quantity imported are all record in the register and computerised
for easy verification. It is these identifying numbers of the articles that are
mentioned in the intimation-cum-application for written pennission for
export. He also relied on the fact that the Company has no manufacturing
unit within the Thane Municipality. Similarly, Column 6 of Fonn 11 al~o
could not be complied with as it is not applicable to a person who is
F having current account facility. So far as the value is concerned the learned
counsel for the appellants have fairly stated that 'the respondent was ·taking
72% of the list price of the articles for determining octroi payable, for
which he has no objection. In fact, he has suggested that since the Com-
pany publishes the price list periodically and that which shows the current
price at any point of time may be taken as the basis for such valuation.
G
The Octroi Exit Naka Officer had refused to give the certificate of
export pass on the ground that the particulars in CQlumns 5 and 6 of Fonn
~
.
11 could not be verified as the original invoices and the deposit receipts
were not produced. Since these columns could be filled only to the extent ••
\
possible by a person having an account current facility and there is no
dispute about the export of the goods mentioned therein the refusal to give
H
the export pass certificate by the Exit Naka Officer could not be sustained.
TATA ENGINEERING CO. v. MUNICIPALCORPN. [V. RAMASWAMl,J.) 471

The next point to be considered is the procedure to be followed A
when the importer wants to "breaking the bulk" and repack the goods in
smaller quantities and also the procedure relating to filling up Forms 11
_. and 12 and the refund applications in such circumstances. Rules 24 (2)
states that for breaking the bulk and repacking in smaller packages, sane-
tion of the Superintendent of Octroi is necessary and the "breaking bulk"
shall also be done in the presence of an officer deputed for this purpose. B
Rule 62 of Chapter VIII of the Schedule to the Bombay Provincial Mu-
;nicipal Corporation Act, 1949 provides that subject to the standing orders
not less than 90% of the octroi paid on any goods shall be refunded if such
goods are exported beyond the limits of the city within six months of
payment:

"provided that... ....... (C) in the case of goods which have been
c
broken bulk prior intimation has been given to the officers
specified in this behalf in the standing orders and the place or
places of storage have been reported to him from time to time".

Paragraph 5 of Appendix IV to this Act which we have noticed
D
earlier states that the rules framed under the Municipal Act shall "in so far
as it is not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, continue in force".
Rule 62 of Chapter VIII forms part of the Act. The learned counsel for the
appellant, therefore, contended that Rule 62 shall prevail and prior intima-
tion of the intention to 'breaking bulk' shall be enough and there was no
necessity for the Company to get the sanction of the Superintendent of
E
Octroi or break the. bulk in the presence of an officer deputed for the
purpose as required under sub-rule (2) of Rule 24. In other words accord-
ing to the learned counsel Rule 24 (2) of the Octroi Rules is inconsistent
with Rule 62 of Chapter VIII of the Schedule to the Act and to the extent
of inconsistency it shall be deemed to be not applicable. On the other
' hand the learned counsel for the responde11t contended that Rule 62 ( c)
F
deals with prior intimation ;irid Rule 24 (2) deals with the sanction and
breaking of the bulk in the presence of an officer deputed for that purpose
and both the rules can stay together and operate and there is no inconsist-

..
ency. We are not impressed with the argument that there is an inconsist-
ency between Rule 62 and Rule 24 (2). The intimation contemplated in
Rule 62 imply .that the breaking the bulk shall be done with the knowl- G
edge of the octroi authorities. But it 'eattrtot be said that the rules further
... provide that after i~tinlation the breakiilg of the bulk shall be done in the
presence of. the officers and after sanction that would in any case be
inconsistent. Both the rules thus can stand together.

In HMM Limited v. Administrator, [1989) 4 SCC 640 this Court
had occasion to consider the effect of non-compliance with this require- H
472 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1991] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A ment of a similar provision, on the right to get refund. Shortly stated the
facts in that case were these : The appellant brought into the municipal
limits Horlicks in bulk containers (large steel drums) for being packed in
unit containers (glass bottles) at the packing station in Bangalore and
l-
thereafter exported outside the municipal limits. In respect of the milk food
. so exported in glass bottles the appellants sought refund of octroi on the
B ground that there was no consumption, use or sale within the municipal
limits and the goods were exported. Rule 24 of the Octroi Rules that were
in force in Bangalore city provided:

"24 ... 0n all articles on which octroi duty has .been paid and
which are subsequently exported beyond the octroi limits with-
c out breaking bulk, refunds shall, subject to the following rules,
be granted at the rate originally charged at the time of import;
provided that no such refunds shall, except in the case of tim-
ber imported and re-exported in log be granted unless such
goods are exported within three months from the date on which
octroi was levied". -
D
Relying on this provision it was contended by the Municipality that
breaking the bulk amounted to ''use" within the municipal limits attracting
levy of octroi and no refund was permissible. The refund application had
also not been made within three months from the date on which octroi was
levied. It was admitted that the appellants had not followed that procedure
E prescribed in Rule 24. This Court held that mere transferring of a bulk
product in small containers like packets or bottles for the purpose of sale
does not amount to use of the goods in the sense the word is used in
relation to levy of octroi. It was further held that the words "without
breaking bulk" is not an expression of art and that meant only transferring
the product from the drums by breaking the seal of the drums, to the ,
F bottles for the purpose of exporting or for taking them oui of the munici-
. pal limits; and that would not amount to either use or consumption of the
Horlicks powder within the municipal limits attracting the levy of octroi.
-
The ratio of the judgment clearly is that merely on the ground that
G the goods are not exported in bulk as originally imported, the levy does
not become valid or that the importer who exported the goods loses his
right to a refund of the octroi paid. The goods neither loose their identity i-
nor cease to be identifiable. Once we reach the conclusion that there is no i
consumption or use, octroi is not attracted and if any levy ruis bee'n1iiade
and the
amount collected, the _same becomes legally refundable even when
\
H the goods are exported in parts and it! smaller packages. This is particu-
\
TATA ENGINEERING CO. v. MUNICIPAL CORPN. [V. RAMASWAMI, J.) 473

larl}' so because in the case of goods not consumed or used within the 'A
octroi area but exported there is a constitutional bar for the levy of octroi.

In this connection we may also refer to another decision reported in
Municipal Committee, Khurari v. Dhannalal Sethi & Ors., [1969] l SCR
166. The rules considered in that case also provided that an application for
refund was to be made in the prescribed form and that the exporter after B
filling in the particulars had to present his application at the office ap-
. jX\inted for that purpose. There were other rules which provided an elabo-
rate, procedure to be followed at the time of export of the goods. These
rules related to the octroi officers satisfying himself that the goods brought
for export agree with those mentioned in the application, presentation of
the claim within the prescribed time, identifying of the goods exported c
with those imported and other matters. This Court held that:

"these rules do provide a procedure which an exporter wishing
to claim refund has to follow. But the question is whe'lher in a
case where an exporter has not done so, is he disentitled from
claiming the refund. The real difficulty in the way of the ap- D
pellant Committee is that though the rules lay down a proce-
dure which such an applicant has to follow, they do not pro-
vide at the same time that an applicant for refund who has
failed to follow the procedure laid down in r.r. 35 to 319 would
·be disentitled to claim the refund. In the absence of such a
provision coupled with the categorical language ofr. 27 giving E
a right to an exporter of dutiable goods to claim 7/8tb of the
duty paid on such goods on their import, it becomes Uifficult
to uphold the denial by the appellant Committee ofthe1right of
respondents l and 2 such a refund. We are, therefore, of the
opinion that in the present state of the rules, the appdal must
fail though for reasons different from those given by th~ Board F
of Revenue and the High Court". I

It may be pertinent to mention that the Maharashtra Munici!palities
·(Octroi) Rules, 1968 also do not contain any specific provision :that an
~plicant for refund who has failed to follow the procedure w~uld be
disentitled to claim the refund. It may be noted that the amount collected G
which is equivalent to the octroi duty payable on the goods, on entry into
the octroi limits while in detention in the warehouse is only as a deposit
I
pending export of the goods. The other aspect is that once octroi is not
leviable the deposit made by the importer pending export is in the I nature
of a trust and refundable in the event of the export of the goods. Further in
a given set of facts, whether the rules have been complied with will have H
I

I
I

I
474 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1991) SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A to be tested having regard to the nature of the particular transaction and
whether the object of the procedure provided is otherwise fully satisfied.
Rule 28 also merely states that the refund shall be admissible if all the
conditions in sub-rule 2 of that Rule are satisfied. The object of requiring
intimation or sanction and presence of an officer when breaking the bulk
in the scheme of octroi levy and refund is to ensure that dutiable goods do
B .not escape the assessment and refunds are made only in respect of goods
exported. In otlier words the whole requirement relates to the identifica-
tion of the goods. In that sense if the same is otherWise complied with the
right to refund cannot be denied. These rules cannot be read as enabling
the municipality to levy and collect octroi even in cases where the goods
have not been imported for consumption or use. As held by this Court in
C Kirpal Singh Duggal v. Municipal Board, Ghaziabad, [1968] 3 SCR 551
the octroi rules are intended to regulate the system on which the refunds
shall be allowed and paid. What are merely matters of procedure which
the municipality was entitled to require compliance with in granting re-
fund cannot be treated as condition precedent for the entitlement of the
refund itself. The Constitution prohibits levy of tax except in accordance
D with law. When the goods are not imported for consumption or use within
the octroi area the municipality ceases to have any constitutional right to
levy octroi. If the goods therefore have merely entered into the octroi
limits and passed out of the same no octroi duty is attracted.

The concept of octroi as held by this Court in Burma Shel/ 's case
E (supra) may include "the bringing in of goods in a local area so that the
goods come to a repose there". It is this concept that is reflected in Rule
28 (2) (b) when it requires evidence that the goods were exported out of
the octroi limits within a period of six months of their imports. The
learned counsel for the appellants Mr. Andharujina had expressed certain
difficulties in satisfying the Corporation that the goods imported were
F exported within the period of six months as provided in the rules in view
of certain peculiar circumstances in this case. He pointed out the goods
received in bulk are small small items and there are about 16000 distinc-
tive types of articles and when the bulks are broken and each of the
categories items are mixed up together it becomes difficult for him to
individually identify when the goods were received and when they were
G exported. However, he was sure that the goods were exported before six
months. When this difficulty was pointed out during the pendency of the;
.....
appeal, as an interim direction this Court by Order dated 1.5.1989 directeu
the parties to proc~ed on the basis that the goods which came in first pad
gone out first unless some factors or features indicate otherwise. This is
not equitable principle unknown to law. Even as early as in 1816 with
H reference to money paid on account to a creditor, in Clayton's case (1814)
II

I
TATA ENGINEERING CO. v. MUNICIPAL CORPN. [V~ RAMASWA.MI; J.) 475

?3 All. E.R. Rep. P. 1, it was held that in the absence of an aJeemem. to A
the contrary, in the case of current account containing debit 'and credit
entries there is a presumption that the first item on the credit ~ide of the
account is intended to be applied in the payment of the first item on the
debit side of the account. This is an equitable principle which could be
followed in the instant case and it may be presumed that the goods which
came in first have gone out first and the si({ months perio4 could be B
determined on that .basis. In any case in view of the interim direction
given by this Court on May 1,1989 that may be usefully be folllowed for
the future also in this case.

To sum up: Having regard to the nature and incidenc~ of octroi
unless the octroiable goods are consumed or used or are meant to I
reach an C
ultimate user or consumer in the octroi area no octroi is levtia,ble. The
words 'sale therein' in the words "consumption, use or sal,:l ther~ln" in the
definition octroi means sale of octroiable goods to a persoh>'f¥'' the pur-
pose of consumption or use by such person in the octroi area. If sale was
intended for consumption or use in the octroi area whether the] purchaser
actually consumed inside or outside octroi area is irrelevant. Rlules 24 to D
30 and the forms in the system of levy of octroi are intended ~o regulate
the procedure for collection, identification of dutiable goods ~d correla-
tion of goods exported with the goods imported for the purpose pf refunds
of octroi collected. In view of constitutional bar octroi is not ieviable if
the goods are not brought into the octroi area for purposes of co~sumption
or use in the area but for export and in fact exported by the importer E
himself or the sale by him occasions the export. Compliance with the
procedure prescribed in the Rules for filing claims of refun4s are not
condition precedent for the right or eligibility for refund or the liability to
refund but are provisions regarding proof of export of the goods imported
and are not meant to be exhaustive either. They are to be inte1Rreted and
understood in that sense. The object of the Rules fixing a period1of limita- F
tion for export however is different. The export cannot be put in, perpetual
doubt and the goods may be considered to have come to a rep9se if they
,. were not exported within a particular period provided in the rules. Apply-
ing these principles to the instant case, on facts the rejection .of refund

-
applications on the ground that Rule 25 (3) (d) had not been\ complied
with was illegal. Since the rejection of the claims for refund was merely G
on the ground that either Form 4 and original invoices were not' produced
or columns 5 and 6 of Form 11 or the corresponding columns iq Form 12
had not been filled with reference to an original invoice or Form 4 or
deposit receipt ~d the refusal to issue export pass· ce_!fificates[ on those
very grounds which we have stated are untenable the other orders of
1

rejections are also invalid. If the goods are mixed up and unic\entifiabte H
476 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1991] SUPP. 2 S.C.R.

A . due to breaking bulk and repacking in smaller and assorted packages
before export the principle that the first export was of the goods first
imported, subject to any evidence available to the contrary, may be ap-
plied and the six months period prescribed for export may be determined
accordingly.

B When these appeals were pending by way of interim arrangement
this Court by order dated 25.4.1990 directed that in order to obviate the
difficulty of identifying the goods at the time of export by reason of the
breaking of the bulk and in order avoid doubts, the respondent Corpora-
tion may depute their officer or officers on all working days at the ware-

C
house of the Company to supervise the breaking of the bulk subject to the
Company reimbursing the entire monthly payments and other allowances
to be paid to the said officer or officers as per bill or pay slips sent by the
Corporation to the Company. We think that this procedure could be con-
-
tinued and followed in future also so that while the purposes of the rules

D
are served the free trade and commerce of the Company which is stat~d to
have a large turnover is also not affected. ·-
The learned counsel for the respondent then contended that the ap-
pellants have recovered the amounts paid by them by way of octroi duty '.
from the dealers or the customers to whom they had sold the goods and
therefore they are in any case not entitled to get a refund. The argument
was that if refund is ordered it wouJd amount to allowing the appellants to
E unjustly enrich themselves at the cost of the public to whom the burden
-had already been passed. This argument is based on the ground that in the
selling price the company had merged the octroi duty originally paid as
deposit and if a refund is made the company would be getting an addi-
tional amount over and above normal price which they would have charged
but for the fact that they were initially asked to deposit octroi. There is no
F evidence that any of the articles sold by the Company is subject to any
price control by the Government or that t~e Company had charged any
octroi separately in the bills, Invoices and the other documents of sale to
the outside purchasers produced before us do not also show that any octroi
was separately charged and collected by the Company. It may be men-
tioried that in the rejoinder filed by the appellant in the writ petition they
G have specifically denied that they "have recovered the amount paid by
them by way of octroi duty from the dealers to whom they had sold the
goods or that the dealers in tum have recovered the octroi duty from the
customers". In view of this the question of unjust enrichment does not
arise.

H
TATA ENGINEERING CO. v. MUNICIPAL CORPN. [V. RAMi\SWAMI, J.) 477

This appeal is accordingly allowed on the above tenns. There will A
however be no order as to costs.

T.N.A. Appeal allowed.