AIR INDIA LTD. Vs. COMMISSIONER OF SALES TAX

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The Petitioner, Air India Ltd. (hereafter 'Air India') is involved in offering air transportation services. As part of running its business, it sells scrap, depleted parts and sometimes even out-dated or unused aircraft. The question that arises is whether it is liable to pay sales tax on such sales, under the Delhi Sales Tax Act, 1975 ('DST Act').

(2.) The judgment of this Court in Commissioner of Sales Tax v. DTC, 1996 III AD (Delhi) 462 (hereafter 'DTC') is heavily relied upon by the Petitioner to submit that the Petitioner's services are no different from that of the Delhi Transport Corporation ('DTC') and hence it is not liable to pay sales tax. The Respondent relies upon several judgments of various High Courts and the Supreme Court, passed in relation to the Railways to argue that the Petitioner is liable to pay sales tax on the sales effected by it.

(3.) Initially the Petitioner had challenged the assessment made for Assessment Year ('AY') 1994-95 which resulted in ST. Ref. 4/2004. Thereafter the Petitioner challenged the assessments made for AYs 1995-96, 1996-97 and 1997-98 which resulted in ST. Ref. 1/2015, ST. Ref. 2/2015 and ST. Ref. 3/2015.