Research › Search › Judgment

Kerala High Court · body

2010 DIGILAW 59 (KER)

Ajaya kumar v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes

2010-01-20

C.N.RAMACHANDRAN NAIR, V.K.MOHANAN

body2010
Judgment :- C.N. Ramachandran Nair, j. Appeal is filed against clarification issued by the Commissioner under S. 94 of the K.V.A.T. Act, 2003, hereinafter called the “Act” clarifying that appellant’s product which is the plastic cover used in the manufacture of electronic choke is a commodity falling under Entry 103 of S.R.O. 82 of 2006 taxable at 12.5 per cent. We have heard counsel appearing for the appellant and Government Pleader for the respondent. 2. The contention of counsel for the appellant is that product is similar to the items referred to in Entry 174(1)(a) of List A of Third Schedule to the Act, which is as follows: “Plastic containers for audio or video cassettes, cassette tapes, floppy discs and similar articles.” According to counsel the item is covered by the above entry under the under “similar articles”. However, Government Pleader submitted the “similar articles” referred to therein can always be articles similar to the first three items specified in the Entry. The items covered are “plastic containers for audio or video cassettes, cassette tapes and floppy discs”. Admittedly containers referred to in the specific items are plastic containers used to pack audio or video cassettes, cassette tapes and floppy discs. On the other hand, the item manufactured by the appellant is cover for electronic choke which is an integral part of the choke and without it the manufacture of choke is not complete. In fact, the cover provides for ventilation, space for leads for giving electric connection and attachments for fixing the choke after manufacture to the tube light frame. So much so appellant’s product is a component or part of choke used by companies in the manufacture of chokes. We therefore reject the appellant’s contention that the item falls under residuary category of Entry 174(1)(a) of List A of Third Schedule to the Act. 3. The next question to be considered is whether the items falls under Entry 103 of S.R.O. 82 of 2006 as held by the Commissioner. Entry 103 of notification, S.R.O. 82 of 2006 is the residuary entry which takes in goods which are not covered by any of the entries of any of the schedules to the Act or any other entry covered by the very same notification. Entry 103 of notification, S.R.O. 82 of 2006 is the residuary entry which takes in goods which are not covered by any of the entries of any of the schedules to the Act or any other entry covered by the very same notification. Government Pleader submitted that the item may fall under Entry 33(8) of notification S.R.O. 82 of 2006 because parts of Choke Coils (Chokes) are covered under HSN Code No. 8504.90.90 of the Central Excise Tariff Act. We do not think there is any need to consider this question because so long as rate of tax is 12.5 per cent, it is immaterial whether the item falls under Entry 33(8) or residuary Entry 103 of the very same notification. Consequently the appeal is dismissed.