Holding

Item 15A of the Central Excise and Salt Act, 1944 does not cover polymer chips used in nylon yarn manufacture.

Summary

The appellant, Chemical and Fibres of India Ltd., manufactured nylon yarn and, in the process, produced polymer chips (Nylon 6 chips) from caprolactam monomer. The issue was whether these polymer chips fell within Item 15A of Schedule I to the Central Excise and Salt Act, 1944, as it stood between 1962‑1972 – first as "plastics, all sorts" (pre‑1964 amendment) and later as "artificial or synthetic resins and plastic materials" (post‑1964 amendment). The Court held that the term "plastics" is a commercial classification and, in trade, polymer chips are not regarded as plastics; likewise, they are not considered artificial or synthetic resins in the textile industry. Consequently, the chips lie outside the ambit of Item 15A in both its pre‑ and post‑amendment forms. The appeal of the appellant was allowed and the revenue’s appeals were dismissed.

Issues considered

Whether polymer chips (Nylon 6 chips) are covered by the pre‑1964 entry "plastics, all sorts" in Item 15A.
Whether polymer chips fall under the post‑1964 entry "artificial or synthetic resins and plastic materials" in Item 15A.
How commercial versus scientific meanings of statutory terms should be interpreted for excise classification.

Legislation cited

Central Excise and Salt Act, 1944s. Schedule I, Item 15A (pre‑ and post‑1964 amendment)

Subjects

central excisetariff classificationplasticssynthetic resinspolymer chipsnyloncommercial meaningstatutory interpretation

Judgment

)

CHEMICAL AND FIBRES OF INDIA LTD. A
v.
UNION OF INDIA AND ORS.

JANUARY 7, 1997

[A.M. AHMADI, CJ., AND SUJATA V. MANOHAR, J.] B

Excise Law : Central Excise a11d Salt Act, 1944: Item 15-A (as it stood
prior to 28-2-1964).

"Plastics''-Scope of-Polymer Chips or Nylon 6 Chips obtained in C
course of processing of caprolactum monomer and consumed in the
manufacture of Nylon yam-Held : such polymer chips or Nylon 6 Chips, not
covered by te1111 "Plastics'~he tenn "plastics" was a commercial classiflcatio11
and not a scie11tific or a technical te11n--T71e temz had to be i11te1preted as
understood in commercial parlance and not 011 basis of technical analysis of
the composition a11d character of a plastic product-Inte1pretation of Statutes. D
Item 15A(l)(ii) (After 1964 amendment)-Polymer Chips or Nylon 6
Chips obtained in course of processing of caprolactwn monomer and co11-
sumed in the manufacture of nylon yarn-Held: such polymer chips or Nylon
6 Chips, not covered by tem1 ''A1tificial or jynthetic resi11s". E

Words and Phrases :
\
1 "Pfastics"-Meaning of-In the context of Item 15A (prior to 1964
amendment) in Sdi.l to Central Excises and Salt Act, 1944.
\
F
''Altificial or synthetic resillS"--Meauing of-Jn the context of Item
15A(l)(ii) after 1964 amendment) in Sch. I to Central Excises and Salt Act,
1944.

The appellant-company manufactured nylon yarn, a synthetic man-
made fibre. For the manufacture of nylon yarn, the appellant-company G
imported caprolactum monomer as raw material for which it paid customs
-""" duty. In the course of processing of caprolactum monomer the appellant-
company obtained at an intermediate stage a product called 'Polymer
Chips', also known as" Nylon 6 Chips", which were consumed in the
manufacture of the finished product, namely, nylon yarn. H
71
72 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1997] 1 S.C.R.

A The tiuestion before this Court was whether these polymer chips
could be classified under item 15A of Schedule I to the Central Excises
and Salt Act, 1944 as it stood during the period 1962-1972. Entry 15-A was
amended on 28-2-1964.

On behalf of the appellant, it was contended that polymer chips or
B Nylon 6 Chips were not known in the trade as "plastics" and hence they
could' not be classified under Entry 15A, which dealt with "plastics, all
sorts".

On behalf of the respondent, it was contended with reference to the
C pre-amended Entry 15A that the chemical composition of polymer chips
(Nylon 6 Chips) being similar to that of the material used in plastic
industry, it conld be appropriately classified as a plastic; and that in the
strict sense of the term, polymer chips or Nylon 6 Chips which were
artificial or synthetic resins which fell in the category of polyamides in
Item 15-A (l)(ii) (subsequent to the 1964 amendment).
D
Allowing the appeal, this Court

HELD : 1.1. Entry 15A in Schedule I to the Central Excises and Salt
Act, 1944 (prior to the 1964 amendment) does not use any scientific or ~
E technical term. It deals with "plastics, all sorts". The term 'plastic' is a
commercial classification. When this kind of a term in a commercial sense
is used in an excise entry which deals with marketable commodities which
are manufactured and. which are subject to the levy of excise, that term
has to be examined in the light of how it is understood in the trade. If,
however, strictly technical or scientific words are used, the approach for .J
F their interpretation may be different. [79-C]

1.2. Plastics as understood in the trade cover all kinds of synthetic
materials. Th.ere is a distinction made in commercial parlance between
materials used in the production of plastics and materials used in the
G production of fibres, films or rubber although they may share certain
structcral features. Affidavits from people in the trade, filed in the instant
case, state that polymer chips of the kind manufactured by the assessee
are not considered as plastics by those dealing in plastics. (80-G]

Ramavatar Budhaiprasad v. Assistant Sales Tax Officer, Ako/a, [1962)
H 1 SCR 279; CST, M.P. Indore v. Jaswant Singh Charan Singh, AIR (1967)
)
CHEMICAL AND FIBRES OF INDIA LID. v. U.O.I. 73

SC 1454 and Asian Paints India Ltd. v. Collector of Central Excise, (1988) A
35 ELTI, relied on.

South Bihm· Sugar Mills Ltd. v. Union of India & Ors., [1968] 3 SCR
21 and Dunlop India Ltd. v. Union of India & Ors., [1976] 2 SCR 98,
referred to
B
Unwin v. Hanson, [1891] 2 Q.B. 115, referred to.
y
Encyclopaedia B1itannica, Vol. 18 Barge Golding's "Polymers and
Resins" (1959) Edn., Chamber's Dictionmy, Webster's Third New Intemation-
al Dictionmy, American Society for Testing Matelial Standai-d and Indian
Standard Institute Glossary, referred to.
c
2. Prior to the assessee's manufacturing these chips in. its own plant,
the assessee used to import similar chips for the purpose of manufacture of
nylon yarn from BASF. The product imported was caprolactum Ultramid
BS. In the catalogue of BASF products of July 1961, caprolactum Ultramid D:
BS is shown under "Raw materials for synthetic fibres", while there is a
separate head for 'plastics and auxiliaries for plastics' under which other
material such as Ultramid A, Ultramid AK, Ultramid B are shown. This
also indicates that material which is used for the production of nylon yarn
is not considered in the trade as a plastic material. The asses see, therefore, E
is right when it contends that item 15A, as it stood prior to 28-2-1964 does
not cover polymer chips manufactured by it. [80-H, 81-A-B]

Catalogue of BASF product of July 1961, referred to.

3.1. The term "synthetic resin" or "artificial resin", far from being p
scientifically precise, seems to be as elusive to define as the term "plastic".
The preponderance of view appears to be, however, that the term 'synthetic
resin' is used in connection with material which is used for producing
articles of plastic and is not used to refer at least to material used in the
textile industry. By and large, therefore, one can come to the conclusion
that the term 'artificial and synthetic resin' is used in the plastic industry G
to refer to various materials derived by the processes which are ref~rred
-"- to in sub-clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of Entry 15A for the purpose of
producing material or products which are suitable in the manufacture of
plastics. The said processes are undoubtedly technical, scientific or chemi-
cal processes and the products which are derived as a result of these H
-l

74 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1997) l S.C.R.

A processes are also described in technical terms in the said sub-clauses.
Polyamides, for example, which are relevant in the present case, would
cover, by themselves a wide range of products. However, these sub-clauses
come under the main heading of artificial or synthetic resins or plastic
materials. Polyamides of textile grade are not plastic material nor are they
referred to as synthetic resins in the textile trade. Hence polyamides of
B textile grade would not fall under either "Artificial or synthetic resins" or
under "plastic material". They would be outside the ambit of Entry 15A.
The polymer chips which are manufactured by the assessee would not,
therefore, come under the category of artificial or synthetic resins produc-
ing plastic materials are known in the plastic trade as synthetic resins and
C would be covered by Item 15A. [85-F, 86-C-F]

Brage Golding's treatise on "Polymers and Resins'~ Webster's Diction-
ary, British Plastics Year Book of 1967, Sorenson and Campbell's "Prepara-
tion Methods of Polymer Chemistry" and Simonds and Church's "Concise
Guide to Plastics", referred to.
D
·-<
3.2. Since the technical literature and dictionaries have emphasised
the conjunction of artificial or synthetic resins with plastics it is not
possible to ignore this association. Therefore, even if the term "Artificial
or synthetic resin" is construed as covering products derived by processes
E technically described in sub-clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of Clause (1) of Entry
15A, that product must answer the basic description as "artificial or
synthetic resin". Polyamides in the form of polymer chips of textile grade
are not known as synthetic resins. They are also not plastics. Hence Entry
15A does not cover tlliem. [86-G-H, 87-A]

F CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal No. 3495 of
1982 Etc.

From the Judgment and Order dated 25.6.82 of the Bombay High
Court in Misc. P. No. 326 of 1972.

G H.N. Salve, Ravinder Narain, Rajan Narain, Ms. Amrita Mitra,
Mohit Kapoor, M. R. Gupta, Meenakshi Sakhardane, Manish Kumar,
Sudarshan Menon, E.C. Agarwala, A. Subba Rao, Y.P. Mahajan and V.K.
Verma for the appearing parties.

H The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
)

CHEMICAL AND FIBRES OF INDIA LTD. v. U.0.1. [SUJATA V. MANOHAR, J.] 75

~
MRS. SUJATA V. MANOHAR, J. These appeals and the transferred A
appeal raise a common question : whether polymer chips manufactured by
the assessees and used by them in the manufacture of nylon yarn can be
classified, for the purpose of levy of excise duty, under Item 15A in
Schedule I to the Central Excises and Salt Act, 1944, as it stood during the
period 1962 to 1972. For the sake of convenience we are setting out the
facts in relation to the transferred appeal pertaining to M/s. Nirlon syn-
B
thetic Fibres and Chemicals Ltd.

At all material times the company manufactured nylon yarn, a synthetic ·
man-made fibre under an industrial licence granted by the Government of
India. For the manufacture of nylon yarn, the company imported caprolactum c
monomer. The company paid customs duty as well as countervailing duty on
its import of caprolactum monomer. This raw material was used by the
company for manufacture of nylon yarn. In the course of processing of
caprolactum monomer the company obtained at an intermediate stage a
product called 'Polymer Chips', also known as Nylon 6 Chips, which were D
)- consumed in the manufacture of the finished product, namely, nylon yarn. The
question relates to the levy of excise duty on these polymer chips. The only
question which now survives for our determination is whether these polymer
chips can be classified under Item 15A of Schedule I to the Central Excises
and Salt Act, 1944 as it stood during the period 1962-1972, since this period
covers all the appeals.
E

The assessee has described the process employed in its factory for
polymerisation of caprolactum monomer. Once caprolactum is polymerised,
).
it becomes nylon. In order to change the form of this substance and give it the
required properties which enable textile yarn to be produced from i( further F
processing is required in the course of which, at an intermediate stage,
polymer chips are produced. The chips are obtained for the purpose of -
re1i10ving the remnant monomer so that the subsequent processing becomes
more convenient. These chips which are otherwise called Nylon 6 Chips, are
then dried, melted and spun into continuous filament by the process of G
extrusion. The spun filament undergoes further processing in order to get yarn
A\ in a saleable form. Polymer chips which are produced by the assessees
companies have a relative viscosity of 2.22 to 2.30. The average molecular
weight ranges from 10,000 to 18,000. These chips are suited only for the
manufacture of textile fibres and are used exclusively for that purpose. H
76 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1997] 1 S.C.R.

A With this background, Jet us examine whether these polymer chips
fall under Entry 15A. Entry 15A was amended on 28th of February, 1964.
We, therefore, are required to consider Entry 15a as it existed prior to .
28.2.1964 and the Entry as it existed after 28.2.1964.

B
Entry 15A as it existed prior to 28.2.1964 was as follows :
y
"Entry 15A: PLASTICS, ALL SORTS:

(i) Moulding powders, 25% ad valorem
c granules and flakes
(thermosetting and
thermoplastic).

(ii) Polyethylene fixer, Layflat
tubings and P.V.C. sheets
D
(that is to say, polyvinyl
chloride sheets),

(iii) Not otherwise specified."

E The assessee contends that polymer chips or nylon 6 chips manufac-
tured by the assessee are not known in the trade as plastics and hence they
cannot be classified under Entry 15A which deals with plastics all sorts.

Encyclopaedia Britannica, Volume 18, while dealing with "plastics"
has this to say on the subject :
F
"The articles called "plastic" generally require shaping by heat
during their fabrication by moulding or extrusion. Since the newer
synthetic products can frequently be used inter-changeably as
coatings or as mouldings, the distinction between resins and plas-
tics become less pronounced. Moreover modern technology shows
G that the materials which are designated as rubber, fibres, resins
and plastics are of a similar molecular structure and by appropriate
chemical and physical treatment, it is possible to interconvert any
of these materials. It follows that certain structural features are
common to all these products and being common they relate to
H similarity in physical properties between materials which are not
)

CHEMICAL AND FIBRES OF INDIA LTD. 1•. U.0.1. [SUJATA V. MANOHAR .1.\ 77

necessarily chemically related. It might be argued that rubber is a A
plastic, since it can be fabricated by procedure similar to those
employed in moulding plastics; but rubber is not generally con-
sidered to be a part of the plastics industry ........ Similarly the fibre
indus11y is considered to be independent of the plastics indust1y and
here again the same raw-materials, polyamides (nylon) cellulose
B
and cellulose acetate are used by both industries. Plastics are also
divorced from the self-supporting type of film production such as
the manufacture of photographic film and celluphone. The tenn
plastic, therefore, is essentially a commercial classification to which
no strictly scientific definition can be applied."
c
(underlining ours)

The term 'plastic', therefore, is a commercial classification which
covers various kinds of natural or synthetic materials which can be shaped
by heat during their fabrication either by moulding or by extrusion and
which will retain that shape during i.Jsc. It is also made clear that normally, D
rubber or synthetic material which is used for the manufacture of fibres
and yarn, or for the manufacture of photographic film and celluphone, is
not commercially considered as plastic.

In the book "Polymers and Resins" by Brage Golding, 1959 Edition, E
"plastic" is defined as under :

"A plastic has been defined in a limited sense as any of a large
group of organic substances, whether natural or synthetic, which
.'- can be moulded (Plastikos = fit for moulding). The noun 'Plastic'
is usually applied to all polymers which are not considered to be F
elaslomers or fibres; i.e. which exhibit neither the long range elas-
ticity of elastomers nor the very high crystallinity of most fibres. In
the engineering sense, however, a pla5tic is a mixture containing
one or more resins compounded with fillers, plasticizers,
lubricants, dyes etc. which has been subsequently fabricated.
G
Commercial nylon fibres are linear and have molecular weight
-+ averages of the order of 12,000 to 20,000. If the average molecular
weight is below 6,000 little or no fibre formation is possible; fibres
formed from polymers with an average molecular weight of about
6,000 to 10,000 are weak and brittle. As the average molecular H
78 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1997] 1 S.C.R.

A weight increases above this range, the fibre become stronger.
However, if the molecular weight runs much over 20,000 the
polymer becomes too difficult to melt or dissolve. Therefore, the
process of polymerisation must be stopped in the desired average
molecular weight range."

B (underlining ours)

Chamber's Dictionary defines 'plastics' as "generic name for certain· y
natural and synthetic substances which under heat and pressure become
plastic and can then be shaped or cast". '
c In Webster's Third New International Dictionary 'plastic' has been
described as under :

"Plastic - (1) a substance that at some stage in its manufacture or
processing can be shaped by flow (as by application of heat or
D pressure) with or without fillers, plasticizers, rainforcing agents, or
other compounding ingredients and that can retain the new solid,
often rigid, shape under conditions of use;

(2) any of a large group of materials of high molecular weight
that usually contain as the essential ingredient a synthetic or
E semi-synthetic organic substance made by polymerization or con-
densation (as polystyrene or a phenol-formaldehyde resin) or
derived from a natural material by chemical treatment (as nitrocel-
lulose from cellulose), that are molded, cast, extruded, drawn, or:
laminated under various conditions (as by heat in the case of
F thermoplastic materials, by chemical condensation in the case of
thermosetting materials or polyesters or by casting during
polymerization of monomers) into objects of all sizes and shapes
including films and filaments."

Our attention is also drawn to the American Society for Testing
G Material Standard which makes a distinction between "nylon" and "nylon
plastics" - including the former under the heading 'Definition of Textile
Terms' and the latter under the heading 'Plastics Nomenclature'. The
Indian Standard Institute Glossary also makes a distinction between "nylon"
and "nylon plastics" and similarly classifies "nylons" under the· glossary of
H textile terms and "nylon plastics" under the glossary of terms used in plastic
)
CHEMICAL AND FIBRES OF INDIA LTD. v. U.0.l. [SUJATA V. MANO HAR, J.] 79

industry. A
It is, however, urged on behalf of the Revenue that the chemical
composition of the polymer drips (Nylon 6 chips) which are produced by
the assessee is similar to the chemical composition of material used in
plastic industry. And hence, going by the chemical composition of this
material, it can be appropriately classified a~ a plastic. This contention will B
have to be examined in the light of the wording of Entry 15A. Entry l5A
does not use any scientific or technical term. It deals with "plastics, all
sorts". As Encyclopaedia Britannica has described, the term 'plastic' is a
commercial classification. When this kind of a term in commercial use is
used in an excise entry which deals with marketable commodities which C
are manufactured and which are subject to the levy of excise, we will have
to examine that term in the light of how it is understood in the trade. If,
however, strictly technical or scientific words are used, the approach for
their interpretation may be different.

We will refer to only some of the authorities which have been cited D
before us in this connection. As far back as in 1891, in the case of Un win
v. Hanson, [1891] 2 Q.B. 115 at 119, the court observed, "If the Act is
directed to dealing with matters affecting everybody generally, the words
'used have the meaning attached to them in the common and ordinary use
of language: if the Act is one passed with reference to a particular trade, E
business, or transaction, and words are used which everybody conversant
with that trade, business, or transaction, knows and understands to have a
particular meaning in it then the words are to be construed as having that
particular meaning, though it may differ from the common or ordinary
.'- meaning of the words."
F
In the case of Ramavatar Budlzaiprasad Etc. v. Assistant Sales Tax
Officer, Akola, (1962] 1 SCR 279, the Court was concerned with the scope
of the word 'vegetables' occurring in C.P.• and Berar Sales Tax Act, 1947.
The Court said that betel leaves cannot be classified as vegetables although
botanically they may fall in that category, because betel leaves are not G
commonly understood as vegetables.

-t Again in the case of The Commissioner of Sales Tax, Madhya
Pradesh, Indore v. M/s. Jaswant Singh Charan Singh, AIR (1967) SC 1454
the Court held that the Entry "Coal" under the Madhya Pradesh General
Sales Tax Act would cover charcoal also. The Court said that while "Coal" A
80 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1997] 1 S.C.R.

A is technically understood as a mineral product while charcoal is manufac-
tured by human agency from products like wood and other things, it is now
well-settled that while interpreting items in statutes like the Sales Tax Act,
resort should be had, not to the scientific or the technical meaning of such
terms, but to the meaning attached to them by those dealing in them. (See
in this connection South Bihar Sugar Mills Ltd. Etc. v. Union of India &
B Ors., [1968) 3 SCR 21 and Dunlop India Ltd. v. Union of India & Ors., [1976)
2 SCR 98.
y
In the case of Asian Paints India Ltd. v. Collector of Central Ercise,
[1988) (35) ELT 3, Sabyasachi Mukharji J. (as he then was) has summed
C up the rule of interpretation in the following words :

"It is well-settled that the commercial meaning has to be given to
the expressions has in Tariff Items. Where definition of a word has
not been given it must be construed in its popular sense. Popular
· sense means that sense which people conversant with the subject-
D matter with which the Statute is dealing, would attribute to it ....... .
that in interpreting items in statutes like the Excise Act or Sales
Tax Acts, whose primary object was to raise revenue and for which
purpose to classify diverse products, articles and substances, resort
should be had not to the scientific and technical meaning of the
E terms or expressions used but to their popular meaning, that is to
say, the meaning attached to them by those dealing in them."

In the present case, since Entry 15A as it then stood, uses a com-
mercial term "plastics" which is well known in the trade and is used in the
trade, we should not go into the technical analysis of the composition and
F character of a plastic product. We should go by the meaning which is
attached to the term 'plastics' in the trade parlance. Plastics as understood
in the trade cover all kinds of synthetic materials. As the Encylopaedia
Britannica sets out very clearly, there is a distinction made in commercial
parlance between materials used in the production of plastics and materials
G; ~sed used '.n the production of ~bres, films or rubber .althou~h t~ey may
- ·share certam structural features. fhe assessee has also filed affidaVJts from
people in the trade to say that polymer chips of the Kind manufacture by
the assessee are hot considered as plastics by those dealing in plastics.

Prior to the assessees manufacturing these chips in its own plant, the
H assessee used to import similar chips for the purpose of manufacture of
CHEMICAL AND FIBRES OF INDIA LTD. v. U.0.1. [SUJATAV. MANOHAR, J.] 81

nylon yarn from BASF. The product imported was caprolactum Ultramid A
BS. Our attention is drawn to the catalogue of BASF products of July 1961,
in which caprolactum Ultramid BS is shown under "Raw materials for
synthetic fibres", while there is a separate head for "Plastics and auxiliaries
for plastics" under which other material such as Ultramid A, Ultramid AK,
Ultramid B and Ultramid BM are shown. This also indicates that material B
which is used for the production of nylon yarn is not considered in the
trade as a plastic material. The assessee, therefore, is right when it con-
tends that Item 15A as it stood prior to 28.2.1964 does not cover polymer
chips manufactured by it.

lI c
Item 15A, however, as amended after 28.2.1964 was as follows :

"15A. ARTIFICIAL OR SYNTHETIC
RESINS AND PLASTIC MATERIALS,
AND ARTICLES THEREOF. Twenty percent D
ad valorem.

(1) Artificial or synthetic resins and plastic materials in any form,
whether solid, liquid or pasty, or as powder, granules or flakes, or
f in the form of moulding powders, the following, namely :
E
(i) Condensation, Poly-condensation and Poly-addition products,
whether or not modified or polymerised; including Phenoplasts,
Aminoplasts Alkyds, Polyurethane, Polyallyl Esters and other un-
saturated Polyesters;
F
(ii) Polymerisation and Copolymerisation products including
Polyethylene and Polytetrahaloethylene, Polyisobutylene, Polys-
tyre en, Polyvinyl chloride, Polyvinyl acetete, Polyvinyl
Chloroacetate and other Polyvinyl derivatives, Polyamides,
Polyacrylic and Polymethacrylic derivatives and Cumarone-Indene G
resins; and

(iii) Cellulose acetate (including di-or tri-acetate), Cellulose
acetate butyrate and Cellulose propionate, Cellulose acetate-
propionate, Ethyl cellulose and Benzyl cellulose whether plas-
ticised or not, and plasticised Cellulose nitrate. H
82 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1997] l S.C.R.

A (2) Articles made of plastics, all sorts, including tubes, rods, sheets,
foils sticks, other rectangular or profile shapes, whether laminated
or not, and whether rigid or flexible, including layflat tubings and
Polyvinyl chloride sheets.

Explanation : For the purpose of sub-item (2), 'plastic' means the
B various artificial or synthetic resins or plastic material included in
sub-tern (l)."

The main heading of this item is now changed to read "Artificial or
synethic resins and plastic materials and articles thereof''. Clause (1) refers
C to artificial or syn ethic resins and plastic material in any form, "among them
the following" which are described in sub-clauses (i), (ii) and (iii). These
sub-clauses describe the technical process by which the end product is
derived. Thus in sub-clause (i) for example, the processes which are
referred to, inter alia, are condensation, poly-condensation and poly-addi-
tion and products resulting therefrom. Sub-clause (ii) refers, inter alia, to
D polyamides. All these are technical and scientific terms and processes. The
Revenue contends that in the strict sense of the term, polymer chips or
Nylon 6 Chips which are manufactured by the assessee are artificial or
synthetic resins as they fall in the category of polyamides in sub-clause (ii)
of Clause (I) of Item 15A. The assessee, however, contends that artificial
E or synthetic resins which are covered by Item l5A refer only to plastics
and they do not refer to those artificial or synthetic materials which may
be processed in the manner described in sub-clauses (i) to (iii), but which
give rise to products used for the textile industry such as the polymer chips
manufactured by the assessee.

F The assesses have pointed out that the words "the following" in
Clause (1) of Item 15A which precede sub-clauses (i) to (iii) clearly
indicate enumeration or description of the kinds of artificial or synthetic
resins and plastic materials in different forms in sub-clauses (i) to (iii).
Therefore, all products covered by sub-clauses (i) to (iii) must answer the
G basic description of "Artificial or synthetic resins and plastic materials".
These sub-clauses cannot cover materials not known as artificial or syn-
thetic resins or plastic material. The assessees further contend that "syn-
thetic resins" is a term used to describe basic material in plastic industry.
It does not refer to basic raw material used in other industries.

H The question, therefore, which we have to decide is whether artificial
)
'

CHEMICAL AND FIBRES OF INDIA LTD. v. U.O.l. [SUJATA V. MANO HAR, J.] 83

or synthetical resins should be confined only to those resins which ultimate- A
ly produce material having plastic qualities or whether they would include
within their scope other kinds of material derived by similar processes
which are described in sub-clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), but which are suitable
for use in other kinds of industries such as rubber industry, te:xiilcs or films.

Are the words "artificial or synthetic resins" interchangeable with or B
linked with the words "plastic material"? Brage Golding in his treatise on
"Polymers and Resins", in Chapter I which deals with introductory concepts
and definitions, after stating that it is unfortunate that there are no explicit
definitions of the words resins and plastics, the meanings being understood
by those who use them, has attempted to define these expressions as C
follows :

"Probably the closest one can come to a definition of resins is that
it is a solid or semi-solid, natural or synthetic organic substance of
relatively high molecular weight (not necessarily a polymer) which.
exhibits no sharp melting point breaks with a conchoidal fracture, D
and usually (but not always) is predominantly amorphous in struc-
ture. A plastic has been defined in a limited sense as any of a large
group of organic substances, whether natural or synthetic, which
can be molded (plastikos - fit for molding)."
E
He goes on to observe :·

"The term 'resin' originally referred to natural products (par-
ticularly of vegetable origin) but now includes the man-made
substances. As will be seen from the physical descriptions of the
polymers given in later chapters, the above definitions of both resin F
and plastic include many of these polymers, and the tenns are now
often used interchangeably."

(underlining ours)

Webster's Dictionary defines "Resins (Synthetic)" as : "any of a large G
class of synthetic products (as alkyd resins or phenolic resins) usually of
high molecular weight that have some of the physical properties of natural
resins but typically are very different chemically, that may be thermoplastic
or thermosetting, that are made by polymerization or condensation, and
that are used chiefly as plastics or the essential ingredients of plustics, in H
84 SUPREME couRTREIPdR.Ts [1997] 1 S.C.R.

A varnishes and other coatings, in adhesives, ai!lf\ in ion exchanges (wheiUhe
resin itself is capable of being shaped idt.i a finished article without a
plasticizer, as polystyrene), the temis resin and plastic are interchangeable
for thut mate1ial - in industlial tem1inology the unfab1icated mute1ial is
someti1i1es called a resin and the fabricatlfd mticle a plastic." (underlining
ours). Apart from the portion underlined, the reference to thermoplastic
B and thermosetting qualities of such resins f~ also a reference to their plastic
qualities.
y

The British Plastics Year Book df 1967 describes synthetic resins as
"resins produced by chemical reactions, they are of different chemical
c composition and behaviour from natural resins. The tenn is now generally
applied to all polyme1ic plastics matelials with the possible exception of
ce/lulosic and casein mate1ials. Synthetic resins are classified by the initial
reacting materials, e.g., as phenolic amino, acrylic or Vinyl resins, or on
chemical composition, e.g., polyester and epoxy resins."

D Sorenson and Campbell in their book "Preparation Methods of
Polymer Chemistry" in Chapter 7 'Cro_ss-linked synthetic Resins' have said:
"Today, 'resin' covers a multitude of polymer types, including the classical
phenol-formaldehyde condensation and the relatively recent epoxy resins,
vinyl polymers such a polystyrene and poly methyl methacrylate and con-
E densation polymers of the polyamide or polyester class. Most of the ap-
plication of the term 'resin' is to those linear or cross-linked (or
cross-linkable) polymers that are used in molding, casting, or extruding
operations and in surface coatings; and, to most cross-linked (or cross-link-
able) polymers, no matter what the end use (as in adhesives, textile finishes,
etc.). Thus poly methyl methacrylate and various polyamides, both essen-
F tially linear polymers, are termed molding resins when directed to a
molding end use. Howeve1; polyamides would not be te11ned resins by the
synthetic fibre industry in their usage of the matelial.

(underlining ours)

G In other words, "synthetic resin" is a term used in plastic industry and
possibly in other industries, but not in the textile industry to refer usually
to unfabricated material out of which the end product is made.

While the first three descriptions/definitions of synthetic resins em-
H phasise the plastic quality of synthetic resins, the last description clearly
(
)

CHEMICAL AND FIBRES OF INDIA LTD. v. U.0.1. [SUJATA V. MANOHAR.J.] 85

brings out the fact that in the synthetic fibre industry, polyamides which A
are used as raw material would not be termed as resins. The term 'synthetic
resins', therefore, appears to be used in connection with plastic materials.
The British Plastics Year Book of 1967 quoted earlier also emphasises that
the term 'synthetic resins' is now generally applied to all polymeric plastic
materials with the possible exception of cellulosic and casein materials. B
Webseter's Dictionwy (supra) has also described synthetic resins as those
which may be thermoplastic or thermosetting - these being typical charac-
teristics of plastic material and has clearly said that synthetic resins are
used chiefly as plastics or essential ingredients of plastics as also in var-
nishes and other coatings and in adhesivi:s and ion exchanges. There is no
reference here to their being used in the ma:rnfacture of yarn. Web;eter's C
Dictionary also states that the terms 'resin' and 'plastic' are interchangeable
and some times the unfabricated material is called resins and the fabricated
material is called a plastic. This perhaps explains why the words "artificial
or synthetic resins" were added in Entry 15A to "plastics" in order to refer
to and cover the raw material which goes into the manufacture of plastic D
materials. Encylopaedia Britannica also which was quoted earlier by us,
states that while the designation "plastic" is broader generally than the term
"resin", both terms are used indiscriminately with respect to synthetic
products. Therefore, the reference material which is produced before us
indicates that synthetic resins are used in connection with plastic material
and that often the unfabricated material is referred to as resin while the E
fabricated article is referred to as a plastic. Polyamides which are used for
the purpose of manufacture of yarn are not referred to as synthetic resin
in the textile industry.

The term 'synthetic resin or artificial resin', therefore, far from being
F
scientifically precise, seems to be as elusive to define as the term "plastic".
The preponderance of view appears tci be, however, that the term 'synthetic
resin' is used in connection with material which is used for producing
articles of plastic and is not used to refer at least to material used in the
textile industry.
G
Our attention has been drawn to "Concise Guide to Plastics" by
Simmonds and Church in which a passage under the heading Polyester
Resin is as follows :

"In the broad sense of the term polyester resins include many types H
86 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1997) 1 S.C.R.

A of resinuous condensation products and collectively represent a
broad and expanding field in the plastics industry........ As indicated
in other section, alkyd resin arc basically polyester. Saturated liner
polyester resins can be film or fibre forming material, for example,
polyethelene, terephathalate".

B This passage, however, does not assist us in the sense that it does not tell
us what the terms "synthetic resins" or "artificial resins" generally refer to.
It does, however, indicate that the term "polyester resin" represents the
broad and expanding field in the plastic industry and satur'ed liner
polyester resins can be fibre forming. From the passage it is not clear
C whether the latter are commonly referred to as synthetic resins or not. By
and large, therefore, one can come to the conclusion that the term 'artificial
and synthetic resin' is used in the plastic industry to refer to various
materials derived by the processes which are referred to sub-clauses (i),
(ii) and (iii) of Entry 15A for the purpose of produdng materi<>l or
D products which are suitable in the manufacture of plastics. The processes
which are described in sub-clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) are 11ac.ietthledly
technical, scientific or chemical processes and the products which are
derived as a result of these processes are also described in teclmical terms
in the said sub-clauses. Polyamides, for example, which are relevant in the
present case, would cover, by themselves a wide range of products. How-
E ever, these sub-clauses come under the main heading of artificial or syn-
thetic resins or plastic materials. Polyamides of textile grade are not plastic
materials nor are they referred to as synthetic resins in the textile trade.
Hence polyamides of textile grade would not fall under either "Artificial or
synthetic resins" or under "plastic material". They would be outside the
'(
F ambit of Entry 15A. The polymer chips which are manufactured by the
assessee would not, therefore, come under the category of artificial or
synthetic resins also. Polyamides, how.ever, which are capable of producing
plastic materials are known in the plastic trade as synthetic resins and ,
would be covered by Item 15A.

G Since the technical literature and dictionaries which have been cited
by us have emphasised the conjunction of artificial or synthetic resins with
.,_
plastics, it is not possible for us to ignore this association. Therefore, even
if the term "Artificial or synthetic resin" is construed as covering products
derived by processes technically described in sub-clauses (i), (ii) and (iii)
H of Clause (1) of Entry 15A, that product must answer the basic description
)
CHEMICAL AND FIBRES OFINDIA LTD.1'. U.0.1. [SUJATA V. MANO HAR, J.] 87

;( as "artificial or synthetic resin". Polyamides in the form of polymer chips A
of textile grade are not known as synthetic resins. They are also not plastics.
Hence Entry 15A does not cover them. The assessee is, therefore, entitled
to succeed.

The apP"Cl\11 of the assessee in C.A. No. 3495/82 is allowed and the
appeals of the revenue in Transferred Case No .................. /96 (arising out B
of T.P. (C) No. 188/83 being O.A. no. 84 of 1970 of the Bombay High
Court) and Civil Appeal No. 3507 of1982 are dismissed. In the circumstan-
ces of the case, there will be no order a's to costs.

v.s.s. Appeal no. 3495/82 is allowed. C
T.C ....... ./96 and Appeal No. 3507/82
are dismissed.