COMMISSIONER OF SALES TAX Vs. CHWALA STORES

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE following question has been referred for our opinion by the Addl. Revising Authority Sales Tax, Allahabad.

(2.) THE turnover of the perfumed hair oil manufactured and sold by the assessee was assessed at 10 per cent as in the opinion of the STO it was covered by the entry 5T-7094 dt. 1st Oct., 1975. The assessee being unsuccessful in appeal filed revision which was allowed as the Judge Revision was of the view that perfumed hair oil was included in the terms 'Bill of all kinds' which was taxable at 3 per cent in the hands of manufacturers. The question raised in this reference is not free from difficulty. The test would be applied in interpreting entries in the Notification under the Sales Tax is popular parlance in commercial circles. Perfumed hair oil an item which to our minds falls under both the Notifications. It is as much covered in the heading of Oil of all kinds' as under cosmetic and toilet requisites. No Dictionary or any test of popular parlance is needed to hold that perfumed hair oil is covered by the entry 'Oil of all kinds' Similarly it is well known that perfumed hair oil is an item of cosmetic and toilet requisites. This phrase has been subject matter of interpretation in two Supreme Court decisions reported in Saran Chemical Laboratory vs. State of U. P. 26 STC 339 and State of Gujarat vs. Prakash Trading Company 30 STC 648. Hair Oil as the expression itself indicates is used for dressing hair. Its object is not only to keep the hair tidy, maintain its growth, check baldness but also to beautify appearance. As such there can hardly be any controversy that it is squarely covered by the entry cosmetic and toilet requisites. Reliance on the principle generabillun special a berogant has been placed by both the sides. In our opinion both the entries are general in nature and have been expressed in widest terms. One of the tests it such circumstances is to find out the legislative intent from a perusal of various Notification issued from time to time. Notification No. ST. 119 dt. 7th June, 1948 exempts edible oil pressed on Ghanis. the other Notification ST 117 dt. 8th June, 1948 exempts edible oil of all kinds at 6 pies whereas edible oil is taxed at 3 pies. This shows that oil has been classified in two categories i. e. and edible oil (5) and oil of all kinds. Edible oil has further been sale-classified has edible oil and edible oil pressed on grannies by human and animal Labour. The latter has either been exempt or taxed at a very low rate. This classification has been maintained from 1948 till today. The first Notification regarding cosmetic and toilet requisites was issued on 1st July, 1948 and it was taxed at 9 pies. This was enhanced in 1956 to one anna. From 1956 to 1961 by Notification ST-905 dt. 31st March, 1956 both oil of all kinds and cosmetic and toilet requisites were taxable at the same rate. From 1961 cosmetic and toilet requisites became taxable at 7 paise which was enhanced to 10 paise in 1965. A close look at the Notification issued in 1948 would in dicate that lesser rates were applied to goods which were more in demand by common man, whereas higher rate was imposed on goods which were required by middle class and still higher rate was applied to articles used by affluent persons in society. For instance edible oils, tanned teather, sugar etc. were taxed at 3 pies, cotton yarn manufactured by mills, cloth manufactured by mills woollen goods, leather goods etc. were taxed at 6 pies; silk linen, glassware, paints at 9 pies; motor vehicles, refrigerators, scent and perfumed were taxed at one anna. The pattern which is discernible has always been maintained. Keeping the classification in view, it would be more appropriate to treat perfumed hair oil as cosmetic and toilet requisites. It is an item which is generally used by persons in the middle class and higher strata of society. There is yet another reason which implies us to hold that perfumed hair oil is taxable at 10 per cent. Scents and perfumes from the very beginning have been taxed at higher rate. From 1948 to 1961 they were taxable at one anna and from 1961 onwards taxable at 7 pies, that rate at which the cosmetic and toilet was taxable. Perfumed hair oil apart from becoming eligible to higher tax becomes an item different from oil of all kinds. It appears oils which have any other distinctive characteristic have been treated differently for example coconut oil kerosene oil, diesel oil etc. We are of opinion that after the addition of perfume hair oil acquires a distinctive character of becoming a cosmetic and toilet requisite. It has been strenuously urged for the assessee that a perusal of Notification No. St 8492 dt. 30th Sept., 1969 r/w ST 8490 dt. 30th Sept., 1969 would demonstrate that perfumed hair oil was always under studios as being an item covered by oil of all kinds. Ist exclusion from the earlier Notification indicates that before 1969 it was always intended to be included in it. The arguments is attractive and not without force. The Court below has also taken the same view. In our opinion this is a colourless circumstance, for sometimes the word "include" is use by the legislature not to extend the meaning of a word but to give an exhaustive meaning of the word by way of clarification. The privy Council in Dilworth vs. CIT, Stamps 1899 AC 99 at p. 106 referring to the meaning of the include in certain circumstances observed thus: