Holding

State legislatures are competent to levy market fees on tobacco; the Tobacco Board Act and State Agricultural Produce Markets Acts cannot co‑exist, and the State Acts prevail.

Summary

The Constitution Bench examined whether the Parliament’s Tobacco Board Act, 1975 (under Entry 52 of List I) validly covers the sale of raw tobacco and whether State Agricultural Produce Markets Acts (under Entry 28/66 of List II) can levy market fees on tobacco. The Court held that the word “industry” in Entry 52 must be given a restricted meaning limited to manufacture or production, so the Act does not extend to the sale of raw tobacco. Consequently the State Acts are competent to levy market fees, and the two statutes cannot coexist – the State legislation prevails over the Tobacco Board Act with respect to tobacco marketed in market areas. The earlier ITC v. State of Karnataka decision was over‑ruled and the appeals challenging the State Acts were allowed.

Issues considered

The constitutional validity and legislative competence of the Tobacco Board Act, 1975 under Entry 52 of List I, particularly the meaning of “industry”.
Whether the Tobacco Board Act and State Agricultural Produce Markets Acts can operate concurrently in regulating the sale of tobacco.
If a repugnancy exists between the two statutes, which law should prevail under Articles 246 and 254.

Legislation cited

Constitution of Indias. Article 246, s. Article 254
Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951s. 2

Subjects

Article 246Entry 52industryTobacco Board ActAgricultural Produce Markets Actlegislative competencerepugnancyfederalismstate legislationmarket fee

Judgment

I.T.C. LIMITED A
v.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE MARKET
COMMITTEE AND ORS.

JANUARY 24, 2002
B
[S.P. BHARUCHA, en, G.B. PATTANAIK, Y.K. SABHARWAL,
RUMA PAL AND BRIJESH KUMAR, JJ.]

Constitution of India, 1950-Articles 246 and 254-Seventh Schedule C
-List /, Entries 7, 48 and 52-List /1, Entries 24, 28 and 66-List Ill, Entry
33:

Tobacco Industry-Power to legislate in respect of-Tobacco Board
Act, 1975-JTC Ltd. v. State of Karnataka, [1985) Supp. 1 SCR 145 holding
that once in the public interest Tobacco industry, was declared as industry D
under Entry 52 of-List I of Vl/ Schedule of Constitution of India, the State
Legislatures cea;ed to be competent to legislate on the subject-Held : not
... correctly decided

Expression "industry "-Scope of-Held, it has to be given a restricted
meaning-In the Constitutional context it has to be understood as meaning E
"manufacture or production"-Activity regarding sale of raw tobacco as
provided in Tobacco Board Act cannot be regarded as "industry"-To:~acco
Board Act, 1975.

Agricultural Produce Market Fee-Legislative competence of States-
Held, State Legislatures are competent to enact legislation providing for the F
levy and collection of market fee on the sale of tobacco in a market area -
Tobacco Board Act, 1975.

Agricultural Produce Marketing Acts-Enactment by State Legislatures
viz-a-viz. Tobacco Board Act, 1975, a Parliamentary legislation-To the extent G
the State Acts relate to sale of tobacco in market areas-Held, cannot co-exist
and the State Acts prevail over the Parliamentary Act.

Different State legislatures have enacted Agricultural Produce and
Markets Acts for regulating the sale and purchase of agricultural produce
within the market area and for levy and collection of market fee. Having H
441
442 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002) I S.C.R.

A declared that it is expedient in the public interest that Union of India
should take under its control the Tobacco industry, Parliament enacted
Tobacco Board Act, 1975 which is an Act providing for the development "\ ,.
of tobacco industry under the control of the Union Government. Under
the Agricultural Produce Markets Act, the State Government having
notified tobacco as an agricultural produce, the purchase and sale of
B tobacco is to be regulated under the provisions of the State Act and the
Market Committee has the right to levy and collect market fee on such
sale and purchase of the notified agricultural produce viz. tobacco. In ITC
Ltd. v. State of Karna/aka, [1985) Supp. 1 SCR 145, this Court held by
majority that the tobacco industry having been taken over by the Central
C Government under Entry 52 of List I and having passed the Tobacco
Board Act, the State Legislature seized to have any jurisdiction to legislate
in that field and therefore, the provisions contained in the Karnataka Act,
entitling the Market Committee to levy market fee in respect of sale and
purchase of tobacco within the market area directly, collides with the
Tobacco Board Act, 1975 and as such the said Act so far as it relates to
D tobacco was struck down.

In similar matter arising from the Bihar State, the High Court
remanded the matter for making a fresh assessment order after notice to
ITC.

E In respect of matters arising from the State of U.P., the Division
Bench of the Allahabad High Court followed the judgment of this Court
in ITC case and held that Mandi Samiti cannot charge market fee on sale
and purchase of tobacco and consequently Krishi Utpadan Mandi Samiti
has preferred appeals to this Court. In an another appeal from U.P., the
F Full Bench of the Allahabad High Court considered the .:onstitutional ,.
validity of the U.P. Krishi Utpadan Mandi Adhiniyam, 1964 and held that
the Adhiniyam permitting levy and collection of fee under section 17(iii)
in so far as it applies to tobacco is not repugnant to the provisions of the
Tobacco Board Act. The Tobacco Merchants Association has come in
appeal challenging the validity of the said Full Bench decision of the
G Allahabad High Court.

The Tamil Nadu Agricultural Marketing Board has challenged the
judgment of the Madras High Court which followed the judgment of this
Court in ITC v. State of Karnataka and held that the State legislature has
no legislative competence to notify tobacco for the purpose of control and
H regulation and levy market fee under the provisions of Tamil Nadu
l.T.C. LTD. V. A.P.M.C. 443

Regulation Act, 1959. A
,, In respect of M.P. matters, the High Court followed the judgment
~
of this Court in ITC v. State of Karnataka and held that Market Committee
---- would not be entitled to realize any market fee in relation to the trade
with regard to tobacco since the Market Committee Act is repugnant to
the Tobacco Board Act. However, the High Court held that the M.P. B
Krishi Utpadan Mandi Samiti Adhiniyam, 1972 as amended by 1986 Act
to be valid. Hence these appeals arising from the decisions ofvarious High
Courts.

The writ petition filed under Article 32 challenged the constitutional
validity of certain provisions of the Karnataka Agricultural Produce c
Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1966 on the ground that in view of Tobacco
Board Act, 1975 and the Tobacco Association Act, 1975, the entire field
regarding the development of tobacco industry including the marketing
of tobacco was occupied and the State legislation is repugnant to the
Central Act.
D
In all these matters, the issue involved relates to the validity and
applicability ofvarious Agricultural Produce Markets Act enacted by State
Governments to the extent they deal with the sale of tobacco in market
areas with particular reference to the levy of market fee after enactment
of Tobacco Board Act, 1975, a parliamentary legislation. These issues E
were subject matter of the decision in ITC v. State of Karnataka and the
majority decided in favour of ITC. Later, a Bench of two Judges expressed
a tentative view that decision in ITC requires reconsideration. Thus these
• matters came before the Constitution Bench.
. On behalf of the appellant-ITC, the Union of India, the States F
concerned, various Marketing Committees, the Tobacco Board, various
contentions were advanced mainly relating to the supremacy of
Parliamentary legislation, legislative competence of Parliament and State
Governments, repugnancy between State and Central Acts, and the
correctness of the decision in ITC case.
G
In view of the various contentions put forth, the following questions
arose for determination :

I. Whether the Tobacco Board Act enacted by the Parliament under
Entry 52 of List I can be held to be constitutionally valid and within the
legislative competence of the Parliament, so far as the provisions contained H
,A

444 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A in the same in relation to the growing of tobacco and sale of raw materials,
and this in turn would depend upon the question whether the word
"industry" used in Entry 52 of List I should be given a restricted meaning;

2. Even if the Tobacco Board Act is held to be constitutionally valid
and the Agricultural Produce Market Act is also held to be constitutionally
B valid and within the powers of the State Legislature, so far as purchase
and sale of tobacco within the market area is concerned, whether both
the Acts can be allowed to operate, as was held by the minority judgment
in ITC case;
3. If there is a repugnancy between the two then whether the Central
C Act would prevail, as was held by the majority judgment in ITC case.
Disposing of the appeals and the writ petition, the Court
HELD: By the Court.
I. ITC's case [19851 Suppl. 1 SCC 476 was not correctly decided.
1471-E(
D
2. The State legislatures are competent to enact legislation providing ,
for the levy and collection of a market fee on the sale of tobacco in a
market area. Consequently, the Market Acts enacted by the States are
valid. (471-Fl
E 3. The State legislations and the Tobacco Board Act, 1975, to the
extent they relate to the sale of tobacco in market areas, cannot co-exist
and the former prevail over the latter. (471-G)
ITC v. State of Karnataka, (1985) Suppl. 1 SCC 476, overruled.
Per Majority:
F
Y. K. Sabharwa/, J.
I. The State legislations and parliamentary legislations cannot co-
exist is apparent from various provisions of the two legislations. Reference
may be made on one hand to Section 4(2) of Bihar Agricultural Produce
G Markets Act, 1960 and similar provision in other State legislations and
on the other to the provisions of Section 13 of the Tobacco Board Act in
States wherein this section has been enforced and also to Section 8(2)(cc).
Reference can also be made to Rule 32 of the Tobacco Board Rules, 1976
framed in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 32 of the Tobacco
Board Act regarding purchase of Virginia tobacco in comparison to
H Section 15 of Bihar Act requiring the agricultural produce, which tobacco
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. 445
is, to be brought to the market yard and sold by means of an auction or A
tender to the highest bidder. The power of the Tobacco Board to purchase
from growers as provided in Rule 32 cannot co-exist with sale by auction
or tender. Even the price and manner of payment, licencing and auction
procedure under two legislations and Rules made thereunder show that
they cannot co-exist. In this regard reference can also be made to the B
Tobacco Board (Auction) Rules, 1984 and Tobacco Board (Auction)
Regulation, 1984. It is evident that the compliance with the provisions of
one would involve non-compliance of the provisions of the other.
Therefore, they cannot co-exist simultaneously. (473-B-E)

2. The majority opinion in ITC has not noticed the Constitution C
Bench's decision in the case of Ch. Tika Ramji & Ors. v. The State of Uttar
Pradesh & Ors., and other decisions on the scope of Entry 52 but relying
upon MA. Tulloch and Baijnath Kadio held that when declaration under
Entry 52 of List I in respect of public interest is made and the extent laid
down the subject of legislation to the extent laid down becomes an exclusive
subject of legislation by the Parliament and any legislation by the State D
after such declaration trenching upon the field disclosed in the declaration
must necessarily be unconstitutional because that field is abstracted from
the legislative competence of the State Legislature. Thus it was held that
the Government of Karnataka had no jurisdiction to levy any market fee
on tobacco because the State Act to that extent collides with the Central
Act of 1975. (478-D-Ff E
Ch. Tika Ramji & Ors. v. The State of Uttar Pradesh, (1956[ SCR 393;
State of Orissa v. MA. Tulloch & Co., (1964[ 4 SCR 461 and Baijnath Kadio
v. State of Bihar & Ors., (1969) 3 SCC 838, referred to.

3. The validity and applicability of the State legislations in respect F
of a field of legislation on State List has come under a cloud on account
of a legislation passed by the Parliament in respect of field of legislation
under Entry 52 of the Union List, namely, the Tobacco Board Act, 1975
It is on account of this legislation containing declaration as contemplated
by Entry 52 of the Union List that doubts have arisen about the validity G
and applicability of State legislation about the sale of agricultural produce
of tobacco in market areas and levy thereupon of market fee which aspects
are on field of legislation on the State List (Entries 14, 27,28 and 66). Entry
24 of the State List is subject to Entries 7 and 52 of List I. In the present
matter, the Court is not concerned with Entry 7. The question here is as
to the effect of transfer of field of legislation under Entry 24 of the State H
446 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A List to the Union List (Entry 52), on other fields in the State List, namely,
fields of legislation under Entries 14,27,28 and 66 and what in fact can be
transferred. (479-C-E(

4. /shwar Khetan 's case involved the determination or scope of Entry
52 of List I and Entry 24 of List 11 only. The scope of these entries with
B respect to Entries 26 and 27 of List 11 and Entry 33 of List Ill did not fall
for consideration. So also the scope of the industry did not fall for
examination in lshwari Khetan 's case. There is no discussion on the
interpretation of expression 'industry' and that probably is the reason why
Tika Ramji's case has not been referred to. The reliance on Baijnath
Kadio 's case in lshwari Khetan 's case was to show the denudation of States'
c power being limited to the extent of control. While Baijnath Kadio 's case
dealt with Entry 23, List 11, lshwari Khetan 's case dealt with Entry 24
List II. The subject matter of the other entries was not in issue in this
decision. The structure in Entry 54 of List I was not equated with that of
Entry 52 List I as has been contended on behalf of ITC. This decision
D does not adopt the mines and minerals cases for the purposes of
considering the scope of Entry 52 of List I. The cases of mines and
minerals are not of much assistance while examining the scope of Entry
52 of List I. (480-G; 481-F-HI
lshwari Khetan Sugar Mills (P) Ltd. & Ors. v. State of Uttar Pradesh
E & Ors., (198014 SCC 136 and Baijnath Kadio v. State ofBihar & Ors., (19691
3 sec 838, distinguished.
Ch. Tika Ramji & Ors. etc. v. State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors., (19561
SCR 393, referred to.
5. The ambit and scope of a constitutional entry cannot be
F determined with reference to a parliamentary enactment. If it is otherwise,
it would result in the Parliament enacting and/or amending an enactment
thereby controlling the ambit and scope of the constitutional provision.
That cannot be the law. The power to legislate with which this Court is
concerned is contained in Article 246. The fields are demarcated in the
G various entries. On reading both, it has to be decided whether the
concerned legislature is competent to legislate when its validity is
questioned. (482-A-BI
State of A.P. & Ors. v. Mc. Dowell & Co. & Ors., (1996( 3 SCC 709,
·relied on.
H 6.1. The fact that the validity of the parliamentary legislation was
,
I.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. 447
not in issue in Tika Ramji 's case does not in any manner, affect the ratio A·
of that decision. The point for determination in that case was substantially
the same as in the present case, namely, the scope of the expression
"industry" in Entry 52 of List I and Entry 24 of List II. There also the
point was to adopt a narrow or wide interpretation of the expression
'industry'. Further, the fact that it was a case of a manufacturing industry
under IDR Act also does not affect the ratio of the case. The interpretation B
placed in Tika Ramji's case cannot be confined to industry falling under
IDR Act alone. There is neither any express or implied indication in that
decision to limit the interpretation nor there is any valid reason to so limit
it. (486-C-E)

6.2. In the present matters also, the challenge is to the State
c
legislations on the ground that in view of Entry 52 of List I on enactment
of Tobacco Board Act, 1975, the State Legislature loses competence to
legislate in respect of sale of tobacco and, therefore, the existing State
legislations will have no applicability and thus, the legislations in respect
of marketing under Entry 28 of List II would have no applicability insofar D
as it concerns the agricultural produce 'tobacco'. In Tika Ramji's case
rejecting the contention that the expression 'industries' in Entry 52 of List
·-"
I is wide enough to take into its compass the power to legislate in respect
of raw material said to be an integral part of the industrial process, the
Court repelled the plea of the State Act being ultra vires, the same being E
covered by the subject of sugar industry control whereof have been
declared by the Parliament by law to be expedient in the public intere~t
under the exclusive domain of Parliament. (486-F; 488-G)

Ch. Tika Ramji & Ors. v. The State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors., (19561
SCR 393, relied on.
F
7. The intention of the Constitution makers was not to make Entries
14,27,28 and 66 subject to Entry 52 of the Union List. The expression
'industries' cannot be interpreted in the manner suggested, so as to
comprise in it all its aspects commencing from procurement of raw
material upto disposal of final product of that industry and not only the G
process of manufacture or production. (490-8)
The Calcutta Gas Company (Proprietary) ltd v. The State of West
Bengal & Ors., (19621 Suppl. 3 SCR I and Ch. Tika Ramji & Ors. etc. v.
State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors., [ 19561 SCR 393, referred to.

8.1 Parliamentary legislation has supremacy as provided under H
'
,(

448 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2002) I S.C.R.

A Article 246(1) and (2). This is of relevance when field of legislation is on
concurrent list. While maintaining parliamentary supremacy, one cannot
give go by to the federalism which has been held to be a basic feature of "'\
the Constitution. (490-CI

S.R. Bommai v. Union of India, (1994( 3 SCC 1, relied on.
B
8.2. The Constitution of India deserves to be interpreted, language
permitting, in a manner that it does not whittle down the powers of State
Legislature and preserves the federalism while also upholding the central
supremacy as contemplated by some of its articles. (490-DI

C 9. In Seventh Schedule, part of Entry 27 is in Entry 26 of the State
List; Markets and fairs is Entry 28 of List II; Money lending and money
lenders (Entry 30, List II); Production, supply and distribution of goods
subject to the provisions to Entry 33 of List II (Entry 27, List II);
Industries subject to the provisions of Entries 7 and 52 of List I (Entry
24, List II). It would, thus, be seen that under Government of India Act,
D 1935, both production, supply and distribution of goods as well as
development of industries were subject to the provisions of List I as
provided in Entry 29. Our Constitution makers, however, bifurcated
Entry 29 into two parts. Industries were put in Entry 24 of List II subject
to the provisions of Entries 7 and 52 of List I. The production, supply
E and distribution of goods was put in Entry 27 of List II and made subject
to Entry 33 of List III. The acceptance of the plea by ITC would mean
that no object was sought to be achieved by such a bifurcation. It is clear
that two entries have been separated. One made subject to the provi•ions
of Entry 33 of List III and the other subject to the provisions of Entries 7
and 52 of List I. Therefore, to interpret the expression 'industry' to include •
F in it the aspect of raw material would mean that by the same analogy the
subject matter of production, supply and distribution of goods should also
be included therein and in fact that was the plea of ITC. Accepting this,
would negate the will of the Constitution makers. The same argument
would equally apply to Entry 14 of List II in respect of agriculture which
G is not subject to any List. Further, earlier when the Parliament felt the
need to control raw material, it included 'raw jute and raw cotton' in Entry
33, List Ill by Constitution Third Amendment Act, 1954. Even Article 369
indicates that agricultural raw material is in the State List for it refers to
raw cotton, cotton seed and edible oil seeds and seeks to temporarily place
it, by fiction in the concurrent list to enable Parliament to make laws. The
H expression 'industries' in Entry 24, List II or Entry 52, List I, cannot be
>

I.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. 449
interpreted in a manner that would make other entries of list II of the A
Seventh Schedule subject to Union control which in fact they are not.
)r
Wherever it was intended to be made subject to such control, whether of
List I or that of List III, it was said so. A perusal of List II shows that
whenever a particular entry was intended to be made subject to an entry
in List I or III, it has been so stated specifically, Therefore, an B
interpretation which tends to have the effect of making a particular entry
subject to any other entry, though not so stated in the entry, deserves to
be avoided unless that be the only possible interpretation. Such an
interpretation therefore, cannot be placed on the entries in question
namely, Entry 52 of the Union List and Entry 24 of the State List.
(490-G-H; 491-A-GJ C
10. The principles of interpretation are well settled. There is no
doubt that the entries in the lists in the Seventh Schedule do not provide
competence or power to legislate on the legislature for which the source
of power is contained in Article 246 of the Constitution. In deciding
question of legislative competence, it has to be kept in view that the D
Constitution is not required to be consi~ered with a narrow or pedantic
approach. It is not to be construed as a mere law but as a machinery by
which laws are made. The interpretation should be broad and liberal. The
entries only demarcate the legislative field of respective legislature and
do not confer legislative power as such and if it is found that some of the
entries overlap or in conflict with the other, an attempt to reconcile such E
entries and bring about a harmonious construction is the duty of the court.
When, however, reconciliation is not possible, then the court will have to

.. examine the entries in relation to legislative power in the Constitution .
(491-H; 492-A-BJ
I I. The subject matter of the issue in these matters is about the F
interpretation of Entry 52 in List I of the Seventh Schedule. It requires
the Parliament to make a declaration by law identifying an industry, the
control of which by the Union is expedient in the public interest. Under
the said entry only an 'industry' can be declared as an industry, the control
whereof by the Union is regarded as expedient in public interest. It is, G
therefore, implicit that if an activity cannot be regarded as industry, Entry
52 will have no applicability to that activity. The question is about the
concept of 'industry' in Entry 52 of List I. It cannot be disputed that the
entries in the Legislative List have to be construed in the widest sense but
it has also to be borne in mind that such construction should not make
other entries totally redundant. The meaning of the word 'industry' in H
450 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2002] I S.C.R.

' A various dictionaries is not of any assistance while considering the
constitutional meaning of the said term. There may not be any embargo
or limitation on the power of the Parliament to enact the law in respect ' ,,
of activities other than manufacturing activities but that power is non-
existent in Entry 52 of List I. It may be elsewhere. Reference in this
B regard can be made to Entry 33 of List III including in its ambit food
stuff and certain raw materials. Tobacco, howe~er, is admittedly not a
food stuff. (492-C-FI

12. The structure and scope of Entry 54 of the Union List and Entry
23 of the State List and their inter-relationship is substantially different
C from the scope and structure of Entry 24 of the State List and Entry 52
of the Union List. The Entry relating to mines and minerals has in it
both the industry of mines and its product minerals and, therefore, on a
declaration both mines and minerals get embedded in Entry 54 of the
Union List. Therefore, it has been consistently held by this Court, that
by declaration under Entry 54, the Parliament evinces an intention to
D occupy the whole field. (502-H; 503-AI

Ch. Tikaramji & Ors. etc. v. State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors., (19561 SCR
393; B. Vishwanathiah & Co. & Ors. v. State of Karnataka & Ors., (19911 3
SCC 358; Chaturbhai M Patel v. Union of India & Ors., (1960[ 2 SCR 362;
Sulramanyan Chettiar v. Muthuswamy Goundan, (1940) FCR 158; State of
E Rajasthan v. G. Chawla & Anr., AIR (1959) SC 544; Ganga Sugar
Corporation ltd. v. State of U.P. & Ors., 1198011 SCC 223; Kannan Devan
Hills Produce v. State of Kera/a & Anr., (197212SCC218 and SIEL Ltd &
Ors. v. Union of India & Ors., (19861 7 SCC 26, relied on.

Harakchand Ratanchand Banthia & Ors. v. Union of India, (19701 1
F SCR 479; State Bank of India v. Yasangi Venkateswara Rao, (19991 2 SCC
375; Indian Aluminium Co. Ltd & Anr. v. Karnataka Electricity Board & Ors.,
[199212 SCC 580 and Mis Shriram Industrial Enterprises ltd v. The Union
of India & Ors., AIR (1996) All. 135, referred to.
Smith v. A/wright, (321) US 649, referred to.
G 13.1. In Be/sund Sugar Co. Ltd. v. State of Bihar & Ors., the
Constitution Bench examined the question regarding the legality of levy
of market fee under the provisions of Bihar Agricultural Produce Markets
Act, 1960 pertaining to various commodities including sugarcane, sugar
and molasses, wheat and tea. It noticed that the Market Act had been
H enacted by the Bihar Legislature as per the legislative power vested in it
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. 451
· by Entries 26,27 and 28 of List II of the Seventh Schedule of the A
Constitution. The Court, however, noticed that the Market Act dealt with
supply and distribution of the goods as well as the trade and commerce
therein as it seeks to regulate the sale and purchase of agricultural
produce to be carried on in the specified markets under the Act. To that
extent, the Court said, the provisions of Entry 33 of List Ill override the B
legislative powers of the State Legislature in connection with legislations
dealing with trade and commerce in, and the production, supply and
distribution of goods. Thus, to the extent to which the Market Act seeks
to regulate the transactions of sale and purchase of sugarcane and sugar
which are foodstuffs and trade and commerce therein, the Constitution
Bench said that it has to be held that the Market Act being enacted under C
the topics of legislative powers under Entries 26,27 and 28 of List II will
be subject to any other legislation under Entry 33 of the Concurrent List.
The contention that as admittedly tobacco is not foodstuff and does not
fall under Entry 33 of List Ill, like the amendment to the Constitution
made in 1953, the Parliament by further amendment of the Constitution
can, if so advised, place tobacco - raw material of the industry - in Entry D
33 of List III and, thus, confer on itself the competence to legislate in
respect to tobacco, need not be examined by this Court as being
unnecessary. However, it may be noted that the Constitution Bench, after
noticing various provisions of the Act and the Rules, came to the conclusion
that the need for regulating the purchase, sales, storage and processing E
of sugarcane, being an agricultural produce, is completely met by the
comprehensive machinery provided by the Sugarcane Act enacted by the
same very legislature which enacted the general Act being the Market Act.
1503-C-H; 504-AJ

13.2. In Belsund Sugar Co ltd., one of the contentions urged was that F
under the IDR Act, in public interest, Union of India had taken over the
control of the wheat industry as specified in the First Schedule to the Act
and consequently any ti .,,1saction of purchase and sale of the product of
that industry cannot be 1 •ulated by the State Act. The Constitution
Bench noticed that the Parliament in exercise of its legislative power under G
Entry 52 of List I of the Seventh Schedule had enacted the IDR Act and
nour industry is listed as one of the scheduled industries under the caption
"Food-processing Industries". The Bench said that the production of
wheat as a raw material or its sale is not covered by the said Act and,
consequently, so far as wheat as 'agricultural produce' is concerned, it is
outside the sweep of the IDR Act. The question still remained whether H
452 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A the sale of flour or any other product out of wheat can be said to be
covered by the sweep of the IDR Act. It was noticed that the Central
Government had not promulgated any statutory order under Section ISG
covering the field. The Court rejected the contention that mere existence
of a statutory provision in the Act enabling the Central Government to
issue such order would be sufficient to occupy the field contemplated by
B the provision. While examining the decision in Hingir-Rampur Coal
Company's case on which reliance was placed by the appellants, the
Constitution Bench held that it has to be kept in view that any legislation
in exercise of legislative power under Entry 54 of List I would enable the
Parliament to regulate mines and the minerals development by taking
C them under the control of the Union in public interest. Thus, all aspects
of the mining .industry would be covered by the general sweep of such a
declaration. But it was noticed that the IDR Act was enacted under Entry
52. It was held that the scheme of Entry 54 of the Union List read with
Entry 23 of the State List was entirely different from the scheme of Entry
52 of List I read with Entry 24 of List II with which the Court was
D concerned in that case. On conjoint reading of these two entries, the ratio
of the decision in Hingur-Rampur Coal Company's case, it was held, cannot
be effectively pressed into service. The majority decision in ITC case for
the view it took had placed reliance on Baijnath Kadio which followed
Hingir-Rampur Coal Company's case. Further in Belsund Sugar Company,
E the Constitution Bench cited with approval the decision in SEIL case and
reiterated that merely because industry is controlled by Belsund Sugar
Company a declaration under Section 2 of the IDR Act enacted by Entry
52 of the Union List, the State Legislature would not be denied of its power
to regulate the·products of such an industry by exercise of its legislative
power under the State List. 1504-B-H; 505-A-B]
F
13.3. The principles enunciated in Be/sund Sugar Company's case
would equally apply to Entries 14,27,28 and 66 of List II. It may further
be noticed that in para 170 of Belsund Sugar Company's case, the
Constitution Bench reiterated the view expressed in Tika Ramji 's case as
also in SE/l's case affirming Full Bench decision of the Allahabad High
G Court in Mis Shriram Industrial Enterprises. (506-E(

Ch. Tika Ramji & Ors. etc. v. The State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors., ( 1956(
SCR 393, relied on.

Belsund Sugar Co. ltd. v. State of Bihar & Ors .. (1999] 9 SCC 620;
H The Hingir-Rampur Coal Co. ltd. & Ors. v. State ofOrissa & Ors., (1961) 2
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. 453

SCR 53i and Baijnath Kadio v. State of Bihar & Ors., !19691 3 SCC 838, A
distinguished.

I4. There is no compelling reason either on account of any binding
precedent in the form of an earlier Constitution Bench judgm• ·it, history
and background of the framing of the Constitution or the words used in
various Entries or the language of any Article in the Constitution of India, B
to take a view which will result in denuding the pcwer of State Legislatures
to legislate not in respect of field of legislation under Entry 24 but field of
legislation covered by other entries on State List on making of declaration
under Entry 52 of the Union List. The Constitution Bench judgment in
the case of Tika Ramji and other decisions following it confine the field of C
legislation of industries to 'the process of manufacture or production' and
not to 'raw materials' which may be integral part of industrial process or
to the 'distribution of the product of the industry'. 1506-F-GI

I5. Thus, the State legislations and the Tobacco Board Act, I975
to the extent of sale of tobacco in market area cannot co-exist. The State D
Legislatures are competent to enact legislations providing for sale of
agricultural produce of tobacco in market area and for levy and collection
of market fee on that produce. The Parliament is not competent to pass
legislation in respect of sale of agricultural produce of tobacco in market
areas, while legislating in the field of legislation covered by Entry 52 of
the Union List under which the Parliament can legislate only in respect E
of industries, namely, 'the process of manufacture or production' as held
in Tika Ramji's case. The activity regarding sale of raw tobacco as provided
.. in the Tobacco Board Act cannot be regarded as 'industry' .
1506-H; 507-A-B-CI
Tika Ramji v. State of UP., 119561 SCR 393, relied on. F
Ruma Pal, J.

I. I The starting point in any controversy dealing with apparently
conflicting legislative jurisdictions is to see whether the conflict can be
fairly reconciled by reading the entries to which the legislations are G
referable, together and "by interpreting and, where necessary, modifying
-. the language of the one by that of the other". It is only when such
resolution is not possible that the Courts should be called upon to decide
the question of legislative competence. This principle has been stressed
in a number of cases by the Privy Council, the Federal Court and more
recently by this Court. 1513-F-Gi H
454 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2002) I S.C.R.

A 1.2. Similarly, when there is an apparent conflict between two
statutes enacted in valid exercise of legislative powers under the
·•"Concurrent List, reconciliation must be attempted. Only when the
differences are irreconcilable should the Courts resort to striking down a
piece of legislation. 1514-B-q
B 1.3. The issue raised in this case can be resolved by limiting
consideration to the question of conflict, if any, between the two entries
in the seventh schedule of the Constitution to which the Tobacco Act and
the Market Act are respectively relatable and between the provisions of
the two statutes which have a bearing on the marketing of tobacco. The
discussion is therefore limited to the scope of the two entries and the
C allegedly conflicting provisions of the two Acts with which this Court is
concerned. The underlying rationale of Tika Ramji's definition of the word
'industry' is that the Constitution having expressly provided for particular
fields of legislation in the three Lists, each field must be given a meaning,
Entry 24 of List II cannot be read so as to subsume within itself the other
D entries in List II. It must be given a meaning which allows the other entries
to survive and be defined to that extent with reference to what it is not.
1514-D-E; 515-FI
M.P. V. Sundararamier & Co. v. Sate of Andhra Pradesh, 1195'8[ SCR
1422; The Calcutta Gas Company (Prop.) ltd v. The State of West Bengal,
E 11962) 3 SCR 1; SR. Bommai & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors., 11994) 3
SCC 1; A.S. Krishna v. State of Madras, 119571 SCR 399; Chaturbhai M.
Patel v. Union of India & Ors., 1196012 SCR 362; State of Rajasthan v. G.
Chawla, AIR (1959) SC 544; Ishwari Khetan Sugar Mills (P) Ltd. v. State
of UP., 119801 4 SCC 136; Mis Hoechst Pharmaceuticals ltd. v. State of
Bihar, 1198314 SCC 45 and Deep Chandv. The State ofUttar Pradesh, 119591
F Supp. SCR 8, relied on.
ITC ltd. & Ors. v. State of Karnataka, (19851 (Suppl.) SCC 476,
referred to.

2.1. There are numerous decisions which have followed the logic
G of Tika Ramji and accepted its conclusion that for the purposes of Entry
24 of List II and consequently Entry 52 of List I, 'industry' means
"manufacture or production" and nothing more. It is sufficient to note
that Tika Ramji's definition of industry has been affirmed and applied
recently by a Constitution Bench in Belsund Sugar Company v. State of Bihar
and is still good law. Harak Chand Banthia's case does not strike a
H discordant note. 1518-BI
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. 455
2.2. The decision in Harak Chand Banthia's case cannot be read as A
whittling down or deviating from the reasoning or the definition of the
..- word industry in Tika Ramji. It does not seek to do so. Indeed the Court
re-affirmed the definition of industry in Tika Ramji. The observation
relating to Entry 27 of List II must be understood in relation to the
language of the entry which provides for States to generally legislate on
production, supply and distribution of goods. Entry 33 of List III deals B
particularly with the production, supply and distribution of the products
of industries where the control of such industry by the Union is declared
by law to be expedient in the public interest under Entries 7 or 52 of List
I. It would not have been necessary to have especially provided for trade
and commerce in, and the production, supply and distribution of the C
products of a controlled industry in Entry 33 of List Ill, had the word
'industry' in Entries 7 and 52 of List I covered the field. Similarly had
the word 'industry' in Entry 24 of List II been sufficient, there was no
need to have a separate head under Entry 27 of the same list dealing with
the production, supply and distribution of goods unless it is conceded that D
the framers of the Constitution were guilty of "ineptitude, want of
precision and tantology". The concept of a 'general' and 'particular' term
is necessarily relative depending upon the context in which the term is
considered. Entry 27 of List II is certainly a general entry but only in
relation to Entry 33 of List III which deals with trade, commerce etc. in
particular kinds of products namely the products of a controlled industry. E
Banthia held that the Gold Act was legislatively competent under Entry
52 of List I because it dealt with the process of manufacture or production
of gold i.e., it was within the sweep of industry as defined in Tika Ramji.
Banthia's case has been considered and explained in the subsequent decision
of the Constitution Bench in Mis Fatehchand Himmatlal and Ors. v. State
of Maharashtra. (520-A-F( F
Ch. Tika Ramji & Ors. v. State of UP. & Ors., (1956( SCR 393; Belsund
Sugar Company v. State of Bihar, (19991 9 SCC 620; Harakchand Ratanchand
Banthia & Ors. v. Union of India, I I 97011 SCR 479; Fatehchand v. State of
Maharashtra, (1977) SC 1825; State of Andhra Pradesh v. Mc. Dowell & Co.,
119961 3 sec 709; Kannan Devan Hill Produce v. State of Kera/a, I19721 2 G
SCC 218; Ganga Sugar Corporation ltd. v. State of Uttar Pradesh and Ors.,
[19801 l SCC 223; Calcutta Gas Company (Prop.) ltd. v. State of West
Bengal, AIR (1962) SC 1044 and B. Viswanathiah and Company and Ors.
v. State of Karnataka, [19911 3 SCC 358, referred to.
3. The word 'industry' for the purposes of Entry 52 of List I has H
456 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002) I S.C.R.

A been firmly confined by Tika Ramji to the process of manufacture or
production only. Subsequent decisions including those of other
Constitution Benches have reaffirmed that Tika Ramji's case authoritatively ""
defined the word 'industry' to mean the process of manufacture or
production and that it does not include the raw materials used in the
B industry or the distribution of the products of the industry. Given the
constitutional framework, and the weight of judicial authority it is not
possible to accept an argument canvassing a wider meaning of the word
'industry'. Whatever the word may mean in any other context, it must
be understood in the Constitutional context as meaning 'manufacture or
production'. Applying the negative test as evolved in Tika Ramji in this
C case it would follow that the word 'industry' in Entry 24 of List II and
consequently Entry 52 of List I does not and cannot be read to include
Entries 28 and 66 of List II which have been expressly marked out as fields
within the State's exclusive legislative powers. Entry 28 deals with markets
and fairs and Entry 66 with the right to levy fees in respect of, in the
present context markets and fairs. Entry 52 of List I does not override
D Entry 28 in List II nor has Entry 28 in List II been made subject to Entry
52 unlike Entry 24 of List II. This Court in Belsund Sugar has also
accepted the argument that Entry 28 of List II operated in its own and
cannot be affected by any legislation pertaining to industry as found in
Entry 52 of List l.1521-F-H; 522-A-CI
E Tika Ramji v. State of UP., 119561 SCR 393 and Belsund Sugar Co.
ltd v. State of Bihar & Ors., I 1999f 9 SCC 620, relied on.
Amritsar Municipality v. State of Punjab, AIR (1969) and Waverly Jute
Mills Co. ltd v. Raymon & Co. (India) Private ltd, f1963f 3 SCR 209,
referred to.
•
F
Halsbwy's laws of England (4th Ed.) Vol. 29, page 601 and Oxford
English Dictionary, referred to.
4. If any portion of the market area or the market yards is used
for the sale or purchase of tobacco, that too will be within the State's
G competence. To hold to the contrary would be to ignore the exclusive
powers of the State to legislate in re~pect of ma1·kets and fairs under
Entries 28 and 66 of List II. The Markets Act does not seek to regulate
either the "manufacture or production" of tobacco (assuming that
agricultural produce can be ma'"nufactured) and thus does not impinge
upon the Tobacco Act in so far as it is at all relatable to Entry 52 of List
H I. All the provisions of the Markets Act, are clearly relatable to Entry 28
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. 457
of List II given the scope of the entry. The State in the circumstances, A
was not incompetent to incidentally also legislate with regard to tobacco
Jr and "the semantic sweep of Entry 52 did not come in the way of the State
Legislature making laws on subjects within its sphere and not directly
going to the heart of the industry itsetr'. Therefore Sections 15 and 27
of the Markets Act in pith and substance are relatable to Entries 28 and B
66 of List II ard have been competently enacted by the State. Incidentally
it is nobody's case that the fee charged under Section 27 does not represent
a quid pro quo for the services rendered and facilities afforded in the
market area. It follows that Parliament is incompetent to legislate for the
setting up or regulation of 'markets and fairs' within the meaning of the
phrase in Entry 28 of List II, even in respect of tobacco. It may of course C
incidentally trespass into the States legislative field, provided (I) the
trespass is an inseparable part of the provisions validly passed and (2) the
State has not already fully occupied its field with conflicting statutory
provisions. 1524-F; 525-A-DI

5. Since States are exclusively competent to decide on the location D
of markets, the authorities under the Tobacco Act would have to comply
with the municipal laws and set up the auction platforms only within the
permissible areas. If the facilities afforded under the Market Act are
utilized, the facilities will have to be paid for and the authorities appointed
to levy and collect fees for the purpose under the Markets Act would be E
competent to do so. If further facilities are offered at the Auction
Platforms under the Tobacco Act, fees may be levied under Section 14-A
of that Act. The right to levy fees under the two Acts therefore may not
necessarily conflict, the levy not being in the alternative but additional.
Assuming this is not possible and there is any conflict, the provisions of
the Markets Act and not the Tobacco Act would prevail. 1528-C-El F
The New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, referred to.

6. Even if Sections I~ and 27 of the Markets Act are not referable
to Entries 28 and 66 of List II and are referable to Entries 26 and 27 of
List II - nevertheless these Sections of the Markets Act do not trespass on G
turf reserved by Parliament under Entry 52 of List I State legislation on
the supply and distribution of goods as well as trade and commerce
therein which are relatable to Entries 26 and 27, is only subject to the
Central enactment if any under Entry 33 of the Concurrent List and not
Entry 52 of List I. Furthermore, whether or not any portion of the
Tobacco Act relates to an "industry" within the meaning of Entry 52 List H
458 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002) I S.C.R.

A I, following the logic of Tika Ramji at least those provisions relating to the
disposal of tobacco are not so relatable. The declaration under Entry 52
List I does not cover these provisions and the States were free to legislate "'
under Entries 26 and 27 of List II on tobacco. To decide whether the
provisions of the Tobacco Act dealing with the sale of tobacco may be
B sustained with reference to Entry 33 of List Ill, is an unnecessary exercise
because the appellants did not argue this, and also because the
Constitutional validity of the provisions of the Tobacco Act has not been
referred to this Bench for scrutiny. 1528-F-G; 529-AJ

Tika Ramji v. State of UP., 119561 SCR 393 and M. Karunanidhi v.
C Union of India, 1197913 SCC 431, relied on.

7. Assuming that Chapter III of the Tobacco Act are covered by
Entry 52 of List I, nevertheless the Parliament did not intend to invalidate
any portion of the Markets Act. It has been consciously clarified by
Section 31 that it does not intend to occupy the entire field and has 'made
D space' for the State legislation and made it clear that the provisions of
the Central Act shall be in addition to and not in derogation of any other
law. The Section assumes greater significance since most of the Markets
Acts were in place when the Tobacco Act was enacted. There are two
ways in which such a saving clause as is contained in Section 31 of the
Tobacco Act may be understood. There is the way which found favour
E with this Court in M Karunanidhi v. Union of India, which held that such
a Stction clearly evinced the intention of the dominant legislature leaving
"no room for any argument that the State Act was in any way repugnant
to the Central Act." There is the other way of reading such a section in
the dominant legislation as incorporating or taking under its legislative
umbrella the allegedly conflicting provisions of the subservient statute.
F Either way, the express words in Section 31 coupled with the duty of
Courts to reconcile and uphold legislation, if possible, can only result in
upholding the constitutional validity of the Market fee imposed by the
State. 1529-B-EJ

G 8. A further compelling circumstance to uphold the levy of market
fee is the fact that several provisions of Chapter Ill of the Tobacco Act
particularly those dealing with the setting up of auction platforms namely
Sections 13, 13A, and Section 14A relating to the levy of fees on the sale
of tobacco have not been brought into operation in any State in India
except for the State of Karnataka. Granting for the sake of argument that
H the sales of tobacco comes within the definition of industry until the
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. 459
Central Government chooses to actually occupy the field by effectives A
legislation, it would remain open for the State Legislature to cover that
,, field under Entry 24 of List II. It is difficult to adopt an interpretation
which would debar the States from the right to provide for the sale of
tobacco only within market areas and levy market fees although
Parliament does not now and may never seek to bring Sections 13, 13A
and 14A into operation in those States. 1529-F-H; 530-Al
B

Ishwari Khetan Sugar Mills (P) ltd. v. State of Uttar Pradesh, 1198014
SCC 136 and Belsund Sugar Company v. State of Bihar, !l999J 9 SCC 620,
relied on.

9. Even if one were to concede that there is a conflict between the c
provision in the Markets Act prohibiting sale of tobacco otherwise than
in a market area and the setting up of auction platforms under the
Tobacco Act, and between the States' power to levy market fee under the
Markets Act and the levy of fee on the sale of tobacco under the Tobacco
Act, at least in those States where Sections 13, l3A and l 4A of the Tobacco
D
Act are not operative, the provisions of the Markets Act must prevail.
1530-GJ

l 0. The majority opinion in ITC's case on the issue of legislative
competence of the State Legislature struck down that part of the
Karnataka Markets Act which provided for the power to levy market fee E
on tobacco and its products. The opinion was based on six premises, each
of which do not appear to be in consonance with the law: (i) the Court
proceeded on the basis that the Tobacco Act was wholly and solely
relatable to Entry 52 of List I. Reasons have already been given for
II<
holding that the Tobacco Act in so far as it deals with the disposal of
-' .... tobacco is not within Entry 52 of List I; (ii) Article 246(4) was relied on F
to hold that Parliament had overriding power "to legislate in exceptional
cases in matters appearing in the State List". Articles 246(4) has no
manner of application to the present dispute; (iii) it was held to be "well
settled that where two Acts, ones passed by the Parliament and the other
by State Legislature collide and there was no question of harmonizing
G
them, then the Central Legislation must prevail". What is well settled is
that if the Parliament and the State Legislature enact conflicting legislation
in respect of the same subject matter under an Entry in the Concurrent
List then only will the Central Legislation prevail. In other cases it will
be a question whether the conflicting legislation is referable to an exclusive
entry under the State List or the Union List, after the determination of H
460 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A which, the dominant legislation will prevail; (iv) it was said that if the
minority views were accepted, it would "amount to robbing the 1975 Act
of its entire content and essential import by handing over. the powers of
legislation to the State Government which per se has been taken over by
the Parliament under Article 246 by the 1975 Act". The minority view in
B ITC had in fact followed Tika Ramji and held correctly that the Tobacco
Act and Markets t\Ct operated in their respective fields and that there was
no repugnancy if both the Acts were considered in the light of their
respective true nature and character. Tika Ramji and the other Constitution
Bench decisions following it were not even referred to by the majority),
(v) in determining the impact of Entry 52 of List I viz a viz entry 28 of
C List II, the majority relied on decisions dealing with Entry 54 of List I,
and Entry 23 of List II. The sco~e of the. entries are different and the
decisions relied upon by the majority viz. the Hingir Rampur Coal Co. Ltd.
v. State of Drissa; Baijnath Kedia v. State of Bihar; Bharat Cooking Coal
Ltd. v. State of Bihar and State of Orissa v. M.A. Tulloch and Co. are
inapposite, (vi) the final premise on which the majority based their view
D that the States could not levy any mar;ket fee on Tobacco, 'Yas that since
the assent of the President was not taken, the Karnataka Markets Act
1980, was wholly incompetent. The view proceeds on a misinterpretation
of Article 254(2), which in any event has no application to this case. The
language of Article 254(2) is clear. It only deals with the question of
E supremacy and not competence. In respect of conflicting legislation under
the Concurrent List, if the State Legislation has res:eived the assent of the
President, it w!ll prevail over the Central Legislation in that State. The
Article does not provide that State Legislation without the assent of the
President is incompetent. 1530-H; 531-A-H; 532-A-CI

F Tika Ramji v. State of U.P., 119561 SCR 393; The Hingir-Rampur Coal ,. ·-
Co. ltd. & Ors. v. State ofOrissa & Ors., 1196112 SCR 537; Baijnath Kadio
v. State of Bihar & Ors., 119691 3 SCC 838 and Bharat Cooking Coal ltd. v.
State of Bihar, 119901 4 SCC 557, referred to.

11. In view of the above, it is concluded that ITC v. State of
G Karnataka was wrongly decided; the competence of the State Legislature
to levy market fee on tobacco is upheld. (532-GI

ITC v. State of Karnataka, 119851 (Suppl.) SCC 476, overruled.

Brijesh Kumar, J

H I. I. It is true, while legislating on any subject covered under an
I.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. 461
entry of any list, there can always be a possibility of entrenching upon or A
touching the field of legislation of another entry of the same List or another
List for matters which may be incidental or ancillary thereto. In such
eventuality, inter alia, broad and liberal interpretation of an entry in the
list may certainly be required. :(534-E)

1.2. An absolute or watertight compartmentalization of beads or
B
subject for legislation may not be possible but at the same time entrenching
into the field of another entry cannot mean its total sweeping off even
though it may be in the exclusive List of beads of subjects for legislation
by the other Legislature. As in the present case the relevant beads of
subject in List II, other than entry 24, cannot be made to practically C
disappear from List II and assumed to have crossed over in totality to List
I by virtue of declaration of Tobacco Ind°ustry under Entry 52 of List I,
in the guise of touching or entrenching upon the subjects of the List II.
(534-F-G)

ITC Ltd v. State of Karnataka, (1985) Suppl. 1 SCR 145; State of D
Orissa v. MA. Tulloch & Co., (1964) 4 SCR 461; Ball Nath Kedia v. State of.
Bihar and Ors, [19691 3 SCC 838 and Ti/ca Ramji v. State of UP., [19561
SCR 393, referred to.

Per Minority (G.B. Pattanaik for himself a{ld C.J.I.) E
I.I The Tobacco Board Act enacted by the Parliament under Entry
52 of List I is constitutionally valid and all the provisions therein, including
.. the provisions relating to growing of Tobacco and sale and purchase of
tobacco are within the legislative competence of the Parliament. The word F
"industry" in Entry 52 of List I cannot be given a restricted meaning,
particularly when a conspectus of all the decisions interpreting Entry in
any of the Lists of the Constitution including the minority view in ITC case
is to the effect that t~ Entries in the List should be given liberal and
generous construction and it is well accepted cardinal rule of interpretation
that the words in constitutional document, conferring legislative powers G
should be construed most liberally and in their widest amplitude.
[582-G-H; 583-A[

1.2. It is no 4oubt true as a matter of principle of construction that
in the event there are two competing legislations, one by the Parliament
and one by the State, the Court would make an endeavour if both the H
462 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2002] I S. C.R.

A legislations could be allowed to be operated upon. But on examining the
provisions of the two Acts, if it is found that the Central legislation and
the State legislation come in collision with each other, then question of
allowing both of them to operate would not arise. In such an event, the
Central legislation would prevail, provided the said legislation is otherwise
B constitutionally valid namely the Parliament had the legislative competence
to enact the legislation in question. Examined from this angle, the different
provisions of the Tobacco Board Act, more particularly Sections 3, 8 and
32 and the provisions of the Agricultural Produce Markets Act, more
particularly Section 4(2) thereof as well as Section 15, which is said to be
the heart and soul of the Markets Act in Belsund's case, the conclusion is
C irresistible that the two Acts come in direct collision with each other and
it is difficult to reconcile the provisions of both the Acts. Necessarily,
therefore, the Tobacco Board Act having been enacted by the Parliament
and making all provisions in relation to the tobacco industry including
the provisions for growing of tobacco as well as sale and purchases of raw
tobacco, in accordance with the procedure prescribed under the said Act,
D the provisions of the Agricultural Produce Markets Act, entitling the
Market Committee to levy fee for sale and purchase of raw tobacco within
the market area will not be operative, so far as the produce 'tobacco' is
concerned. In other words, the Central Act would prevail and would
govern the entire gamut of tobacco industry. It is also important to bear
E in mind that when Parliament decides to take over the control of a
particular industry in the interest of the said industry as well as in the
national interest, the control should be effective and should be in such a
manner that the desired object can be achieved. Therefore, legislation
ought to be made providing control over the growing of tobacco as well
as on its sale and purchase, which alone would subserve the very purpo;e •
F for which the control of the industry has been taken over by the
Parliament. Thus, the Tobacco Board Act and the Agricultural Produce
Markets Act, collide with each other and cannot be allowed to be operated
simultaneously. The Tobacco Board Act would prevail and the
Agricultural Produce Markets Act, so far as it relates to levy of fee for
G sale and purchase of tobacco within the market area must go out of the
purview of the said Act. (583-8-H; 584-A)

1.3. In view of the inconsistency and repugnancy between the two
Acts, it is the Central Act that would prevail. The majority judgment in
the ITC case has been correctly decided, though for different reasons.
H (584-B)
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. 463
' ' .
ITC v. State of Karna/aka, (19851 Supp. 1 S.C.R.145, affirmed. A
Belsund Sugar Co. Ltd v. State of Bihar & Ors., (1999( 9 SCC 620,
referred to.

2. In view of the rules of interpretation as well as the various
decisions of this Court, it cannot be said that the word "industry" in Entry B
52 of List I should be given a restricted meaning, so as to exclude from
its purview the subject of legislation coming within Entry 27 or Entry 14
of List II. Bearing in mind the constitutional scheme of supremacy of
Parliament, the normal rule of interpretation of an Entry in any of the
list in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, the object of taking over
the control of the tobacco industry by the Parliament, on making a C
declaration as required under Entry 52 of List I and on examining the
different provisions of the Tobacco Board Act, this Court sees no
justification for giv_ing a restricted meaning to the expression "industry"
in Entry 52 of List I, nor is there any justification in the submission of
the States and also different Market Committees that the provisions D ,
contained in Tobacco Board Act dealing with the growing of tobacco as
well as making provision for sale and purchase of tobacco, must be held
to be beyond the legislative competence of the Parliament, as it does not
come within the so-called narrow meaning of the expression "industry"
on the ground that otherwise it would denude the State Legislature of its
power to make law dealing with market under Entry 28, dealing with E
agriculture under Entry 14 and dealing with goods under Entry 27 of List
II. Such an approach of interpretation would be against the very scheme
p
of the constitution and supremacy of the Parliament and such an approach
towards interpreting the power sharing devices in relation to entries in
List I and List II would be against the thrust towards centralisation.
Therefore, the word "industry" in Entry 52 of List I should not be given F
any restricted meaning and should be interpreted in a manner so as to
enable the Parliament to make law in relation to subject matter which is
declared and whose control has been taken over to bring within its sweep
any ancillary matter, which can be said to be reasonably included within
the power and which may be incidental to the subject of legislation, so G
that the Parliament would be able to make an effective law. So construed
..... and on examining different provisions of the Tobacco Board Act, this
Court finds no lack of legislative competence with the Parliament so as to
enact any of the provisions contained in the said Act, the act in question
having been enacted by the Parliament on a declaration being made of
taking over of the control of the Tobacco industry by the Union and the H
464 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A Act being intended for the development of the said industry.
1571-F-H; 572-A-El

3.1. In none of these cases, namely Tikaramji, Calcutta Gas
Kanander and Ganga Sugar, the competence of Parliament to make any
law referable to Entry 52 of List I had not been questioned. In Tikaramji,
B the question for consideration was whether the Act passed by the State
Legislature and notification issued thereunder is repugnant to the
Parliament Act and notification issued thereunder. On examining the
provisions of the State Act namely the Sugarcane Act, the Court held that
the said law concerns solely with the regulation of supply and purchase
C of sugarcane and in no way trenched upon the jurisdiction of the Central
Govern me·· with regard to sugar and on scrutiny of Section 18-G of the
Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, the Court held that the Act,
more specifically Section 18-G did not cover sugarcane nor even the
Parliament's intention to conr the entire field could be inferred. The
Court was required to find out the meaning of the expression "any article
D or class of articles relatable to any scheduled industry" used in Section
18-G and it held that it did not refer to the raw materials but only to the
finished products. The Court went into the object of the Central Act which
was equitable distribution and availability of manufactured articles at ~air
prices. On examining the contents of Entry 24 of List II and Entry 27 of
E the said List II, the Court observed that the controlled ir .:ustries were
relegated to Entry 52 of List I which was the exclusive province of
Parliament leaving the other industries within Entry 24 of Li~t ll. In that
case, the Court was not required to examine the c<>ntent and scope of the
expression "industry" in Entry 52 of List I and in fact the Court observed
that it was concerned with as to whether the raw materials of an industry
F which form an integral part of the process are within the topic of
"industry" which form the subject matter of Item 52 of List I. The
Central legislation which was under consideration in that case as well as
the notifications issued by the Central Government were held to have been
enacted by the Parliament in exercise of the legislative powers conferred
G upon it by Entry 33 of List Ill and was an exercise of concurrent
jurisdiction and once the law is made by the Parliament in exercise of
its concurrent jurisdiction, then it would not deprive the Provincial
Legislatures of similar powers which they had under the Provincial
Legislative List. When the Court observed that the term "industry" which
would be capable of comprising three different aspects: (i) raw materials
H which are an integral part of the industrial process, (ii) the process of
I.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. 465
_ manufacture or production and (iii) the distribution of the products of the A
industry, and held that raw materials should be goods which would be
comprised of Entry 27 of List II and the process of manufacture or
production would be comprised in Entry 24 of List II, except where the
indu'.'ry was a controlled industry when it would fall under Entry 52 of
List I, the Court was obviously not examining the contents of the
expression "industry" under E11try 52 of List I and that is why the Court B
observed that the legislation which was enacted by the Centre in regard
to sugar and sugarcane could fall within Entry 52 of List I. When the
legislation in question that was under consideration was held not to be
legislation under Entry 52 of List I, the question of applying the ratio in
the case of Tikaramji in the context of Parliament's power to make a law C
under Entry 52 of List I and the content and scope of such law or the scope
and content of the expression "industry" under Entry 52 of List I cannot
have any application and consequently, on the basis of the judgment of
this Court in Tikaramji, it cannot be contended that the expression
"industry" in Entry 52 of List I must have a restricted meaning. It is
further apparent from the conclusion of the Court in that case when it D
refused to import the pith and substance argument, holding that the same
cannot be imported for the simple reason that both the Centre as well as
the State Legislatures were operating in the concurrent field and, therefore
there was no question of any trespass upon the exclusive jurisdiction vested
in the Centre under Entry 52 of List I. In other words in Tikaramji, neither E
this court was called upon to examine the content of the expression

-
"industry" under Entry 52 of List I nor the rele' .•nt Central law which
was under consideration had been enacted with reference to power under
Entry 52 of List I. Thus, there is not much force in the contention that
the conclusion recorded by the majority view in /TC case is vitiated, as it
had not noticed observations of the Constitution Bench decision in F
Tikaramji. It would be wholly inappropriate for this Court to apply the
observations made in Tikaramji's case with regard to raw materials of
"industry". Since the Court was examining the provisions of Industries
(Development and Regulation) Act, which regulated the manufacturing
process until Section 18-G was brought in amendment i.1 the year 1953 G
and the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act did not purport to
regulate the trade and commerce in the raw materials namely sugarcane
and the Court in fact was scrutinizing whether the State Act enacted by
the State Legislature could be held to be repugnant to the Central
Legislation it found that there exist no repugnancy and the two Acts cover
two different fields and would co-exist. In this view of the matter any H
I
)_
>

466 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002) I S.C.R.

A observations or conclusion of the Court in Tikaramji will be of no assistance
for arriving at a decision as to whether the term "Industry" in Entry 52
of List I would have a restricted meaning or would have a wide meaning,
which is the normal interpretation of every entry in the respective lists.
[573-C-H; 574-A-H; 575-A-F[

B 3.2. In Calcutta Gas case, no doubt Tikaramji had been followed and
the Court was examining the two competing entries in List II itself of the
Seventh Schedule of the Constitution namely Entry 24 and 25. While Entry
24 of List II is "industry", Entry 25 is "Gas and Gas works" and the
question, therefore was whether law made by the State legislature on the
C subject head 'gas and Gas works' would prevail over a law made by the
State legislature over the subject "industry" and the Court held that '
Gas and Gas works' being a special subject head, law made thereunder
would prevail over any law made under the general head "industries".
In Calcutta Gas case it has been held "It is not necessary in this case to
attempt to define the expression "industry" precisely or to state
D exhaustively all its ingredients". In view of the aforesaid observations,
this decision can not be pressed into service for ascertaining the true
import and content of the ~xpression "industry" which is the subject head
under consideration in the case in hand. [575-F-H; 576-A-B]

3.3. In Kanandevan Hills Produce case, it is the validity of State
E legislation namely Resumption of Lands Act, 1971, which was under
challenge on the ground of lack of legislative competence of the State
Legislature. The validity of the Act was upheld on a conclusion that the
law was referable to the legislative head under Entry 18 of List II relating
to land and legislative Entry 42 of List III relating to acquisition and
F requisitioning of property. It is in that context, it was observed that the
power of the State legislature to make the law under the aforesaid two
entries could not be denied merely on the ground that it had some effect
on the industry, the control of which has been taken over under Entry 52
of List I. But the Court was careful to hold that the effect was not the
same thing as the subject matter. In other words, the subject matter of
G "industry" under Entry 52 of List I really was not under consideration.
[576-B-D]

3.4. The observations of this Court in the Constitution Bench
decision of Ganga Sugar Corporation case, would make it crystal clear that
the said observation is of no consequence either in the matter of deciding
H the ambit of the expression "industry" in Entry 52 of List I or in deciding
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. 467

the legislative competence of Parliament to make law like the Tobacco A
Board Act in relation to a controlled industry and making provision
therein in respect of the growing of tobacco and purchase and sale of raw
tobacco. In Ganga Sugar's case, the levy of purch!\se tax on sugar-cane
purchased by a factory owner under Section 3 of the U.P. Sugarcane
(Purchase Tax) Act, 1961, was under challenge on the ground that the B
legislation in question being in respect of a controlled industry, the power
belongs exclusively to Parliament under Entry 52 of List I. The Court
repelled this contention on the ground that Entry 54 in List II of the
Seventh Schedule empowers the State to legislate for taxes on purchase
of goods and therefore, it cannot be said to have invaded Entry 52 of List
I. The Court posed the question as to whether the Purchase Tax Act is C
bade because it is a legislation with respect to a controlled industry namely
the Sugar industry and answered the same in the negative, following the
observations of the earlier Constitution Bench decision in Tikaramji's case.
Thus the extreme argument that the State Legislature is incompetent to
make any law with regard to a controlled industry, the control of which
has been taken over by the Union Government by making a declaration, D
was negatived. (577-B-F)

3.5. Thus, in none of the aforesaid Constitution Bench decisions of
this Court, the true import and meaning of the expression "industry"
under Entry 52 of List I was for consideration, nor the competence of the E
Parliament to make a legislation in respect of a controlled industry, so as
to include within itself the provisions relating to the stage prior to
manufacture or production was an issue and consequently these decisions
will be of no assistance so as to strike down the provisions of the Tobacco
Act, so far as the provisions contained therein relating to growing of
tobacco/or sale and purchase of raw tobacco. (578-A-B) F

Tika Ramji v. State of UP., (19561 SCR 393; The Calcutta Gas
Company Proprietary) Ltd v. The State of West Bengal & Ors., 11962) Suppl.
3 SCR I; Ganga Sugar Corporation ltd v. State of U.P. & Ors., (1980) I
SCC 223; Kannan Devan Hills Produce v. State of Kera/a & Anr., 119721 2 G
SCC 218; Belsund Sugar Co. ltd v. State of Bihar & Ors., 119991 9 SCC
620 and B. Viswanathiah and Company and Ors. v. State of Karna/aka. (19911
3 sec 358, referred to.

4. In lshwari Khetan's case, the Court was construing the scope and
ambit of Entry 54 of List II and Entry 52 of List I and had observed that H
468 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002) I S.C.R.

"A the State's power under Entry 24 of List II would get eroded only to the
extent the control is assumed by the Union pursuant to a declaration made
by the Parliament in respect of declared industry as spelt out by legislative
enactment and the field occupied by such enactment is the measure of erosion
and subject to such erosion, on the remainder the State legislature will have
power to legislate in respect of declared industry without in any way
B trenching upon the occupied field. Applying the aforesaid ratio to the case
in hand and having examined the provisions of the Tobacco Board Act,
the answer is irresistible that the State legislature is denuded of its power
to make any law in relation to growing of tobacco or sale and purchase
of raw tobacco when such a provision has already been made in the
C Tobacco Board Act. (578-D-G]

Ishwari Khetan Sugar Mills (P) Ltd. & Ors. v. State of Uttar Pradesh
& Ors. (19801 4 SCC 136, relied on.

5. The power of the State Legislature gets denuded to the extent the
D Central Legislation occupies the field in respect of the controlled industry,
the control of which has been taken over by the Parliament on a
declaration being made. If after taking over the control of the industry
in exercise of its legislative competence under Entry 52 of List I, the
Parliament while making a law did not make any provision in relation to
E the supply of raw material, then merely because the control of the industry
has been taken over, the State's power to make legislation in relation to
the supply of raw-material would not get denuded. But that does not mean
that the Parliament cannot make any law in relation to any other aspect
other than the aspect of production and manufacture of the industry.
(579-C-E)
F ..
6. So far as Belsund Sugar Company's case is concerned, the question
for consideration was, whether the provisions of the Bihar Agricultural
Produce Markets Act would at all be applicable for levy of market fee in
respect of sale and purchase of sugar cane, in view of the special provisions
G contained in the Bihar Sugarcane Regulation of Supply and Purchase Act,
1981. The Market Committee Act was also a State Legislation purported
to have been enacted under Entries 26, 27 and 28 of List 11. The Sugar
cane Regulation of Supply and Purchase Act purported to be a legislation
enacted in Entry 33 of List Ill. The Court held that in view of the special
Act dealing with sale and purchase of sugar cane the general Act, namely,
H the Market Committee Act will have no application at all, and therefore,
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. 469
the levy of market fee by the Market Committee was held to be invalid. A
).
On examining different provisions of the two Acts the Court also held that
there consists direct conflict between the two Acts and that conflict could
be avoided only if it is held that the Market Act being a general Act
covering all types of the agricultural produce and the Sugar Cane Act,
wnich also deals with an agricultural produce like sugar, being a special
enactment laying down an independent exclusive machinery for regulating
B
sale, purchase and storage of such a commodity under a special Act, then
the special Act would prevail over the general Act for that commodity and
by necessary implication will take the said commodity out of the sweep of
the general Act. This decision is not an a1,1thority for the proposition that
-i the expression "industry" in Entry 52 of List I should be given a restricted c
meaning. (579-F-H; 580-A-BJ

Belsund Sugar Co. ltd v. State of Bihar & Ors., (1999) 9 SCC 620,
referred to.

7.1. The argument that the principle enunciated in Hingir-Rampur D
Coal Co. ltd. & Ors. v. The State ofOrissa & Ors., Be/sund Sugar and State
,.. of Orissa v. MA. Tulloch & Co. should equally apply to the case in hand
while interpreting the scope and extent of the legislative competence of
the Parliament under Entry 52 of List I, cannot be accepted since in all
those cases the Court was considering the competing power of the State E
legislature under Entry 23 of List II and the power of the Central
legislature under Entry 54 of List I. Both the Entries are on the subject
'Regulation of Mines and Minerals Development'. Entry 23 of List 2 itself
is subject to the provisions of List I with respect to the Regulation and
'""""'
.. Development under control of the Union, and necessarily therefore, when
Union takes over the control of the Mines and Minerals Development by F
legislation under Entry 54 of List I the State Legislature would be denuded
to make any law in relation to the Mines and Minerals Development under
Entry 23 of List II. But in the case in hand, This Court is concerned with
the legislation made by the Parliament under Entry 52 of List I which is
the Tobacco Board Act and the legislation made by the State legislature
G
under Entry 28 or any other ancillary Entry like Entry 14 or Entry 27 of
List II, namely the Bihar Agricultural Produce Market Act. In such a
""" case the focus for consideration of the Court would be as to what is the
scope and content of Entry 52 of List I and once it is held that the
expression "industry" cannot be given any restricted meaning and the
law enacted by the Parliament, the Tobacco Board Act, is held to be intra H
470 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002) I S.C.R.

A vires then the State legislation, namely, the Bihar Agricultural Produce
Market Act, so far as it deals with the commodity tobacco will go out of
the general sweep of all agricultural produce notified under the State Act,
as the provisions in respect thereof have been made by the Central
legislation and by application of Article 246 of the Constitution the Central
B Act would prevail. [580-E-H; 580-A-C)

7.2. It cannot be said that if the subject head of legislation in List
II is not subject to the corresponding Entry in List I then the power of
State Legislature to legislate with regard to that matter is paramount and
supreme, and therefore, the Market Committee Act being relatable to
C Entries 14 and 28 of List II, which are not subject to any of the Entries of
List I, the Market Committee Act must be allowed to prevail. The
aforesaid approach to consider the validity of a law made by the
Parliament or a law made by the State legislature is not a correct
approach. The Entries merely being the subject head of the legislation
and the power to make law having emanated from Article 246, if a
D particular law made by Parliament comes within the legislative competence
of the Parliament with reference to any of the Entries in List I then the
State legislature would not have the competence to make law with respect
to that subject with reference to some other Entries in List II. [581-E-GI

Be/sund Sugar Co. Ltd v. State of Bihar & Ors., [19991 9 SCC 620
E and The Hingir-Rampur Coal Co. Ltd & Ors. v. State o/Orissa & Ors., [19611
2 SCR 537, distinguished.

F
2001.
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal No. 6453 of

From the Judgment and Order dated 16.8.84 of the Patna High Court
-
in C.W.J.C. No. 3248 of 1979.

(With C.A. Nos. 540, 541/87, 3872/90, 3024, 3023, 1535, 1194, 1394,
1536, 1980, 1981, 3715, 2464/88, 6619/97, 2088-89/99, 671, 673-675/2002
G and W.P. (C) No. 8614 of 1982.)

R.N. Trivedi, Additional Solicitor General, Shanti Bhushan, S. Ganesh,
Ms. Shobha Dikshit, L. Nageswara Rao, G.L. Sanghi, S.K. Gambhir, A.K.
Ganguli, Dr. A.M. Singhvi, S.B. Sanyal, Rakesh Dwivedi, P.P. Malhotra,
V.A. Bobde, Nillav Dutta, Adv. Genl., for Assam, Beeran, Additional A.G.
H for Kerala, Pallav Shishodia, Sanjay R. Pathak, Buddy A. Ranganadhan,
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [Y.K. SABHARWAL, J.] 471

Pradeep Misra, Ms. Indu Misra, R.P. Gupta, Ms. Rashmi Jain, Shushendra A
Chauhan, S.K. Agnihotri, Anil K. Pandey, Sakesh Kumar Ms. Vibha Datta
Makhija, Rohit K. Singh, H.K. Puri, Awanish Sinha, S.K. Puri, Rajesh
Srivastava, U.ijawal Banerjee, Ms. Anindita Gupta, Vikas Singh, Yunus Malik,
Sunil Roy, A. Subba Rao, S.B. Upadhyay, G. Umapathy, Krishnamurthi
Swami, P.K. Bansal, Rajan Narain, Ashok Mathu, Ms. Krishna Sarma, Ms.
Asha G. Nair, V.K. Sidharthan, Mahabir Singh, S.P. Singh Chauhan, Saket B
Singh, Ms. Niranjana Singh, B.B. Singh, Ms. lndu Sharma, Ms. Rachna
Srivastava, Manoj Prasad, Pramod Swarup, Praveen Swarup, Ms. Pareena
Swamp, L.K. Pandey, S.V. Deshpande, Ms. Anuradha Rastogi, Pramit Saxena,
Manish Singhvi, Ramesh Singh, Ms. Bina Gupta, Ms. Divya Roy, Vivek
Gambhir, B.G. Sridharan, G.C. Chandrashekhar, P.P. Singh, Sanjay R. Hegde, C
Satya Mitra, Prakash Shrivastava, A. Mariarputham, Ms. Aruna Mathur,
Anurag D. Mathur, T. Raja, Heman! Sharma, S.N. Terdol, Kh. Nobin Singh,
Ms. A. Subhashini, Ramesh Babu M.R., Anil Shrivastava, T.V. Ratnam, K.
Subba Rao and S.K. Dwivedi for the appearing parties.

The Judgments of the Court were delivered by D
BY THE COURT In keeping with the conclusions of the majority,
expressed in the judgments of Sabharwal, Ruma Pal and Brijesh Kumar, JJ.,
it is held that :

I. JTC's case [1985] Suppl. 1 SCC 476 was not correctly decided. E
2. The State legislatures are competent to enact legislation providing
for the levy and collection of a market fee on the sale of tobacco
in a market area. Consequently, the Market Acts enacted by the
States are valid.
3. The State legislations and the Tobacco Board Act, 1975, to the F
extent that they relate to the sale of tobacco in market areas,
cannot co-exist and the former prevail over the latter.

The appeals and the writ petition are disposed of accordingly. No order
as to costs.
G
Y.K. SABHARWAL, J. The issue in these matters is about the validity
and applicability of Bihar Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1960 and the
Kamataka Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1966, to the
extent these State legislations deal with sale of tobacco in market areas with
particular reference to the levy thereupon of market fee, after enactment of
Tobacco Board Act, 1975-a parliamentary legislation. The same is the issue H
472 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2002] I S.C.R.

A in respect of similar State legislations passed by State Legislatures of Uttar
Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. These issues were subject matter of decision
in ITC Ltd & Ors. v. State of Karnataka & Ors., [1985] Supp. SCC 476. ...
We are required to determine whether ITC's case is correctly decided
or not. That is a decision rendered by a three Judge Bench. The majority
B decided in favour of ITC. Later a Bench of two Judges expressed tentative
view that the decision in JTC's case requires reconsideration. Thus, these
matters are before this Bench.

The arguments on behalf of the appellants contending that ITC has
been correctly decided have been led by Mr. Shanti Bhushan followed and
c supported by other learned counsel appearing for Union of India and the
Tobacco Board. On behalf of the State of Bihar and other parties contending
that ITC has not been correctly decided, the arguments were led by Mr R.K.
Dwivedi followed and supported by other learned counsel appearing for other
States and Market Committees.

D The answer to the question-Whether ITC is correctly decided or not
depends upon the scope of Entry 52 in Union List of the Seventh Schedule
of the Constitution of India with particular reference to the meaning of the
expression 'Industries' in the said entry as also in Entry 24 of the State List
of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution.

In ITC's case the majority held that the provisions of the Kamataka
E
Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1966 are repugnant to the
parliamentary legislation, the Tobacco Board Act, 1975 and, therefore, tobacco
is liable to be removed from the Schedule of that enactment. Expressing the
minority view, Sabyasachi Mukharji, J. held that the State legislation and the
.c::-
Tobacco Board Act, 1975 can co-exist.
F ...
The first question to be determined is can State legislations and Tobacco
Board Act co-exist in respect of sale of tobacco in the market areas within
the framework of Agricultural Produce Marketing Acts - the State legislations
under consideration? If our answer to this question is that the two legislations
can co-exist, in that event it may not be necessary to go into the aspect of
G legislative competence. If, however, our answer is that the State legislations
and the parliamentary legislation are incapable of reconciliation and the two
cannot co-exist, in that case, the next question that would require determination
will be about the validity of the State legislations.

In the proposed judgment, Hon 'ble Mr. Justice Pattanaik has come to
H the conclusion that the Agricultural Produce Markets Act and the Tobacco
1.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [Y.K. SABHARWAL, J.] 473

Board Act are in direct collision with each other and cannot be allowed to A
be. operated simultaneously.

The State legislations and parliamentary legislations cannot co-exist is
apparent from various provisions of the two legislations. To illustrate in this
regard, reference may be made on one hand to Section 4(2) of Bihar Act and
similar provision in other State legislations and on the other to the provisions B
of Section 13 of the Tobacco Board Act in States wherein this section has
bt:en enforced and also to Section 8(2)(cc). Reference can also be made to
Rule 32 of the Tobacco Board Rules, 1976 framed in exercise of the powers
conferred by Section 32 of the Tobacco Board Act regarding purchase of
,J Virginia tobacco in comparison to Section 15 of Bihar Act requiring the C
agricultural produce, which tobacco is, to be brought to the market yard and
sold by means of an auction or tender to the highest bidder. The power of
the Tobacco Board to purchase from growers as provided in Rule 32 cannot
co-exist with sale by auction or tender. Even in regard the price and manner
of payment, licencing and auction procedure under two legislations and Rules
made thereunder show that they cannot co-exist. In this regard reference can D
also be made to the Tobacco Board (Auction) Rules, 1984 and Tobacco
Board (Auction) Regulation, 1984. It is evident that the compliance with the
provisions of one would involve non-compliance of the provisions of the
other. The provisions of the two legislations have been referred to in the
judgment of Brother Pattanaik, J.I am in respectful agreement with the opinion E
of Justice Pattanaik that the two cannot operate and co-exist simultaneously.
In this view, the question about the legislative competence of the State
Legislature will have to be examined.

0 In JTC's case, two learned judges have held the State legislation to be
invalid. The power of State Legislature per se to legislate in respect of sale F
of tobacco in market areas and levy of market fee, in view of Article 246(3)
read with Entries I 4, 28 and 66 of the State List, is not in dispute. The
dispute has, however, arisen as according to ITC, on declaration as
contemplated by Entry 52 of the Union List having been made by the
Parliament in Section 2 of the Tobacco Board Act, 1975, and as a result of G
various provisions in that Act, the field of sale of tobacco which is said to
be integral part of tobacco industry has been transferred from Entry 24 of the
State List to Entry 52 of the Union List-Entry 24 being subject to the
provisions of Entries 7 and 52 of the Union List. The contention is that in this
view, the State Legislature is deprived of competence to legislate in the field
of sale of tobacco in market area and levy market fee. Under these H
474 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2002] I S.C.R.

A circumstances, the competence of the State Legislature to legislate in regard
to sale of tobacco would depend upon the answer to the question whether
under Entry 52 of the Union List, the Parliament is competent or not to
legislate in respect of sale of raw tobacco. If the answer to the question is that
the Parliament is competent, in that eventuality, the State legislation will
have to be invalidated for want of legislative competence. The answer to the
B question would, however, depend upon the scope of the expression 'Industries'
as deployed in Entry 52 of the Union List and Entry 24 of the State List. If
we find that the expression 'Industries' is wide enough to include the raw
material of the industry and the Parliament is, thus, competent to enact law
under Entry 52 of the Union List, in respect ofraw material, the Parliament
C having supremacy as provided in Article 246(1 ), the parliamentary legislation,
namely, the Tobacco Board Act would hold the field and the State legislation
invalidated. The dispute in this case is not about parliamentary supremacy as
none has doubted it in view of Article 246( I) of the Constitution but is
whether Parliament has competence at all to legislate in respect of raw tobacco
D or it falls within the competence of State. If we hold that while legislating in
the field of industry as provided in Entry 52 of the Union List, the Parliament
is not competent to legislate in respect of the field anterior to industry, i.e.
its raw material and can legislate only in respect of the process of manufacture
or production, in that e~entuality, the State legislation will have to be held
to be constitutional, intra vires and applicable.
E
In the proposed judgment, Justice Pattanaik has held that the word
'industry' in Entry 52 of the Union List cannot be given restricted meaning
so as to exclude from its purview the subject of legislation coming within
Entry 27 or Entry 14 of List II and, thus, the parliamentary legislation,
namely, the Tobacco Board Act, 1975 is constitutionally valid and,~ ,,,
F consequently, the State legislations entitling the Market Committee to levy
fee for sale and purchase of raw tobacco within the market area will not be
operative so far as the produce of tobacco is concerned and that the majority
judgment in the ITC's case is correctly decided. I express my respectful
dissent with the view expressed by Justice Pattanaik on this aspect and thus
G this separate judgment.

The Parliament and Assemblies draw power to legislate from the
provisions of the Constitution of India. We are concerned here with Article
246. Article 246( 1) of the Constitution provides that notwithstanding anything
in clauses (2) and (3), Parliament has exclusive power to make laws with
H respect to any of the matters enumerated in List I in the Seventh Schedule.
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [Y.K. SABHARWAL, J.] 475

The said List is referred to in the Constitution as the 'Union List'. A
Entry 52 in the Union List is 'Industries, the control of which by the
Union is declared by Parliament by law to be expedient in the public interest'.
In respect of field covered by this Entry, the Parliament has enacted the
Tobacco Board Act, 1975. Section 2 of the Tobacco Board Act contains the
declaration that it is expedient in the public interest that the Union should B
take under its control the Tobacco industry.

Article 246(2) provides that notwithstanding anything in clause (3),
Parliament and, subject to clause (I), the Legislature of any State also, have
power to make laws with respect to any of the matters enumerated in List III C
in the Seventh Schedule. The said List is referred to in the Constitution as the
"Concurrent List".

Article 246(3) provides that subject to clauses (I) and (2), the Legislature
of any State has exclusive power to make laws for such State or any part
thereof with respect to any of the matters enumerated in List II in the Seventh D
Schedule. The said List is referred to in the Constitution as the "State List".

In exercise of power under Article 246(3), various State Legislatures
have enacted Agricultural Produce Marketing Acts for regulating sale and
purchase of the agricultural produce and levying market fee within the E
framework of those Acts which, inter alia, permit levy and collection of
market fee. The tobacco under the Acts in question has been notified as an
agricultural produce.

In JTC's case, by majority, it was held that the Tobacco industry having
been taken over by the Central Government under Entry 52 of the Union List F
by enactment of Tobacco Board Act, the State Legislature ceases to have any
jurisdiction to legislate for that field and, therefore, the provisions of the
Karnataka Agricultural Produce Marketing Act entitling the market committee
to levy market fee in respect of sale and purchase of Tobacco within the
market area collide with Tobacco Board Act. Thus, the State Act so far as it G
relates to Tobacco was struck down. The minority view was that both the
State and the Central Act can operate in their respective fields and there is
no repugnancy if both the Acts are considered in the light of their respective
true nature and character.

The majority judgment in ITC ·~.case for the view that it took principally H
476 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A relied upon the two Constitution Bench decisions of this Court in State of
Orissa.v. M.A. Tulloch & Co., [1964) 4 SCR 461 and Baijnath Kadio v. State
of Bihar & Ors., [1969] 3 SCC 838. Referring to these two decisions, the
opinion expressed was that these cases are direct authority on the question at
issue, viz., if the Central Act, and the State Act collide, the inevitable
B consequence would have to be that the Central Act will prevail over the State
Act and later will have to yield and that the provisions of the Karnataka
Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1966 are repugnant to the
Tobacco Board Act, 1975 and, therefore, tobacco is liable to be removed
from the schedule of the said Act.

C The minority view, however, was that there is nothing in the State Act
or in the Rules which indicate that it is inconsistent with or cannot be operated
along with the marketing regulations and both the Acts can operate in their
respective fields and there is no repugnancy if both the Acts are considered
in the light of their true nature and character.

D In ITC 's case the challenge was to the constitutional validity of the
Karnataka Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) (Amendment) Act,
1980. By the amending Act, tobacco was enumerated as an agricultural produce
for the purposes of the Karnataka Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) ..
Act, 1966. The High Court was of the view that the Tobacco Board Act did
not cover the marketing of tobacco in its entirety but only covered a part of
E the area of the topic of marketing of tobacco and that the two legislations,
namely, the Tobacco Board Act, 1975 and the Karnataka Agricultural Produce
Marketing (Regulation) Act, can co-exist and operate cumulatively. The further
view expressed by the High Court was that any intention of the superior
legislature to cover the whole field to make a comprehensive law with regard
p to marketing of tobacco was not manifest in the legislation.

The contention canvassed before this Court in ITC's case was that in
view of the Central Act, the State Legislature was not competent to bring into
fold of the State Act, the tobacco, the matter being covered by Entry 52 of
the Union List of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. The
G precise question in ITC's case was as to whether in respect of marketing of
tobacco, the State Government was entitled to legislate or whether in view of
the fact that there was a declaration under Entry 52 of the Union List, the
State Legislature had no competence to legislate on tobacco and as such the
impugned legislation was ultra vires.

H In the minority opinion, Mukharji, J. noticed that the Karnataka
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [Y.K. SABHARWAL, J.] 477
Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1966 deals with the subject A
of market in Entry 28 read with Entry 66 of List II and that it had to be borne
in mind that Entry 28 is not subject to withdrawal to List I by Parliament.
The State Act is not on a subject in List III nor is the Central Act a law
relating to any subject in List III. It was concluded that, therefore, there
cannot be any question of repugnancy. The nature and character of the Acts,
namely, Karnataka Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1966 B
and the Central Act was noticed and it was held that it is fully manifest that
both the Acts can operate in their respective fields. Further in the minority
opinion it was observed that while giving due weight to Centre's supremacy
in the matter of legislation, the States' legitimate sphere of legislation should
not be unnecessarily whittled down because that would be unwarranted by C
the spirit and basic purpose of the constitutional division of powers - not
merely allocation of power by the Constitution but invasion by p.arliamentary
legislations. While it is true that in the spheres very carefully delineated the
Parliament has supremacy over State Legislatures, supremacy in the sense
that in those fields, parliamentary legislation would hold the field and not the
State legislation - but to denude the State Legislature of its power to legislate D
where the legislation in question in pith and substance i.e. in its true nature
and character, belongs to the State field, one should be chary to denude the
State of its powers to legislate and mobilize resources - because that would
be destructive of the spirit and purpose of India being a Union of States.
States must have power to raise and mobilize resources in their exclusive E
fields. The Marketing Act is essentially an Act to regulate the marketing of
agricultural produce. Justice Mukharji said that "it must, therefore, be held
that the State Act should prevail. One should avoid corroding the State's
ambit of powers of legislation which will ultimately lead to erosion of India
being a Union of States.".
F
The majority opinion was expressed by Justice S. Murtaza Fazal Ali
with whom Justice A. Varadarajan concurred. In the majority opinion after
noticing the crucial point for determination i.e. whether the Kamataka State
had any jurisdiction to encroach upon the limits of Entry 52 of the Union
List, relying inter alia upon the decisions in the cases of Tulloch, Baijnath G
Kadio, it was concluded that once the Centre takes over an industry under
Entry 52 of List I of the Seventh Schedule and passes an Act to regulate the
legislation, the State Legislature ceases to have any jurisdiction to legislate
in that field and if it does so, that legislation would be ultra vires the powers
of the State Legislature. It was further observed that acceptance of the minority
opinion would rob the Central Act of its entire content and essential import H
478 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A by handing over the power of legislation to the State Government which per
se had been taken over by the Parliament under Article 246 by enacting the
Tobacco .Board Act, 1975. In the majority opinion reliance was placed on the ;.
following passage of Baijnath Kadio 's case as extracted at page 174 as under: ~

"It is open to Parliament to declare that it is expedient in the public
B interest that the control should rest in Central Government. To what
extent such a declaration can go is for Parliament to determine and
this must be commensurate with public interest. Once this declaration
is made and the extent laid down, the subject of legislation to the
extent laid down becomes an exclusive subject for legislation by
Parliament. Any legislation by the State after such declaration and
c trenching upon the field disclosed in the declaration must necessary
be unconstitutional because that field is abstracted from the legislative
competence of the State Legislature. This proposition is also self-
evident that no attempt was rightly made to contradict it."

D The majority opinion has not noticed the Constitution Bench's decision
• in the case of Ch. Tika Ramji & Ors. etc. v. The State of Uttar Pradesh &
Ors., [1956] SCR 393 and other decisions on the scope of Entry 52 but
relying upon MA. Tulloch and Baijnath Kadio held that when declaration
under Entry 52 of List I in respect of public interest is made and the extent
laid down the subject of legislation to the extent laid down becomes an
E exclusive subject of legislation by the Parliament and any legislation by the
State after such declaration trenching upon the field disclosed in the declaration
must necessarily be unconstitutional because that field is abstracted from the
legislative competence of the State Legislature. Thus it was held that the
Government of Karnataka had no jurisdiction to levy any market fee on
tobacco because the State Act to that extent collides with the Central Act of
,,
F 1975.
The decisions in the cases of Baijnath Kadio and Tulloch have also
been relied upon by Mr. Shanti Bhushan. Reliance has also been placed by
learned counsel on The Hingir-Rampur Coal Co. Ltd & Ors. v. State of
G Orissa & Ors., [1961] 2 SCR 537. It was contended by Mr. Shanti Bhushan
that in law and in principle there would be no difference in respect of a case
dealing with the scope of Entry 52 of the Union List or a case dealing with
the scope of Entry 54 of that List. The submission of learned counsel is that
for the purpose of interpretation both these entries have been equated by this
Court and reliance in this regard is placed on Ishwari Khetan Sugar Mills (P)
H Ltd & Ors. v. State of Uttar Pradesh & Ors., [1980] 4 SCC 136.
1.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [Y.K. SABHARWAL, J.) 479
On behalf of the State Governments and the Agricultural Produce A
Marketing Committees strong reliance has been placed on Tika Ramji's case.
What is the ratio of these decisions, we will now examine.

Before considering the aforenoted decisions, it would be appropriate to
make it clear that in these matters it has to be kept in view that this Court
is not examining a case where the field of legislation is on concurrent list to B
which Article 246(2) applies. This Court is also not considering the case of
an incidental trenching of field by one or the other legislature. The Court is
concerned with the question of legislative competence. We are examining a
case where what has been questioned is the legality of legislation in respect
of a field on the State List to which Article 246(3) applies. The validity and C
applicability of the State legislations in respect of a field of legislation on
State List has come under a cloud on account of a legislation passed by the
Parliament in respect of field of legislation under Entry 52 of the Union List,
namely, the Tobacco Board Act, 1975. It is on account of this legislation
containing declaration as contemplated by Entry 52 of the Union List that
doubts have arisen about the validity and applicability of State legislation D
about the sale of agricultural produce of tobacco in market areas and levy
thereupon of market fee which aspects are on field of legislation on the State
List (Entries 14, 27, 28 and 66). Entry 24 of the State List is subject to
Entries 7 and 52 of List I. We are not concerned in these matter with Entry
7. The question here is as to the effect of transfer of field of legislation under E
Entry 24 of the State List to the Union List (Entry 52), on other fields in the
State List, namely, fields of legislation under Entries 14, 27, 28 and 66 and
what in fact can be transferred.

-..; Baijna1h Kadio was a case which considered the validity of the State
legislation on the ground of being beyond the State legislative power in view F
of the declaration by the Parliament in Mines and Minerals (Regulation and
Development) Act, 1957 as contemplated by Ent!)' 54 of List I of the Seventh
Schedule to the Constitution. Section 2 of the ·central legislation declared
that it is expedient in the public interest that the Union should take under its
control the Regulation of mines and the development of minerals to the G
extent provided therein.

Entry 54 of the Union List speaks both of regulation of mines and
minerals development and Entry 23 of the State List is subject to Entry 54.
It was held that it was open to the Parliament to declare that it is expedient
in the public interest that the control should rest with the Central Government. H
480 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A To what extent such a declaration can go is for the Parliament to determine
and this must be commensurate with public interest. Once this declaration is
made and that extent laid down the subject of legislation to the extent laid
down becomes an exclusive subject for the legislation by the Parliament. Any
legislation by the State after such declaration trenching upon the field disclosed
B in the declaration must necessarily be unconstitutional because that field is
abstracted from the legislative competence of the State Legislature. For its
view the Constitution Bench followed earlier Constitution Bench decisions in
the cases of Hingir and Tulloch. These two cases also dealt with the scope
of Entry 54 of List I viz-a-viz Entry 23 of List II. The majority opinion in ITC
as already noticed, followed Baijnath Kadio and extracted in its judgment the
C passage as aforesaid.

A significant aspect to take note of is that Tika Ramji 's case has not
been considered in Hingir 's case. The reason for it seems to be that one set
of cases consider the scope of Entry 54 viz-a-viz Entry 23 and to that category _
D belong the cases of Hingir, Tulloch and Baijnath Kadio. The other set of
cases consi"~r the scope of Entry 52 of Union List viz-a-viz Entry 24 of the
State List and to that category belong the cases of Tika Ramji and other cases
following Tika Ramji. ..
:le lying upon lshwari Khetan 's case Mr. Shanti Bhushan contends that
E Entry 52 has been equated with Entry 54 of the Union List.

Both sides have relied upon the case oflshwari Khetan. Let us examine
that case. In /shwari Khetan 's case the contention urged was that the Parliament
has made the Industrial (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951 (for short,
F 'the !DR Act') in Entry 52 List I declaring control of sugar industry and that
industry goes out of Entry 24 of List II and, therefore, State Legislature is
denuded of legislative powers in respect of sugar industry and impugned
legislation was with respecPto acquisition of sugar undertaking in sugar
industry. The Attorney General had contended that the power to acquire
G property was derived from Entry 42 of List Ill. lshwari Khetan 's case involved
the determination or scope of Entry 52 of List I and Entry 24 of List II only.
The scope of these entries with respect to Entries 26 and 27 of List II and
Entry 33 of List Ill did not fall for consideration. Further in paragraphs 7, 8
and 11 of Ishwari Khetan 's case the Constitution Bench repeatedly pointed
out that a declaration in Entry 52 of List I denudes the power of State
H Legislature to legislate under Entry 24 List II only. It was noticed that the
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [Y.K. SABHARWAL, J.] 481

sugar was a declared industry. The question posed was that "is it, however, A
correct to say that once a declaration is made as envisaged by Entry 52 List
I, that industry as a whole is taken out of Entry 24 of List II"? The answer
given by the Constitutional Bench was that it is not correct to say that once
a declaration is made in respect of an industry that industry as a whole is
taken out of Entry 24 List II. It was said that the industry as a legislative head B
is found itself placed in Entry 24 of List II. The State Legislature can be
denied legislative power under Entry 24 to the extent Parliament makes
declaration under Entry 52 and by such declaration, Parliament acquired
power to legislate only in respect of those industries in respect of which
declaration is made and to that extent as manifested by legislation incorporating
the declaration and not more. The Bench further said that the legislative C
power of the State under Entry 24 List II is eroded only to the extent the
control is assumed by the Union pursuant to the declaration and the State
Legislature which is otherwise competent to deal with industry under Entry
24 List II can deal with that industry in exercise of other powers enabling it
to legislate under different heads set out in List II and List III and this power
cannot be denied to the State. The extent of parliamentary legislation was D
seen only to determine how much is taken out from Entry 24 List II and not
for the purposes of laying down any principle that the parliamentary legislation
has to be seen to determine the extent of control and the denudation of the
power of the State Legislature to the extent the control is laid down by the
Parliament. Further it was held that despite the parliamentary legislation the E
State Legislature can deal with industry in exercise of other powers in different
entries in List II and List III and that power cannot be denied to the State.
In this case the Court was examining whether the law of acquisition of sugar
undertaking was referable to Entry 24 List II or Entry 42 List III. It was
concluded that the acquisition of the property was referable to Entry 42 List
Ill. The scope of the industry did not fall fo: examination in lshwari Khetan 's F
case. There is no discussion on the interpretation of expression 'industry' and
that probably is the reason why Tika Ramji's case has not been referred to.
The reliance on Baijnath Kadio 's case in lshwari Khetan 's case was to show
the denudation of States' power being limited to the extent of control. While
Baijnath Kadio 's case dealt with Entry 23 List II, !shwari Khetan 's case dealt G
with Entry 24 List II.The subject matter of the other entries was not in issue
in this decision. The structure in Entry 54 of List I was not equated with that
of Entry 52 List I as contended by Mr. Shanti Bhushan. This decision does
not adopt the mines and minerals cases for the purpose;:s of considering the
scope of Entry 52 of List I. In our view, the cases of mines and minerals are
not of much assistance while examining the scope of Entry 52 of List I. H
482 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002) I S.C.R.

A In State of A.P. & Ors. v. Mcdowell & Co. & Ors., [1996] 3 SCC 709
also it was held that the ambit and scope of a constitutional entry cannot be
determined with reference to a parliamentary enactment. If it is otherwise, it
would result in the Parliament enacting and/or amending an enactment thereby
controlling the ambit and scope of the constitutional provision. That cannot
be the law. The power to legislate with which we are concerned is contained
B in Article 246. The fields are demarcated in the various entries. On reading
both, it has to be decided whether the concerned legislature is competent to
legislate when its validity is questioned. The ambit and scope of an entry
cannot be determined with reference to a parliamentary enactment.

c Tika Ramji's case is required to be examined in some detail since that
has been a bone of serious and elaborate submissions. In that case, the
challenge by the Sugarcane growers hailing from several villages of State of
U.P. was to the validity of the UP Sugarcane (Regulation of Supply and
Purchase) Act, 1953 and notifications issued thereunder. A short history of
legislation enacted by the Centre as well as the province of U.P. in regard to
D ~ugar and Sugarcane was noticed.

It was noticed that on 8th April, 1932, the Central Legislature passed
the Sugarcane Industry (Protection) Act, 1932. As a result of this Act, there
was a rapid rise in number of sugar factories as also a large expansion in the
E cultivation of sugarcane. To regulate the price at which sugarcane intended
to be used in the manufacture of sugar might be purchased by or for the
factories, the Central Legislature enacted on I st May, 1934 the Sugarcane
Act, 1934. The fixing of minimum price for the purchase of sugarcane intended
for use in any factory in any controlled area was left to the Provincial
Governments which were empowered to make rules for the purpose of carrying
F into effect the objects of the Act including the organisation of growers of "
sugarcane into Co-operative Societies for the sale of sugarcane to factories.

With the coming into operation of the Government of India Act, 1935,
there was distribution of legislative power between the Dominion Legislature
G and the Provincial Legislatures and agriculture (Entry No.20), trade and
commerce within the Province (Entry No. 27) and production, supply and
distribution of goods, development of industries subject to the provision in
List I with respect to devP.lopment of certain industries under Dominion
control (Entry No.29) were included in List II, namely, the Provincial
Legislative List. Entry No. 34. in List 1 was "Development of industries
H where development under Dominion control is declared to be in the public
I.T.C. LTP. v. A.P.M.C. [Y.K. SABHARWAL, J.] 483
interest". A

The result of above distribution of legislative power was that the entire
subject matter of the Sugarcane Act, 1934 was left with the Provincial
legislative list. It was felt that this Act was not sufficiently comprehensive for
dealing with the problems of sugar industry. Therefore, it was found necessary
to replace it so as to provide for better organisation of cane supplies to sugar B
factories. The U.P. Legislature accordingly enacted on 10th February, 1938,
the U.P. Sugar Factories Control Act, I 938 to provide for licensing of the
sugar factories and for regulating the supply of sugarcane intended for use in
such factories and the price at which it may be purchased and for other
incidental matters and repealed the Sugarcane Act, 1934. The 1938 Act was C
to remain in force initially upto 30th June, 194 7 but the period was extended
to 30th June, 1950 and then to 30th June, 1952.

On intervention of Second World War, a proclamation of emergency
was issued by the Governor General under Section 102 of the Government
of India Act, 1935. The Dominion Legislature acquired the power to make D
laws for the Provinces with respect to any of the matters enumerated in the
Provincial Legislative List. The proclamation of emergency was to operate
until revoked by a subsequent proclamation and the laws made by the
Dominion Legislature were to have effect until the expiration of period of six
months after the proclamation had ceased to operate. The Defence of India E
, Act and the Rules made thereunder occupied the field. Sugar was made a
controlled commodity in the year 1942 and its production and distribution as

- well as the fixation of sugar prices were regulated by the Sugar Controller
thereafter. The proclamation of emergency was revoked on I st April, 1946
and the laws made by the Dominion Legislature in the field of the Provincial
Legislative List were to cease to have effect after 30th September, 1946. On F
26th March, 1946, the British Parliament enacted the India (Central
Government and Legislature) Act, 1946, Section 2(I)(a) whereof provided
that notwithstanding anything in the Government of India Act, I 935, the
Indian Legislature shall during the period mentioned in Section 4 thereof
have powers to make laws with respect to the following matters : G

"(a) trade and commerce (whether or not within a Province) in, and
the production, supply and distribution of, cotton and woolen textiles,
paper (including newsprint), foodstuffs (including edible oil seeds
and oils), petroleum and petroleum products, spare parts of
mechanically propelled vehicles, coal, iron, steel and mica; ... " H
484 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A Acting under the power resel".'ed to it under the aforesaid Section 2(1)(a),
the Central Legislature enacted on 19th November, 1946, the Essential Supplies
(Temporary Powers) Act, 1946 to provide for the continuance during the
limited period of powers to control production, supply and distribution of,
and trade and commerce in, certain commodities. The Governor General
B issued a Notification on 3rd March, 1947 the effect whereof was to continue
the Act till 31st March, 1948. On 18th July, 1947, however, Indian
Independence Act was passed under which the Governor General passed an
order which substituted the words "Dominion Legislature" for "Both Houses
of Parliament" in the proviso to Section 4 of India (Central Government and
Legislature) Act, 1946 and also introduced a new Section 4(a) by way of
C adoption providing that the powers of the Dominion Legislature shall be
exercised by the Constituent Assembly. By passing of the Resolution by the
Constituent Assembly, the life of the Act was extended and later on
Constitution coming into force, the Parliament was invested with power under
Article 369 for a period of five years to make laws with respect to the
following matters as if they were enumerated in the Concurrent List :
D
"'(a) trade and commerce within a State in, and the production, supply
and distribution of, .... foodstuffs (including edible oil seeds and
oil),. ..... ' The life of the Act was accordingly extended from time to
time upto 26th January, 1955 by Acts passed by Parliament."

E Food crops under the aforesaid 1946 Act were defined as including crops of
sugarcane.

The Central Government in exercise of powers conferred upon it by
Section 3 of the 1946 Act, promulgated the Sugar and Gur Control Order,
1950, inter alia, empowering it to prohibit or restrict the export of sugarcane
F from any area; to direct that no gur or sugar shall be manufactured from
sugarcane except under and in accordance with the conditions specified in
the licence issued in this behalf. There was also power to fix minimum price
in exercise whereof the Central Government from time to time issued
notifications fixing the minimum price to be paid by the producers of sugar
G for sugarcane purchased by them.

On 31st October, 1951, Parliament enacted the Industries (Development
and Regulation) Act, 1951 to provide for the development and regulation of
certain industries. By Section 2 of the Act, it was declared that it was expedient
in the public interest that the Union should take in its control the industries
H specified in the First Schedule. That Schedule included the industry engaged
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. (Y.K. SABHARWAL, J.] 485
in the manufacture or production of sugar. A
,._
The U.P. Legislature enacted the impugned Act. The object of this
enactment was stated to be as follows :

"With the promulgation of the Industries (Development and
Regulation) Act, 1951 with effe~t from 8th May, 1952, the regulation B
of the sugar industry has become exclusively a Central subject. The
State Governments are now only concerned with the supply of
sugarcane to the sugar factories. The Bill is being introduced in order
to provide for a rational distribution of sugarcane to factories, for its
development on organized scientific lines to protect the interests of
the cane growers and of the industry and to put the new Act c
permanently on the Statute Book."

In exercise of the rule making power conferred by the impugned Act,
4 the U.P. Government made rules and also promulgated the U.P. Sugarcane
Supply and Purchase Order, 1954. All these related to the supplies and purchase
of sugarcane in U.P. D

Challenging vires of the State Act one of the submissions made in Tika
Ramji 's case before the Constitution Bench was :

"(I) That the State of U.P. had no power to enact the impugned Act
as the Act is with respect to the subject of industries the control of E
which by the Union is declared by Parliament by law to be expedient
in the public interest within the meaning of Entry 52 of List I and is,

- .(
therefore, within the exclusive province.of Parliament. The impugned
Act is, therefore, ultra vires the powers of the State Legislature and
is a colourable exercise of legislative power by the State."
F
It was urged that the word 'industry' was a word of very wide import
and included not only the process of manufacture or production but also of
things which were necessarily incidental to it, viz., the raw materials for the
industry as also the products of that industry and would, therefore, include
within its connotation the production, the supply and distribution of raw
materials for that industry which meant sugarcane in relation to sugar industry
G
and, therefore, insofar as the impugned Act purported to legislate in regard
to sugarcane which was a necessary ingredient in the production of sugar, it
was a colourable exercise of legislative power by the State, ostensibly opernting
in its own field within Entry 27 of List II but really trespassing upon the fittd
,. of Entry 52 of List I. H
486 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2002] I S.C.R.

A True, the challenge was to the vires of the State legislation and not to
the parliamentary legislation but at the same time the entire basis of challeng~
was that in respect of the sugarcane, only Parliament had the power to legislate ...
on account of the field being covered under Entry 52 of List I, the Sug~
industry having been included in that Entry and the connotation of industry
B being very wide to include in it raw material, i.e., sugarcane as well. Thus,
the eJi:clusive power of Parliament to legislate was urged as the main ground
to seek invalidation of the State legislation - the field of sugarcane not being
available to the State Legislature to legislate.

In view of the coniroversy as aforesaid, the fact that the validity of the
C parliamentary legislation was not in issue in Tika Ramji 's case, does not in
any manner, affect the ratio of that decision. The point for determination in
that case was substantially the same as in the present case, namely, the scope
of the expression 'industries' in Entry 52 of List I and Entry 24 of List IL
There also the point was to adopt a narrow or wide interpretation of the
expression 'industry'. Further, the fact that it was a case of a manufacturing
D industry under IDR Act also does not affect the ratio of the case. The
interpretation placed in Tika Ramji 's case cannot be confined to industry
falling under IDR Act alone. There is neither any express or implied indication
in that decision to limit the interpretation nor there is any valid reason to so
limit it.

E Like Tika Ramji 's case, in these matters, the challenge is to the State
legislations on the ground that in view of Entry 52 of List 1, on enactment
of Tobacco Board Act, 1975, the State Legislature loses competence to legislate
in respect of sale of tobacco and, therefore, the existing State legislations will
have no applicability and, thus, the legislations in respect of marketing under
F Entry 28 of List II would have no applicability insofar as it concerns the
agricultural produce 'tobacco'.

The opposite contention is that under Entry 14 of the State List the
State is competent to legislate in respect of agricultural produce and tobacco
is an agricultural produce; setting up of markets in respect of this produce
G under Entry 28 and levying thereupon the fee under Entry 66 and subject to
Entry 33 of List Ill production, supply and distribution of goods (Entry 27)
are all State subjects and that under Entry 52 of List I, the Parliament's
competence is only to legislate in respect of industry which would not include
in its ambit the raw material of the industry and that the process of sale of
agricultural produce of tobacco in markets and levying thereupon market fee
H can never be part of industrial process which is only manufacture and
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [Y.K. SABHARWAL, J.] 487

production. The contention of Mr. Dwivedi is that State's activity in question A
is not an industrial activity and, therefore, it is outside the ambit of Entry 24
of State List and Entry 52 of the Union List.

Jn Tika Ramji 's case, the precise argument to challenge the State
enactment was that the expression 'industries' should be construed as including
not only the process of manufacture or production but also activities B
antecedents thereto such as acquisition of raw material and subsequent thereto
such as disposal of the finished products of that industry. It was urged in that
case that the process of acquiring raw materials was an integral part of the
industrial process and was, therefore, included in the connotation of the word
'industry' and when the Central Legislature was invested with the power to
~
legislate in regard to sugar industry on account of declaration as postulated
c
by Entry 52 of List I, that legislative power included also the power to
legislate in regard to the raw material of the sugar industry, that is sugarcane,

, and the production, supply and distribution of sugarcane was, by reason of
its being .the necessary ingredient in the process of manufacture or production
of sugar, within the legislative competence of the Central Legislature. D
The petitioners in Tika Ramji 's case in support of the wide construction
to be placed upon the expression 'industry' also relied upon various decisions
interpreting the said term in relation to the Industrial Disputes Act. Dealing
with those cases in Tika Ramji 's case this Court said:
E
"What we are concerned with here is not the wide construction to be
put on the term ·industry' as such but whether the raw materials of
an industry which form an integral part of the process are within the
topic of· industry' which forms the subject matter of Item 52 of List
I as ancillary or subsidiary matters which can fairly or reasonably be
said to be comprehended in that topic and whether the Central F
Legislature while legislating upon sugar industry could, acting within
the sphere of Entry 52 of List I, as well legislate upon sugarcane."

This Court said that if the legislation with regard to sugarcane came
within the exclusive province of the Central Legislature under Entry 52 of
List I, the enactment passed by the Provincial Legislature would be ultra G
vires. It was said :

"If both the Central Legislature and the Provincial Legislatures were
entitled to legislate in regard to this subject of production, supply and
distribution of sugarcane, there would arise no question of legislative
competence of the Provincial Legislature in the matter of having H
488 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002) I S.C.R.

A enacted the impugned Act. The conflict, if any, arose by reason of the
interpretation which was sought to be put on the two Entries, Entry
52 of List I and Entry 27 of List II put in juxtaposition with each ...
other. It was suggested that Item 52 of List I comprised not only
legislation in regard to sugar industry but also in regard to sugarcane
which was an essential ingredient of the industrial process of the
B manufacture or production of sugar and was, therefore, ancillary to it
and was covered within the topic. If legislation with regard to
sugarcane thus came within the exclusive province of the Central
Legislature, the Provincial Legislature was not entitled to legislate
upon the same by having resort to Entry 27 of List II and the impugned
c Act."

Dealing with the argument of\\iJe import of the expression 'industries'
in Tika Ramji 's case it was held that 'industry' in its wide sense of the term
would be capable of comprising three different aspects : (I) raw materials
which are an integral part of the industrial process, (2) the process of r
D manufacture or production, and (3) the distribution of the products of the
industry. After noticing these different aspects of the term 'industry', it was
held that "the raw materials would be goods which would be comprised in
Entry 27 of List II". In respect of the second category of process of •
manufacture or production and the third aspect of distribution of the product
of the industry, the Court held :
E
"The process of manufacture or production would be comprised in
Entry 24 of List II except where the industry was a controlled industry
when it would fall within Entry 52 of List l and the products of the
industry would also be comprised in Entry 27 of List II except where ~.

they were the products of the controlled industries when they would
F )
fall within Entry 33 of List Ill."

The Court further held that "In no event could the legislation in regard
to sugar and sugarcane be thus included within Entry 52 of List I".

G Thus, rejecting the contention that the expression 'industries' in Entry
52 of List I is wide enough to take into its compass the power to legislate in
respect of raw material said to be an integral part of the industrial process,
the Court repelled the plea of the State Act being ultra vires, the same being
covered by the subject of sugar industry control whereof have been declared
by the Parliament by law to be expedient in the public interest under the
H exclusive domain of Parliament.
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [Y.K. SABHARWAL, J.] 489
In The Calcutta Gas Company (Proprietary) ltd. v. The State of West A
Bengal & Ors., [l 962] Suppl. 3 SCR I, the challenge was to the constitutiona!
validity of the Oriental Gas Company Act, 1960. One of the ground of
challenge was that the West Bengal Legislature was not competent to make
a law regulating the gas industry in view of declaration as contemplated by
Entry 52 of List I having being made by the Parliament in !DR Act-Entry
24 being subject to the provisions of Entry 52 of List I. It was contended that B
Entry 25 of List II (Gas & Gas Works) must be confined to matters other than
those covered by Entry 24 of the same List.

On the facts of the case and in view of the conclusions of the Constitution
Bench on other aspect, it was not considered necessary to attempt to define C
the expression 'industry' precisely or the State exhaustively all its ingredients
but following Tika Ramji's case, it was assumed that the expression 'industry'
means only production or manufacture. In Calcutta Gas, which considers
Entry 52 of List I and Entry 24 of List 11, the Bench said that ordinarily
'industry' is in the field of the State legislation and in all the entries it must
be given the same meaning and cited with approval Tika Ramji's case in the D
following words:

"In Ch. Tika Ramji v. State of Uttar Pradesh, the expression
'industries' is defined to mean the process of manufacture or
production and does not include the raw materials used in the industry
or the distribution of the products of the industry. It was contended E
that the word 'industry' was a word of wide import and should be
construed as including not only the process of manufacture or
production but also activities antecedent thereto such as acquisition
of raw materials and subsequent thereto such as disposal of the finished
products of that industry. But that contention was not accepted." F
Mr. Shanti Bhushan, however, contends that once field is covered by
Entry 52 by issue of requisite declaration and the Parliament has actually
covered the field by enacting a legislation, with regard to that extent the
industry including all facets of such an industry - whether it is the raw
materials or the products of that industry, the State Legislature will have no G
power to legislate. The contention is that the expression 'industries' in Entry
52 of the Union List comprises in it all its aspects commencing from
procurement of raw material and upto disposal of final product of that industry
and not only the process of manufacture or production. The submission of
learned counsel is that if the expression 'industries' in the entries under
consideration is not given such interpretation, it would denude the Parliament H
490 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2002] I S.C.R.

A of real object of control of such ind~stry in public interest which is of
paran.ount importance. As against this, the contention of the other side is that
the acceptance of the viewpoint propounded by Mr. Shanti Bhushan would •
mean denuding the State Legislature the power to legislate in respect of fields
covered under various entries under the State List which are not made subject
to any other entry and that the acceptance of contention of Mr. Shanti Bhushan
B would have the effect of rewriting the Constitution. I agree. The intention of
the Constitution makers was not to make Entries 14, 27, 28 and 66 subject
to Entry 52 of the Union List. The acceptance of viewpoint propounded by
Mr. Shanti Bhushan will have that effect. Therefore, the expression 'industries'
cannot be interpreted in the manner suggested.
c True, the parliamentary legislation has supremacy as provided under
Article 246( I) and (2). This is of relevance when field of legislation is on
concurrent list. While maintaining parliamentary supremacy, one cannot give
go by to the federalism which has been held to be a basic feature of the
Constitution See SR. Bommai v. Union of India, (1994] 3 SCC I.
D The Constitution of India deserves to be interpreted, language permitting,
in a manner that it does not whittle down the powers of State Legislature and
preserves the federalism while also upholding the central supremacy as
contemplated by some of its articles.
In this background, let us also briefly notice the constitutional history
E and structural inter-relationship in respect of relevant entries as they existed
in Government of India Act, 1935 and as they now exist in the Seventh
Schedule. Entries 27 and 29 on the State List in the Government of India Act,
1935 were as under :
"Item 27. Trade and commerce within the province; markets and
F fairs; money lending and money lenders.

Item 29. Production, supply and distribution of goods; development
of industries, subject to the provisions in List 1 with respect to the
development of certain industries under Federal control."
G Now, in Seventh Schedule part of Entry 27 is in Entry 26 of the State
List; Markets and fairs is Entry 28 of List II; Money lending and money
lenders (Entry 30 List II); Production, supply and distribution of goods subject
to the provisions to Entry 33 of List Ill (Entry 27 List II); Industries subject
to the provisions of Entries 7 and 52 of List 1 (Entry 24, List II). It would,
thus, be seen that under 1935 Act, both production, supply and distribution
H of goods as well as development of industries were subject to the provisions
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [Y.K. SABHARWAL, J.) 491
of List I as provided in Entry 29. Our Constitution makers, however, bifurcated A
Entry 29 into two parts. Industries were put in Entry 24 of List II subject to
the provisions of Entries 7 and 52 of List I. The production, supply and
distribution of goods was put in Entry 27 of List II and made subject to Entry
33 of List III. The acceptance of the argument of Mr. Shanti Bhushan would
mean that no object was sought to be achieved by such a bifurcation. It is B
clear that two entries have been separated. One made subject to the provisions
of Entry 33 of List III and the other subject to the provisions of Entries 7 and
52 of List I. Therefore, to interpret the expression 'industry' to include in it
the aspect of raw material would mean that by the same analogy the subject
matter of production, supply and distribution of goods should also be included
therein and in fact that was the argument of Mr. Shanti Bhushan. Would the C
acceptance of that argument not negate the will of the Constitution makers.
I think it would. Therefore, the argument cannot be accepted. The same
argument would equally apply to Entry 14 of List IJ in respect of agriculture
which is not subject to any List. It would so become if we accept the contention
of Mr. Shanti Bhushan. Further, earlier when the Parliament felt the need to
control raw material, it included "raw jute and raw cotton" in Entry 33, List D
III by Constitution Third Amendment Act, 1954. Even Article 369 indicates
that agricultural raw material is in the State List for it refers to raw cotton,
cotton seed and edible oil seeds and seeks to temporarily place it, by fiction,
in the concurrent list to enable Parliament to make laws. The expression
'industries' in Entry 24, List JI or Entry 52, List I, cannot be interpreted in E
a manner that would make other entries of List II of the Seventh Schedule
subject to Union control, which in fact they are not. Wherever it was intended
to be made subject to such control, whether of List I or that of List Ill, it was
said so. A perusal of List II shows that whenever a particular entry was
intended to be made subject to an entry in List I or III, it has been so stated
specifically. Therefore, an interpretation which tends to have the effect of F
making a particular entry subject to any other entry, though not so stated in
the entry, deserves to be avoided unless that be the only possible interpretation.
We do not think that such an interpretation on the entries in question, namely,
Entry 52 of the Union List and Entry 24 of the State List deserves to be
placed. G
The principles of interpretation are well settled. There is no doubt that
the entries in the lists in the Seventh Schedule do not provide competence or
power to legislate on the legislature for which the source of power is contained
in Article 246 of the Constitution. In deciding question of legislative
competence, it has to be kept in view that the Constitution is not required to H
>
492 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2002] I S.C.R.

A be considered with a narrow or pedantic approach. It is not to be construed
as a mere law but as a machinery by which laws are made. The interpretation
should be broad and liberal. The entries only demarcate the legislative field
of respective legislature and do not confer legislative power as such and if
it is found that some of the entries overlap or in conflict with the other, an
B attempt to reconcile such entries and bring about a harmonious construction
is the duty of the court. When, however, reconciliation is not possible, as
here, then the court will have to examine the entries in relation to legislative
power in the Constitution.

The subject matter of the issue here is about the interpretation of Entry
C 52 in List I of the Seventh Schedule. It requires the Parliament to make a
declaration by law identifying an industry, the control of which by the Union
is expedient in the public interest. Under the said entry only an 'industry' can
be declared as an industry, the control whereof by the Union is regarded as
expedient in public interest. It is, therefore, implicit that if an activity cannot
be regarded as industry, Entry 52 will have no applicability to that activity.
D The question is about the concept of 'industry' in Entry 52 of List I. As
already stated, the entries in the Legislative List have to be construed in the
widest sense cannot be disputed but it has also to be borne in mind that such
construction should not make other entries totally redundant. The meaning of
the word 'industry' in various dictionaries reliance on which was placed by
E Mr. Shanti Bhushan, is not of any assistance while considering the
constitutional meaning of the said term. There may not be any embargo or
limitation on the power of the Parliament to enact the law in respect of
activities other than manufacturing activities but that power is non-existent in
Entry 52 of List I. It may be elsewhere. Reference in this regard can be made
to Entry 33 of List III including in its ambit food stuff and certain raw
F materials. Tobacco, however, is admittedly not a food stuff.
The validity of certain other acts such as the Cardomom Act, 1965, The
Central Silk Board Act, 1958, The Coffee Act, 1942, The Rubber Act, 1947,
The Tea Act, 1953, The Coir Industry Act, 1953 and The Coconut
G Development Board Act, 1979 reference whereof was made by Mr. Shanti
Bhushan need not be examined for purposes of considering the legislative
competence of the impugned State legislations. The legislative competence
of Parliament to legislate these statutes is not in issue before this Court and,
therefore, we do not think it necessary to examine the question of legislative
competence only from academic view point insofar as these legislations are
H concerned. However, prima facie, there is no substance in the apprehension
1.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [Y.K. SABHARWAL, J.] 493

expressed by Mr. Shanti Bhushan that narrow approach of the concept of A
'industry' would make these acts beyond the legislative competence of the
~
Parliament and make them ultra vires. As, when and if these acts are
challenged, the question of legislative competence would be examined. Further,
..-- it may be noted that two out of the aforesaid legislations, namely, the Coffee
Act, 1942 and The Rubber Act, 194 7 are pre-Constitution enactments made
under the Government of India Act, 1935 where the entries were different.
B
Item 29 of List II of the said Act has already been reproduced above. In
respect of the Coir Industry Act, on examination of the provisions contained
therein, it may be possible to urge that the statute deals with the process of
manufacturing and does not seek to control plantation and preservation of the
coconut trees or the production of the coconut. The Central Silk Board Act c
has been dealt with by this Court in the case of B. Vishwanathiah & Co. &
Ors. v. State of Karna/aka & Ors., (1991] 3 SCC 358 and 1 fail to appreciate
how upholding the validity of the Agricultural Produce Marketing Acts would
effect the validity of this enactment. In respect of Cardomom Act, it appears
that the said Act is being applied for export purposes and it does not cover
soil preparation of seed-lings. Regarding Coconut Development Act, it does D
not envisage setting up of auction platform and controlling marketing as in
..__ the present case. That enactment primarily deals with the field pertaining to
~
recommendation for improving marketing, providing financial assistance for
adoption of modem technology and for assisting growers to get incentive
prices. This Court, however, need not examine in detail the aspect oflegislative E
competence in regard to these enactments since, as already said, that is not
the matter in issue here and it would suffice to indicate, as above, only the
prima facie view to dispel the apprehension expressed by Mr. Shanti Bhushan.

Harakchand Ratanchand Banthia & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors.,
" (1970] I SCR 479 has been strongly relied upon by Mr. Shanti Bhushan to F
support the contention of wide interpretation of the expression 'industry'.
The main question therein was about the legislative competence of the
Parliament to enact the Gold (Control) Act, 1968. The said Act defines Gold
to mean Gold, including its alloy (whether virgine, melted or re-melted,
wrought or unwrought), in any shape or form, of a purity of not less than
G
nine carats and including primary gold, article and ornament [Section 2(j)] .
. Clause (r) of Section 2 defines 'primary gold' to mean gold in any unfinished
or semi-finished form and includes ingots, bars, blocks, slabs, billets, shots,
pellets, rods, sheets, foils and wires. Challenging the constitutional validity of
the Gold (Control) Act, the contention urged was that the goldsmiths was a
handicraft requiring application of skill and the art of making ornament was H
494 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002) I S.C.R.

A not an industry within the meaning of Entry 52 of List I of the Seventh
Schedule of the Constitution. The Constitution Bench noticed the established
principles that the widest aptitude should be taken of all the entries and the
duty of the court to reconcile the entries and bring about a harmonious
construction in case some entries in different list or in the same list may
B overlap or may appear to be in direct conflict with each other. In the present
case, however, there is no question of any overlapping and in regard to
-conflict and harmonious construction, it is Mr. Shanti Bhushan' s own
submission that the two legislations to the extent this Court is concerned,
cannot co-exist.

C Reliance has been placed by Mr. Shanti Bhushan on the following
passage from Banthia 's case:

"But we are sa:isfied in the present case that the manufacture of gold
ornaments by goldsmiths in India is a ·process of systematic
production' for trade or manufacture and so falls within the connotation
D of the word 'industry' in the appropriate legislative entries. It follows,
therefore, that in enacting the impugned Act Parliament was validly
exercising its legislative power in respect of matters covered by Entry
52 of List I and Entry 33 of List III."

The contention of learned counsel is that in Harakchand Ratanchand
E Banthia 's case, the process of systematic production fer trade or manufacture
has been held to fall within the connotation of the word 'industry' in the
appropriate Legislative Entry and the argument that if the word 'industry' is
construed in the wide sense, Entry 27 of List II will lose all meaning and
content was rejected. The submission is that the same approach deserves to
F be adopted in the present case as well. The above approach was adopted after
finding the activity to be manufacture or production and, therefore, falling
within the connotation of'industry'. In Banthia's case, the Constitution Bench,
in fact, cited with the approval Tika Ramji 's case and referred thereto as
under :

"In Tika Ramji v. State of Uttar Pradesh the expression 'industry'
G
was defined to mean the process of manufacture or production and
did not include raw materials used in the industry or the distribution
of the products of the industry."

In Banthia 's case, the Court was considering the validity of the Act, the
H object whereof was to control production, manufacture, supply, distribution,
I.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [Y.K. SABHARWAL, J.) 495
use and possession of, and business in, gold, ornaments and articles of gold A
and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. There is no provision
in the Gold (Control) Act, 1968 regulating the manner in which the primary
gold would be extracted from the earth. The Act does not concern itself with
the extraction of primary gold. The question therein was as to whether the
work of goldsmiths was a handicraft requiring application of skill and whether B
the art of making gold ornaments was not an 'industry' within the meaning
of Entry 52, List I. In that case, the question was not whether dealing with
the raw material of industry would come or not, within the concept of
'industry'. Further, the Court observed that it is not necessary to attempt to
define the expression 'industry' precisely or to state exhaustively all its
different aspects. On the facts of the case, the Constitution Bench held that C
the process or systematic production of gold ornament by goldsmiths for
trade or manufacture falls within the connotation of the word 'industry' in
the appropriate Legislative Entry. The decision in Tika Ra1Pji's case was not
departed from. In fact it was referred to. An attempt to adopt the definition
of the word 'industry' in the Industrial Disputes Act was repelled. The
contention accepted was that the manufacture of gold ornament was an D
'industry' within the meaning of Entry 52, List I. This decision is not of any
assistance for determining whether sale of tobacco process can come within
the tobacco industry so as to fall within the ambit of the word 'industry' in
Entry 52 of List l and Entry 24 of List II. The observation in Banthia 's case
that Entry 27 of List II was a general entry was made in the context of E
manufacture of gold ornaments by goldsmiths falling within the ambit of the
word 'industry' as contained in Entry 24 of List II and Entry 52 of List I.
Banthia's case does not express any opinion on the scope of the word 'industry'
in Entry 52 of List I and Tika Ramji 's case still holds the field when it says
that the expression 'industry' would mean the process of manufacture or
production and would not include any raw material used in an industry or the F
distribution of the products of industry.

Mr. Shanti Bhushan has aim placed reliance on another decision of the
Constitution Bench in the case of Chaturbhai M. Patel v. The Union of India
& Ors., [ 1960] 2 SCR 362, in particular, to the observations made therein by G
Sir Maurice Gwyer, Chief Justice in Subramanyan Chettiar v. Muthuswamy
Goundan, ( 1940) FCR 188 which have been cited in Patel's case. The said
observations read thus :

"It must inevitably happen from time to time that legislation, though
purporting to deal with a subject in one list, touches also on a subject H
496 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A in another list, and the different provisions of the enactment may be
so closely intertwined that blind adherence to a strictly verbal
interpretation would result in a large number of statutes being declared
invalid because the Legislature enacting them may appear to have
legislated in a forbidden sphere."

B Reliance was also placed on the observations of Justice Hidayatullah in
State of Rajasthan v. G. Chawla & Anr., AIR (1959) SC 544 as cited with
approval in the case of Chaturbhai M. Patel. Those observations are :

"It is equally well-settled that the power to legislate on a topic of
legislation carries with it the power to legislate on an ancillary matter
c which can be said to be reasonably included in the power given."

We have no difficulty in accepting the aforesaid observations made by
Sir Maurice Gwyer, Chief Justice and Hidayatullah, J (as he then was) but it
has to be borne in mind that the question for determination in Chaturbhai M
Patel's case was regarding true nature and character or the pith and substance
D of the impugned Act, namely, Sections 6, 8, 9 and 10 of the Central Excise
and Salt Act, 1944 and Rules 140 to 148, 150, 171 to 181, 215 and 226 of
the Central Excise Rules, the constitutional validity whereof was under
challenge. The Constitution Bench was considering the constitutional validity
of a fiscal measure to levy and realise duty on tobacco. The contention was
E that Sections 6 and 8 of the impugned Act and rules made thereunder were
beyond the legislative competence of the Central Legislature under the
Government of India Act, 1935. The Court was examining the question whether
the impugned Act is a law with respect to matters enumerated in Item 45 of
List I under the 1935 Act or to the matters enumerated in Items 27 and 29
of List II. Entries 27 and 29 have already been reproduced above. They dealt
F with the power of the State to legislate in respect of trade and commerce.
markets and fairs, money lending and money-lenders. Item 29 dealt with
power to legislate in respect of production, supply and distribution of goods,
development of industries, subject to the provisions in List I with respect to
the development of certain industries under the Federal control. The question
G was whether the impugned Act in pith and substance relate to duties of excise
on tobacco as contained in Item 45 or it falls within the boundaries of Items
27 and 29 of the Provincial List. Referring to the decision of the Federal
Court, it was held that in the interpretation of the scope of these items, widest
possible amplitude must be given to the words used and each general word
must be held to extend to ancillary or subsidiary matters which can be fairly
H said to be comprehended in it. On examination of the provisions of the
1.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [Y.K. SABHARWAL, J.) 497
Central Excise Act, the Court came to the conclusion that various provisions A
of the Act and the Rules were essentially connected with the levying and
collection of the excise duty and in its true nature and character the Act
remains one that falls under Item 45 of List I and the incidental trenching
upon the provisional field of Items 27 or 29 would not affect the
constitutionality because the extent of invasion of the provisional field may B
be a circumstance to determine the true pith and substance but once that
question is determined, the Act would fall on the side of central field and not
that of the Provincial field. It is, thus, evident that since in pith and substance
the matter pertained to excise duty, it fell under Item 45 of List I and the non-
tax entries in Item 27 or 29 could not be invoked. In the Constitution also,
Entry 84 relates to duty of excise on tobacco and other goods manufactured C
or produced in India.

Referring to the argument of the petitioner based on Rule 181 which
dealt with revocation and suspension of licenses and empowered the licencing
department to revoke or suspend a licence under certain circumstances and
the argument that it was the field under the province of the provincial D
legislature, the Court said that this rule may have an indirect effect of depriving
an owner of a bonded warehouse from the privilege of keeping such ~
warehouse but that does not mean that the object of the Act is not imposition,
collection or realization of duty of excise. The rule was held to be "a mean
of making the realization of duty effective and necessarily incidental to E
effectual legislation for collection of duties". In the present case, there is no
question of any incidental trenching. It cannot be said that the law relating
to sale of tobacco in market area is incidental to law regarding tobacco as
enacted by Tobacco Board Act. The decision in Chaturbhai M Patel's case,
in our opinion, has no relevance for the present purpose and so also the
decision in the case of State Bank of India v. Yasangi Venkateswara Rao, F
[1999] 2 SCC 375. The question squarely involved here is about the
interpretation of the expression ·industry' within the meaning of Entry 52 of
List I and Entry 24 of List II.

In Ganga Sugar Corporation ltd v. State of U.P. & Ors., [I 980] I G
SCC 223 the constitutional validity of U.P. Sugarcane Purchase Act was
challenged on the ground that it invades Entry 52 of List I with respect to
sugar industry which is a controlled industry under the IDR Act, 1951. The
question raised therein was this : "ls the legislation ultra vires because the
State enters the forbidden ground by enacting on controlled industry"? It was
undisputed that sugar industry was a controlled industry within the meaning H
498 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002) I S.C.R.

A of Entry 52 of List I of the Seventh Schedule and, therefore, the legislative
power of Parliament covered enactments with respect to industries having
regard to Article 246(1) of the Constitution. The Court said that if the impugned
..
Act invades Entry 52, it must be repulsed by the Court. The Court, however, .......,...
expressed surprise at the argument of invalidity of the Act despite the decision
of the Constitution Bench in Tika Ramji 's case. The Court said that the
B Constitution Bench decision must be accepted as final unless the subject be
of such fundamental importance to national life or the reasoning is so plainly
erroneous in the light of later thought that it is wiser to be ultimately right
rather than to be consistently wrong. It said that the pronouncement by the
Constitution Benches should not be treated so cavalierly as to be revised
c frequently. Recalling the words of Chief Justice Roberts of the U.S. Supreme .,..
Court in Smith v. A/wright, 321 US 649 at 669 "that adjudications of the
Court were rapidly gravitating 'into the same class as a restricted railroad
ticket, good for this day and train only' "That part of Tika Ramji 's case was
referred which dealt with the contention regarding the word 'industry' being
of wide import and included not merely manufacture but also the raw material
D for the incfustry and rejection of this contention. Paragraphs 31, 3 la and 32
deal with Tika Ramji 's case and rejection of the argument as to whether raw
material of an industry which form an integral part of the process are within
the topic of 'industry' which forms the subject matter of Item 52 of List I.
•
The Bench said :
E "The edifice of exclusiv~ parliamentary jurisdiction so built stood on
shifting sands. The semantic sweep of Entry 52 did not come in the
way of the State legislature making laws on subjects within its sphere
and not directly going to the heart of the industry itself."
The submission of Mr. Shanti Bhushan, who appeared in Ganga Sugar ;.. ....--
F Corporation's case also, to reconsider Tika Ramji's case was rejected. The
Court said:

"Tika Ramji notwithstanding, the contention was advanced by Shri
Shanti Bhushan that 'industry' was a pervasive expression, ambient
enough to embrace raw materials used for the industry and so, sugar
G
industry, as a topic of legislation, vested in Parliament exclusive power
to legislate on sugar-cane supplies to sugar factories, and, pursuing
this expansionist logic, any taxation on supplies of cane to mills
would be legislation on sugar industry. Ergo the Purchase Tax Act
was a usurpation by the U.P. legislatare breaching the dykes of Article
H 246( I) read with Entry 52 of List I. He expanded on the theme by
f

l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [Y.K. SABHARWAL, J.] 499

urging that any legislation which affected the sugar industry by taxing A
its raw materials was one with respect to that industry. The Tika
Ramji ratio is diametrically opposed to this reasoning and a ruling
which has stood the field so long has been followed by another
Constitution Bench as late as 1973 in the Kannan Devan Hills Co. v.
State of Kerala, (1973] I SCR 356 and its force of logic has our B
deferential assent and cannot be brushed aside by a mere appeal for
reconsideration. Shri Shanti Bhushan candidly conceded that if Tika
Ramji were good law, his submission was still-born. We agree."

The Court further held that :

"Industry' as a legislative topic is of large and liberal import; true. C
But what peripherally affects cannot be confused with what goes to
the heart. An acquisition of land for sugar mills or of sugar mills may
affect the industry but is not an action in the legislative field forbidden
for the States (See the Kannan Devan Hills Produce Company ltd
case). Sales Tax on raw materials going to a factory may affect the D
costing process of the manufacture but is not legislation on industrial
process or allied matters affect topics reserved for Parliament a
situation of reductio ad absurdem may be reached."
(emphasis supplied is ours)

The effect of acceptance of the submission of Mr. Shanti Bhushan may E
also denude the State of its power to legislate even in respect of sales tax on
tobacco. Such a contention was specifically rejected in Ganga Sugar
Corporation's case.

In The Kannan Devan Hi/is Produce v. The State of Kera/a & Anr.,
[1972] 2 SCC 218 challenge was laid to the constitutional validity of Kannan F
Devan Hills (Resumption of Lands) Act, 1971 for want of legislative
competence of the State. The contention urged was that Sections 4 and 5 of
the impugned Act are a law with respect to Entry 52 of List I of the Seventh
Scheduie as these provisions regulate the carrying on of tea industry, within
the competence of the Parliament, by controlling the land for tea plantation. G
It was urged that if the effect of legislation is to control the working of the
tea plantation, the legislation must be regarded as legislation with respect to
Entry 52 List I. Tika Ramji 's case was cited with approval. Repelling the
contention, it was held that the State had legislative competence to legislate
on Entry 18, List II and Entry 42, List III and this power ~an not be denied
on the ground that it has some effect on industry controlled under Entry 52, H
500 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2002] I S.C.R.

·A List I. The Constitution Bench further said that if a State Act, otherwise
valid, has effect on a matter in List I, it does not cease to be a legislation with
respect to an Entry in List II or List Ill. It said that effect is not the same
thing as subject matter. The object of Sections 4 and 5 seems to be to enable
the State to acquire all lands which do not fall within the categories (a), (b)
B and (c) of Section 4(1). These provisions are really incidental to the exercise
of the power of acquisition. The State cannot be denied the power to ascertain
what land should be acquired by it in the public interest.

In B. Viswanathiah & Co. & Ors. v. State of Karna/aka & Ors., [1991]
3 SCC 358 the challenge was to the validity of the provisions of Mysore
C Silkworm Seed and Cocoon (Regulation of Production, Supply and
Distribution) Act, 1959 (Act 5 of 1960). The contention urged on behalf of
the petitioners in that case was that any legislation in respect of silk industry
can be enacted only by the Parliament and the State Legislature is incompetent
to legislate on the matter because Section 2 of the Central Silk Board Act
enacted a declaration in terms of Entry 52, List I. The effect of it was to
D remove the silk industry from the purview of the State Legislature powers
thus, rendering the State Legislature incompetent to legislate on that topic.
The High Court repelled the challenge relying upon the decision of this Court
in Tika Ramji, Ganga Sugar Corporation Ltd., Harakchand Ratanchand
Banthia and Kannan Devan Hills Produce Company's cases. After noticing
E that the High Court on the basis of series of decisions of this Court regarding
scope of Entry 52 of List I in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution had
repelled the challenge, this Court expressed full agreement with the views of
the High Court. It was held that the control of industry vested in Parliament
was restricted to the aspect of production and manufacture of silk yarn or
silk. It did not obviously take in the earlier stage of industry, namely, the
F supply of raw materials. For instance, even in regard to the silk industry, the
reeling, production, development and distribution of silkworm seeds and
cocoons was regulated by the State Act. These items can be perhaps
legitimately described as raw materials of the silk industry. The control being
vested in Parliament under Entry 52 of silk industry did not affect the control
G over these raw materials. It was held that the control, supply and distribution
of the goods produced by the industry was the third aspect of industry which
falls outside the purview of the control postulated under Entry 52. In other
words, though the production and manufacture of raw silk cannot be legislated
upon by the State Legislature in view of the provisions of the Central Act and
the declaration in Section 2 thereof, that declaration does not in any way
H limit the powers of the State Legislature to legislate in respect of goods
1.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [Y.K. SABHARWAL, J.] 501
produced by the silk industry. This Court said that "To interpret Entry 52 A
otherwise would render Entry 33 in List Jll of the Seventh Schedule to the
,.
Constitution otiose and meaningless". The same would be the position in the
,, present case.

The acceptance of the argument of Mr. Shanti Bhushan would make
various Entries in the State List otiose and meaningless and subject to Entry B
52 of List I despite the fact that the entries are not so worded.

In Indian Aluminium Company Ltd & Anr. v. Karnataka Electricity
Board & Ors., [1992) 3 SCC 580 challenging the amending Act by the State,
the contention urged before the High Court was that :

"Aluminium industry is scheduled industry under the control of the
c
Government of India as declared by Industries Development and
Regulation Act and hence falls under Entry 52 of List I of Vllth
Schedule of the Constitution. Therefore, the policy of Government of
India amounts to direction issued to the State Government which they
are bound to obey. Consequently the agreement of 1976 is an D
agreement protected by a law coming under Entry 52 of List I, terms
of which cannot be varied by a law enacted by a State by virtue of
the power conferred by the Concurrent List (List III ofVIIth Schedule).
The amending Act should be construed in such a way as not to
impinge on or detract from the law, statutory order or constitutional
E
direction of the Central Government, otherwise the said amending
Act will lack legislative competence."

The High Court relying upon the decision in Tika Ramji 's case, where
the concept of industry as a topic of legislation was explained, repelled the
" aforesaid contention. The decision and reasoning given by the High Court
F
upholding the vires of the amending Act relating to the concept of industry
as explained in Tika Ramji 's case were upheld by this Court.

In Mis. Shriram Industrial Enterprises Ltd v. The Union of India &
Ors., AIR (1996) All. 135 a Full Bench of Allahabad High Court examined
the validity of U.P. Sheera Niyantran Adhiniyam, 1964 (U.P. Act No. XXlV
G
of 1964) on the question of the competence of the State Legislature. Its
validity had been challenged by the Sugar Industry. It was urged that by
virtue of Section l 8G of the IDR Act, the State Legislature stood denuded of
power to legislate regulating supply, distribution and supplies of molasses a
product of sugar industry and was consequently incompetent to enact Sections
7, 8 and I 0 of the aforesaid State Act. The Full Bench tracing the history of H
502 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A legislation leading to framing of the Constitution held that if the argument
about denuding of power of State Legislature is accepted, most of the entries
in Lists II and III would be meaningless. Once the Parliament makes a
declaration under Entry 52 of List I, for instance, Entries 20, 21, 22, 23 and
24 would be redundant. The High Court said that neither it was the intention
of the framers of the Constitution nor the said contention is born out from the
B perusal of Entry 52 and the other Entries of Lists II and lII of the Seventh
Schedule. Noticing various decisions of this Court, the High Court concluded
as under:

"Applying the principles propounded by the apex Court in the cases
mentioned above, it is apparent that the State Legislature is competent
c to make law in respect of the subject industries under Entry 24 of the
List IJ subject to Entries 7 and 52 of List 1 of the Seventh Schedule
and is further competent to enact law on the subject "trade and
commerce within the State and Production, supply and distribution of
goods," under Entry 26 and Entry 27 of List II subject to Entry 33
D of List lII of Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. But on declaration
under Entry 52 of List I by Parliament in respect of the industries the
control of which by the Union is by law held to be expedient in the
public interest, three consequences flow. Firstly, on declaration by
Parliament in respect of controlled industries the power of State
Legislature to legislate under Entry 24 of List II shifts to Entry 52 of
E List I to the extent of control provided in the Act. The second result
which follows upon declaration is that the power to enact law by
State Legislature under Entry 26 and Entry 27 of the List II of Seventh
Schedule becomes part of Entry 33 of List III which is a concurrent
list. Third consequence that follows on declaration is that the products
F of the controlled industries would fall within Entry 33 of List lll.

The controversy before me, if examined seeing the constitutional
debate, history of legislation, structure and design of the relevant
entries and also keeping in view the basic structure of the Constitution,
the only irresistible conclusion is that Section 18G of the IDR Act is
G referable to Entry 33 of List III of the Seventh Schedule. Since the
power to enact in respect of production, supply and distribution of
the products of the controlled industries being a concurrent subject,
the U.P. Legislature is competent to enact the Adhiniyam of 1964."

The structure and scope of Entry 54 of the Union List and Entry 23 of
H the State List and their inter-relationship is substantially different from the
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [Y.K. SABHARWAL, J.] 503
scope and structure of Entry 24 of the State List and Entry 52 of the Union A
List. The Entry relating to of mines and minerals has in it both the industry
~
of mines and its product minerals and, therefore, on a declaration both mines
,, and minerals get embedded in Entry 54 of the Union List. Therefore, it has
been consistently held by this Court, that by declaration under Entry 54, the
Parliament evinces an intention to occupy the whole field. In my view the
Full Bench rightly held that the cases relating to mines and minerals relied
B
upon in support of the challenge to the State legislation were of no assistance.
The Full Bench decision was approved by this Court in SIEL Ltd. & Ors. v.
Union of India & Ors., [ 1998] 7 SCC 26.

In Belsund Sugar Co. Ltd. v. State of Bihar & Ors., [ 1999] 9 SCC 620,
the Constitution Bench examined the question regarding the legality of levy
c
of market fee under the provisions of Bihar Agricultural Produce Markets
Act, 1960 pertaining to various commodities including sugarcane, sugar and
molasses, wheat and tea. The Court first dealt with the transaction of purchase
of sugarcane by the sugar factories functioning in the market areas falling
within the jurisdiction of respective market committees constituted under the D
Market Act. It noticed that the Market Act had been enacted by the Bihar
Legislature as per the legislative power vested in it by Entries 26, 27 and 28
of List II of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. The Court, however,
noticed that the Market Act dealt with supply and distribution of the goods
as well as the trade and commerce therein as it seeks to regulate the sal'! and
E
purchase of agricultural produce to be carried on in the specified markets
under the Act. To that extent, the Court said, the provisions of Entry 33 of
List III override the legislative powers of the State Legislature in connection
with legislations dealing with trade and commerce in, and the production,
supply and distribution of goods. Thus, to the extent to which the Market Act
... seeks to regulate the transactions of sale and purchase of sugarcane and sugar F
which are foodstuffs and trade and commerce therein, the Constitution Bench
said that it has to be held that the Market Act being enacted under the topics
of legislative powers under Entries 26, 27 and 28 of List II will be subject
to any other legislation under Entry 33 of the Concurrent List. The contention
of Mr. Dwivedi being that as admittedly the tobacco is not foodstuff and does
G
not fall under Entry 33 of List III, like the amendment to the Constitution
made in 1953, the Parliament by further amendment of the Constitution can,
if so advised, place tobacco - raw material of the industry • in Entry 33 of
List III and, thus, confer on itself the competence to legislate in respect to
tobacco, need not be examined by this Court as being unnecessary. We may,
however, note that the Constitution Bench, after noticing various provisions H
504 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002) I S.C.R.

A of the Act and the Rules, came to the conclusion that the need for regulating
the purchase, sales, storage and processing of sugarcane, being an agricultural
produce, is completely met by the comprehensive machinery provided by the
Sugarcane Act enacted by the same very legislature which enacted the general
Act being the Market Act.

B In Belsund Sugar Co. Ltd one of the contentions urged was that under
the !DR Act, in public interest, Union of India had taken over the control of
the wheat industry as specified in the First Schedule to the Act and
consequently any transaction of purchase and sale of the product of that
industry cannot be regulated by the State Act. The Constitution Bench noticed
C that the Parliament in exercise of its legislative power under Entry 52 of List
I of the Seventh Schedule had enacted the IDR Act and flour industry is
listed as one of the scheduled industries under the caption "Food-processing
Industries". The Bench said that the production of wheat as a raw material
or its sale is not covered by the said Act and, consequently, so far as wheat
as 'agricultural produce' is concerned, it is outside the sweep of the IDR Act.
D The question still remained whether the sale of flour or any other product out
of wheat can be said to be covered by the sweep of the IDR Act. It was
noticed that the Central Government had not promulgated any statutory order
under Section I 8G covering the field. The Court rejected the contention that
mere existence of a statutory provision in the Act enabling the Central
E Government to issue such order would be sufficient to occupy the field
contemplated· by the provision. While examining the decision in Hingir-
Rampur Coal Company's case on which reliance was placed by the appellants,
the Constitution Bench held that it has to be kept in view that any legislation
in exercise of legislative power under Entry 54 of List I would enable the
Parliament to regulate mines and the minerals development by taking them
F under the control of the Union in public interest. Thus, all aspects of the
mining industry would be covered by the general sweep of such a declaration.
But it was noticed that the IDR Act was enacted under Entry 52. It was held
that the scheme of Entry 54 of the Union List read with Entry 23 of the State
List was entirely different from the scheme of Entry 52 of List I read with
G Entry 24 of List II with which the Court was concerned in that case. On
conjoint reading of these two entries, the ratio of the decision in Hingir-
Rampur Coal Company's case, it was held, cannot be effectively pressed into
service.

As already noticed, the majority decision in ITC case for the view it
H took had placed reliance on Baijnath Kadio which followed Hingir-Rampur
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [Y.K. SABHARWAL, J.] 505
Coal Company's case. A

Further in Belsund Sugar Company, the Constitution Bench cited with
approval the decision in SE/L case and reiterated that merely because industry
is controlled by a declaration under Section 2 of the !DR Act enacted by
Entry 52 of the Union List, the State Legislature would not be denied of its
power to regulate the products of such an industry by exercise of its legislative B
power under the State List. It would be useful to extract para 119 of Belsund
Sugar Company's case as under :

"However, so far as the IDR Act is concerned, it is enacted under
Entry 52 of the First Schedule which deals with industries in general. C
Simultaneously in the State List itself there is Entry 24 which deals
with industries subject to the provisions of Entries 7 and 52 of List
I. Consequently, the products of such controlled industries would
necessarily not be governed by the sweep of the general legislation
pertaining to such industries as per Entry 52 of the Union List. The
aforesaid Constitution Bench judgment was not concerned with any D
State legislation enacted under Entry 24. On the contrary, it dealt
with legislation of the Union Parliament under Entry 54 of the Union
List read with Entry 23 of the State List. The scheme of the aforesaid
legislative entries is entirely different from the scheme of Entry 52 of
List I read with Entry 24 of List// with whirh we are concerned. On E
a conjoint reading of the aforesaid two entries, therefore, the ratio of
the decision of the Constitution Bench in the aforesaid case cannot be
effectively pressed into service by Shri Ranjit Kumar for supporting
his contention. In this contention, we may usefully refer to a decision
of this Court in SIEL Ltd. where one of us, Sujata V. Manohar J. was
a member. It has rightly distinguished the ratio of the Constitution F
Bench decision in the case of Hingir Rampur Coal Co. Ltd. and taken
the view that merely because an industry is controlled by a declaration
under Section 2 of the IDR Act enacted by Entry 52 of the Union
List, the State Legislature would not be denied of its powers to regulate
the products of such an industry by exercise of its legislative powers G
under Entry 24 of the State List. In that case the question was whether
the U.P. Sheera Niyantran Adhiniyam, 1964 could be said to be
repugnant to the Molasses (Control) Order issued by the Central
Government under Section 18-G of the IDR Act imposing restrictions
on the sale of molasses and fixing the maximum price of molasses.
Answering the question in the negative, it was held that the term H
506 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2002] I S.C.R.

A 'industry' in Entry 24 woultl not take within its ambit trade and
commerce or production, supply and distribution of goods which are
within the province of Entries 26 and 27 of list II. Similarly, Entry ""
52 in list I which deals with industry also would not cover trade and
commerce in, or production, supply and distribution of. the products
of those industries which/all under Entry 52 of List I. For the industries
B falling in Entry 52 of List I, these subjects are carved out and expressly
put in Entry 33 of List lll. It was also held that since the Molasses
(Control) Order of 1961 passed by the Central Government in exercise
of powers conferred by Section 18-G was not extended at any point
of time to the State of U.P. or the State of Bihar, the question of
c repugnancy between the Molasses Control Order, 1961 and the U.P.
Sheera Niyantran Adhiniyam, 1964 does not arise. Consequently, it
must be held that in the absence of a statutory order promulgated
under Section 18-G of the !DR Act, it cannot be said that the field
for regulation of sale and purchase of products of the flour industry
like atta, maida, suji, bran, etc. would remain outside the domain of
D the State Legislature."
(emphasis supplied is ours)

The principles aforesaid would equally apply to Entries 14 27, 28 and
66 of List II. It may further be noticed that in para 170 of Belsund Sugar
E Company's case, the Constitution Bench reiterates the view expressed in Tika
Ramji's case as also in SIEL 's case affirming Full Bench of the Allahabad
High Court in Mis. Shriram Industrial Enterprises (supra).
In view of the above, I see no compelling reason either on account of
any binding precedent in the form of a earlier Constitution Bench judgment,
history and background of the framing of the Constitution or the words used
F in various Entries or the language of any Article in the Constitution of India,
to take a view which will result in denuding the power of State Legislatures
to legislate not in respect of field of legislation under Entry 24 but field of
legislation covered by other entries on State List on making of declaration
under Entry 52 of the Union List. The Constitution Bench judgment in the
G case of Tika Ramji and other decisions following it confine the field of
legislation of industries to 'the process of manufacture or production' and not
to 'raw materials' which may be integral part of industrial process or to the
'distribution of the product ·of the industry'.

In view of the aforesaid, I conclude as under :
H I. The State legislations and the Tobacco Board Act, 1975 to the
1.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [RUMA PAL, J.] 507
extent of sale of tobacco in market area cannot co-exist. A
~ 2. The State Legislatures are competent to enact legislations
providing for sale of agricultural produce of tobacco in market
area and for levy and collection of market fee on that produce.
3. The Parliament is not competent to pass legislation in respect of
goods enumerated in aforesaid conclusion No.2 while legislating B
in the field of legislation covered by Entry 52 of the Union List
under which the Parliament can legislate only in respect of
industries, namely, 'the process of manufacture or production' as
held in Tika Ramji 's case. The activity regarding sale of raw
tobacco as provided in the Tobacco Board Act cannot be regarded
as 'industry'.
c
4. ITC's case [1985) Supp. SCC 476 is not correctly decided.
Leave in special leave petitions granted. For the aforesaid reasons, the
State legislations are held to be valid pieces of legislation. The appeals and
the writ petition are disposed of accordingly. Parties to bear their own costs. D
RUMA PAL, J. I regret my inability to concur with the conclusion
reached by my learned Brother, Pattanaik J, that because of the enactment of
the Tobacco Board Act, 1975 by Parliament, the State Act viz., the Bihar
Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1960 in so far as it relates to levy of fee
on the sale and purchase of tobacco, is invalid. E
That the legislative power of Parliament in certain areas is paramount
under the Constitution is not in dispute. What is in dispute is the limits of
those areas as judicially defined. Broadly speaking Parliamentary paramountcy
.. is provided for under Articles 246 and 254 of the Constitution. The first three
F
clauses of Article 246 of the Constitution relate to the demarcation of legislative
powers between the Parliament and the State Legislatures. Under clause (1),
notwithstanding anything contained in clauses (2) and (3), Parliament has
been given the exclusive power to make laws with respect to any of the
matters enumerated in List I or the Union List in the Seventh Schedule.
Clause (2) empowers the Parliament, and State Legislatures subject to the
G
power of Parliament under sub-clause (I), to make laws with respect to any
..... of the matters enumerated in List III in the Seventh Schedule described in the
Constitution as the 'Concurrent List' notwithstanding anything contained in
sub-clause (3). Under clause (3) the State Legislatures have been given
exclusive powers to make laws in respect of matters enumerated in List II in
the Seventh Schedule described as the 'State List' but subject to clauses (I) H
508 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A and (2). The three lfsts while enumerating in detail the legislative subjects
carefully distribute the areas of legislative authority between Parliament (List
I) and the State (List II). The supremacy of Parliament has been provided for .._
by the non obstante clause in Article 246 (I) and the words 'subject to' in
Art. 246 (2) and (3). Therefore, under Article 246 (1) if any of the entries in
B the three Lists overlap, the entry in List I will prevail. 1 Additionally some of
the entries in the State List have been made expressly subject to the power
of Parliament to legislate either under List I or under List III. Entries in the
Lists of the Seventh Schedule have been liberally interpreted, nevertheless
Courts have been wary of upsetting this balance by a process of interpretation
so as to deprive any entry of its content and reduce it to 'useless lumber' .2
C The use of the word 'exclusive' in Clause (3) denotes that within the legislative
fields contained in List II, the State Legislatures exercise authority as plenary
and ample as Parliament. "The fact that under the scheme of our Constitution,
greater power is conferred upon the Centre vis-a-vis the States does not mean
that States are mere appendages of the Centre. Within the sphere allotted to
them, States are supreme. The Centre cannot tamper with their powers. More
D particularly, the Courts should not adopt an approach, an interpretation, which
has the effect of or tends to have the effect of whittling down the powers
reserved to the States" .3

Although Parliament cannot !egislate on any of the entries in the State
List, it may do so incidentally while essentially legislating within the entries
E under the Union List. Conversely, the State Legislatures may encroach on the
Union List, when such an encroachment is merely ancillary to an exercise of
power intrinsically under the State List. The fact of encroachment does not
affect the vires of the law even as regards the area of encroachment. 4 This
principle commonly known as the doctrine of pith and substance, does not
F amount to an extension of the legislative fields. Therefore, such incidental .... .
encroachment in either event does not deprive the State Legislature in the
first case or Parliament in the second, of their exclusive powers under the
entry so encroached upon. In the event the incidental encroachment conflicts
with legislation actually enacted by the dominant power, the dominant

G I. MP. V. Sundaramier & Co. v. State of Andhra Pradesh, [1958) SCR 1422, 1480-82.

2. The Calcutta Gas Company (Prop.) ltd. v. The State of West Bengal. [1962) 3 SCR I.

3. S.R. Bommai & Ors. v. Union of India & Ors., [1994] 3 SCCR I at 216.

4. A.S. Krishna v. State of Madras, [1957) SCR 399; Chaturbhai M. Patel v. Union of India
& Ors., [1960) 2 SCR 362, 373; State of Rajasthan v. G. Chawla, AIR (1959) SC 544 and
H Ishwari Khetan Sugar Mills (P) ltd. v. State of UP., [1980) 4 sec 136 147.
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [RUMA PAL, J.] 509

legislation will prevail. A
To return to the subject of Parliamentary supremacy. The second facet
of the supremacy of Parliament is to be found in Article 254 (I) which
provides:

Article 254: "Inconsistency between laws made by Parliament and B
laws made by the Legislatures of States - (I) If any provision of a law
made by the Legislature of a State is repugnant to any provision of
a law made by Parliament which Parliament is competent to Act, or
to any provision of an existing law with respect to one of the matters
enumerated in the Concurrent List, then, subject to the provisions of C
clause (2), the law made by Parliament, whether passed before or
after the law made by the Legislature of such State, or, as the case
may be, the existing law, shall prevail and the law made by the
Legislature of the State shall, to the extent of the repugnancy, be
void."
D
In other words where in due exercise of legislative powers in the
Concurrent List there is an irreconcilable conflict in the legislations enacted,
the Central Legislation will prevail. The doctrine of repugnancy has been
developt:d in this context. [See: Mis Hoechst Pharmaceuticals Ltd. v. State
of Bihar, [1983) 4 SCC 45, 89; Deep Chand v. The State of Uttar Pradesh, E
[I 959) Supp. SCR 8). The controversy, in this case, is to be resolved keeping
these broad principles in mind.

The immediate question before us is whether the Tobacco Board Act,
1975 debars the States from levying market fee in respect of tobacco. In the
several matters argued and heard, the main protagonists were the tobacco F
traders and dealers on the one hand who argue that the States cannot levy
market fee on tobacco, and the Market Committees on the other who contend
to the contrary. The Union of India and the Tobacco Board have supported
the former while the State Governments the latter. The details of the several
matters which were heard by us have been noted in the opinion of Pattanaik, G
J. A galaxy of counsel have made submissions in support of the opposing
camps. For the purpose of convenience and coherence, the diverse arguments
have been clubbed together and those contending against the States competence
are referred to compendiously as the appellants and their opponents as ' the
respondents'. One further clarification is necessary. As the order referring the
issue to this Court was passed in an appeal relating to the Bihar Agricultural H
510 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A Markets Act, 1960, although several other States have enacted substantially
similar statutes, I will treat the Bihar Statute as representative and refer to the
provisions of that Act for deciding the issues.

The Bihar Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1960 (referred to hereafter
as the Markets Act) was enacted by the State of Bihar and is ostensibly
B referable to Entry 28 of List II which gives the State Legislature the exclusive
power to legislate on "Markets and Fairs" read with Entry 66 of List II
according to which the State Legislature may also levy fees in respect of any
matter in List II except Court fees. It is true that in Belsund Sugar Company
v. State of Bihar5 the Court proceeded on the basis that the Markets Act had
C been enacted by the Bihar Legislature not only under the legislative power
vested in it by Entry 28 but also under Entries 26 and 27 of List II of the
Seventh Schedule of the Constitution but in that case, there does not appear
to have been any controversy raised on this point. Entries 26 and 27 of List
II read as under:

D 26. Trade and commerce within the State subject to the provisions of
Entry 33 of List III.
27. Production, supply and distribution of goods subject to the
provisions of Entry 33 of List III." ,._

It has also been argued by the respondents that the State Act is also
E referable to Entry 14 of List II which describes the perr.tissible subject matter
of legislation by States as:

14: Agriculture, including agricultural education and research,
protection against pests and prevention of plant diseases.

F Except for Entries 26 and 27 of List II, each of the other entries comes
within the exclusive legislative domain of the States.

The Tobacco Board Act, 1975, on the other hand, is claimed by the
appellants to be relatable solely to Entry 52 of List I which enables Parliament
to legislate on "industries, the control of which by the Union is declared by
G Parliament by law to be expedient in the public interest". According to the
appellants, the Markets Act seeks to regulate, inter-alia, the sale of various
kinds of agricultural produce including tobacco. They contend that the
provisions of the Markets Act could not be applied to tobacco because the
Tobacco Act was enacted by Parliament under Entry 52 of List I to control
H 5. [1999]9SCC620.
f
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [RUMA PAL, J.] 511
and regulate everything relating to the tobacco industry from the growth of A
tobacco to its processing, storing, sale, manufacture, export and import.

It had been initially argued by the appellants that once a declaration is
made in terms of Entry 52 of the Union List, the industry in respect of which
the declaration is made and the entire process relating thereto becomes part
of the legislative head itself and within the exclusive domain of the Parliament, B
and the State legislature becomes incompetent to enact any provision with
regard to that industry. The submission was somewhat watered down in the
reply. It was conceded that the argument was an extreme one and that the
true principle was that one has to examine the actual extent of coverage by
the Central enactment. The next submission was that the word 'industry' in C
Entry 52 of List I will have to be given a wide meaning. Passages from the
Encyclopaedia Britannica were referred to, to contend that an 'industry' could
be primary, secondary or tertiary. Primary industries would include agriculture,
forestry, fishing, mining and the extraction of minerals etc. A secondary
industry would be a manufacturing industry where raw materials supplied by
primary industries are processed to manufacture consumer and non- consumer D
goods. A tertiary industry would be one where services were rendered such
as banking, insurance, transportation, information etc. This was contrasted
with the meaning of the word as defined in the Industries, Development and
Regulation Act, 1951 which only deals with manufacturing industries.
According to the appellants, this Court in Harakchand Ratanchand Banthia E
& Ors. v. Union of India, [1970] l SCR 479 1971SC479 not only accepted
the wide definition of industries but also specifically held that the word
'industry' in Entry 52 would also comprise production, supply and distribution
of goods referred to in Entry 27 of List II. It was, therefore, contended that
the provisions of the Tobacco Act were clearly within the exclusive competence
of Parliament and within the field covered in Entry 52 of List I. As a corollary F
to this argument, it was contended that Parliament could also legislate with
regard to the raw materials supplied to a declared industry in keeping with
the principle of 'pith and substance'. The next submission was that even if
the State Government retained the competence to legislate on tobacco, it
could not enact any statutory provisions which would be repugnant to the G
Central Act. The provisions of the Tobacco Act and the Markets Act were
referred to in some detail to contend that they could not possibly co-exist and
therefore, the Central Act would have to prevail. It was submitted that in the
circumstances the provisions of the Markets Act with respect to tobacco were
repugnant to the provisions of the Tobacco Act and that by virtue of the
provisions of Article 254( 1) of the Constitution, the law made by Parliament H
512 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2002] I S.C.R.

A was to prevail and the law made by the Legislatures of the State to the extent
of the repugnancy with the Central Act, is void.

The respondents on the othrr hand contended that the Tobacco Act did
not and could not occupy the entire legislative field relating to tobacco.
According to them, despite the declaration in Section 2 of the Tobacco Act
B under Entry 52 of List I, the word 'industry' in the context of the Tobacco
Act could not include anything more than processing and manufacturing of
tobacco. Reliance was placed primarily on the decision of the Constitution
Bench in Tika Ramji & Ors. v. State of U.P. & Ors., (1956] SCR 393.

C It was further submitted on behalf of the respondents that the question
of repugnancy between the Markets Act and the Tobacco Act would not arise
since Parliament was not competent to enact provisions in respect of a
legislative field specifically provided for in List II. It was submitted that the
legislative field under Entry 52 of List I was derived from Entry 24 of List
II and Entry 24 did not cover the legislative fields otherwise specially provided
D for in List a. It was stated that Entry 28 could not be rendered redundant by
the Central Government's legislation on commodities sold at markets and
fairs by issuing a declaration under Entry 52 of List I. It was also submitted
that there may be provisions in the Tobacco Act which may incidentally
trench on the State's competence and as long as States have not legislated on
E that topic, the Tobacco Act may prevail. It was submitted that even if the
Markets Act were enacted under Entries 26 and 27 of List II nevertheless this
would not make the Market Act invalid as far as tobacco was concerned. It
was further submitted that although Entries 26 and 27 in the State List were
subject to the provisions of Entry 33 of the Concurrent List, there was no
provision in Entry 33 of the Concurrent List which covered tobacco. It was
F submitted that the issue of repugnancy did not arise because Article 254( 1)
only relates to repugnancy in actual legislations in respect of entries in the
Concurrent List. According to the respondents, assuming that Parliament was
competent to legislate in respect of tobacco, there was in fact no repugnancy
between the Markets Act and the Tobacco Act as the Tobacco Act did not
G cover post auction sales. In any event, there could be no conflict between the
Markets Act and the Central Act in Bihar particularly having regard to the
fact that Sections 13, 13A and 14A of the Tobacco Act had not been made
operative in Bihar. Reliance has been placed upon the absence of a non-
obstante clause in the Tobacco Act and the presence of Section 31 in that Act
which, according to the respondents, makes it clear that the Tobacco Act was
H to be read as being in addition to and not in derogation of any other law.
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [RUMA PAL, J.) 513
.Therefore, according to the respondents, even if tobacco were solely within A
the exclusive field of legislation by Parliament, the State Legislature could
recover fees for services rendered in respect of markets where tobacco may
be sold.

To begin with, I do not think that this Bench should at all go into the
question of the validity of the Tobacco Board Act, 1975 (referred to briefly B
hereafter as the 'Tobacco Act') even though the issue was argued at some
length by the main protagonists before us. The dispute which originally gave
rise to this set of appeals is limited to the question whether the Market
Committees have the authority to levy market fee under the Markets Act on
the sale of tobacco and whether the provisions in .the Markets Act granting C
Market Committees such right are repugnant to the provisions of the Tobacco
Act and are, therefore, unconstitutional. What has been placed before this
Bench for its consideration is the correctness of the earlier decision in ITC
ltd & Ors. v. State of Karnataka, [1985] (Suppl.) SCC 476. The question
raised in that case was whether the provisions of the Karnataka Agricultural
Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act, 1966 relating to the levy of market fee D
on tobacco were repugnant to the Tobacco Act. The majority held that it was.
The minority view was that both Acts could co-exist. But the validity of the
Tobacco Act itself was never in dispute. No doubt, the States have been
given notice but the focus of .the arguments has been on the levy of fees on
the marketing of tobacco. As the Tobacco Act covers a much larger field, a E
pronouncement on the validity of all the provisions dealing with a variety of
activities under the Act would not be appropriate as it would perhaps pre-
empt a decision on aspects other than the marketing of tobacco without
hearing those who might be interested in the outcome of a decision on those
provisions.
F
The starting point in any controversy dealing with apparently conflicting
legislative jurisdictions is to see whether the conflict can be fairly reconciled
by reading the entries to which the legislations are referable, together and "by
interpreting and, where necessary, modifying the languape of the one by that
of the other". It is only when such resoiution is not possible that the Courts G
should be called upon to decide the question of legislative competence. This
principle has been stressed in a number of cases by the Privy Council, the
Federal Court and more recently by this Court. [See: The Central Provinces
and Berar Sales of Motor Spirit & Lubricants Taxation Act, 1938'',6 'Governor-

6. AIR ( 1939) FC I. H
514 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A General in Council v. Province of Madras',- State of Bombay v. F.N. Balsara,
AIR (1951) SC 818, 822, Accountant & Secretarial Services Pvt. ltd. v.
Union of India, AIR ( 1988) SC 1708; Fatehchand v. State of Maharashtra: <I
AIR ( 1977) SC I 825, 1827 and Ca/cul/a Gas Company (Proprieta1y) Ltd v.
State of West Bengal, AIR (1962) SC 1044).

B Similarly, when there is an apparent conflict between two statutes enacted
in valid exercise of legislative powers under the Concurrent List, reconciliation
must be attempted. Only when the differences are irreconciliable should the
Courts resort to striking down a piece of legislation. [See: The Kannan Devan
Hills Produce v. The State of Kera/a, [1972) 2 SCC 218, Mis. Hoechst
C Phar'maceuticals Ltd. v. State of Bihar, [1983) 4 SCC 45.)

In my view, if, therefore, the issue raised in this case can be resolved
by limiting our consideration to the question of conflict, if any, between the
two entries in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution to which the Tobacco
Act and the Market Act are respectively relatable and between the provisions
D of the two statutes which have a bearing on the marketing of tobacco, it is
unnecessary to stray into those areas which may not be necessary for the
disposal of these appeals. The discussion in this opinion is, therefore, limited
to the scope of the two entries and the allegedly conflicting provisions of the
two Acts with which we are concerned.
E
The controversy in this case to a large extent turns on the meaning of
the word "industry" as used in the three legislative lists. Now the power to
legislate in respect of all industries has been given under Entry 24 of List II
to the State Legislatures subject to Entries 7 and 52 of List I. Entries 7 llnd
52 of List I allow Parliament to legislate in respect of particular 'industries' -
F namely, such industries which are declared by Parliament by law to be ,.
necessary for the defence or for the prosecution of war (Entry 7) and industries
the control of which by the Union is declared by Parliament by law to be
expedient in the public interest (Entry 52). Trade and commerce in, and the
production supply and distribution of the products of such controlled industry
G have been provided for in Entry 33 of the Concurrent List wherein both
Parliament and the State Legislatures are competent to legislate. A Constitution
Bench of this Court in The Ca/cul/a Gas Company (Prop.) ltd. v. The State
of West Bengal' has held that the expression 'industry' in all the three lists

7. AIR (1945) PC 98. 100.
H 8. (1962] 3 SCR I.
I
I.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [RUMA PAL, J.] 515
must be given the same meaning and that since ordinarily industry is in the A
field of State Legislation the word must be construed in the context of the
other entries in List II in such a manner so that no entry in List II is deprived
of its content. In other words, the meaning of the word 'industry' is to be
determined' With reference to Entry 24 of List II where the power to legislate
generally in respect of industries has been provided. Entries 7 and 52 are B
entries which specify particular industries out of this general pool. The meaning
of the word 'industry' in these two entries, therefore, must necessarily be
derived from the meaning which may be ascribed to the word in Entry 24 of
List II.

The seminal decision on this process of interpretation for arriving at the C
definition of 'industry' is Ch. Tika Ramji & Ors. v. State of Uttar Pradesh
& Ors., 9 in which a Constitution Bench unanimously held:

"Industry in the wide sense of the term would be capable of comprising
three different aspects: (I) raw materials which are an integral part of
the industrial process, (2) the process of manufacture or produ~tion, D
and (3) the distribution of the products of the industry. The raw
materials would be goods which would be comprised in Entry 26 of
List II. The process of manufacture or production would be comprised
in Entry 24 of List II except where the industry was a controlled
industry when it would fall within Entry 52 of List I and the products
of the industry would also be comprised in Entry 27 of List II except E
where they were the products of the controlled industries when they
would fall within Entry 33 of List III."

The underlying rationale of Tika Ramji 's definition of the word 'industry'
is that the Constitution having expressly provided for particular fields of F
legislation in the three Lists, each field must be given a meaning. Entry 24
of List II cannot be read so as to subsume within itself the other entries in
List II. It must be given a meaning which allows the other ~ntries to survive
and be defined to that extent with reference to what it is not.

Thus in Calcutta Gas it was held that the word 'industry' in Entry 24 G
of List II and 7 and 52 of List I did not include gas and gas works which was
in terms provided for in Entry 25. The argument in that case was that the
State was incompetent to enact the Oriental Gas Company Act, 1960 under
Entry 25 of List II because Parliament had passed the Industries (Development

9. [1956] SCR 393. H
516 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002) I S.C.R.

·A & Regulation) Act, 1951 by virtue of Entry 52 of List I. The Central Act in
that case had under Section 2 declared that it was expedient in the public
interest that the Union should take under its control inter-alia industries of
"'fuel gas' (coal gas, natural gas and the like)". For the purpose of promoting
and regulating these industries, the Central Act enabled the Central
B Government to investigate into the affairs of an undertaking, to regulate its
production, supply and distribution, and, if necessary to take over the
management of the undertaking. The Court said that if the word 'industry' in
Entry 24 of List II and, therefore, 52 of List I were interpreted to include 'gas
and gas works' which were expressly covered by Entry 25 List II, Entry 25
may become redundant and it would amount to attributing to the authors of
C the Constitution "ineptitude, want of precision and tautology". As a result,
the challenge to the State Act was negatived and the Central Act, insofar a~
..
it purported to deal with the gas industry, was held to be beyond the legislative
competence of Parliament.

Again in B. Viswanathiah and Company and Ors. v. State ofKarnataka,
D [1991] 3 sec 358, writ petitions were filed challenging the validity of the
provisions of the Mysore Silkworm Seed and Cocoon (Regulation of
Production, Supply and Distribution) Act, 1959 (Act 5 of 1960). It was
contended that the impugned provisions lacked legislative competence after
the enactment by Parliament of the Central Silk Boards Act (Act 61 of 1948)
E which contained a declaration as contemplated under Entry 52 of List I. The
Court held, following Tika Ramji, that the "control of the industry vested in
Parliament was only restricted to the aspect of production and manufacture
of silk yarn or silk. It did not obviously take in the earlier stages of the
industry •. namely, the supply of raw materials".

F It was also held: )..

"though the production and manufacture of raw silk cannot be
legislated upon by the State legislature in view of the provisions of
the Central Act and the declaration in Section 2 thereof, that declaration
and Entry 52 does not in any way limit the powers of the State
G
legislature to legislate in respect of the goods produced by the silk
industry. To interpret Entry 52 otherwise would render Entry 33 in
List III of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution otiose and
meaningless".

H This process of defining 'industry' in Entry 24 of List II and
1.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [RUMA PAL, J.) 517
consequently Entry 52 of List I, by eliminating from its scope the fields A
specifically provided for in List II or List Ill has been consistently followed.
For example in State of A.P. v. Mc Dowell & Co., [1996] 3 SCC 709 it was
said:

"Parliament cannot take over the control of industries engaged in the
production and manufacture of intoxicating liquors by making a B
declaration under Entry 52 of List I, since the said Entry governs
only Entry 24 in List II but not Entry 8 in List II."

In Kanan Devan Hi!/ Produce v. State of Kera/a, [1972] 2 SCC 218 it
was held that a declaration under Entry 52 of the Union List in respect of the
tea industry did not debar the States from legislating to acquire land under C
tea cultivation under Entry 18 of List II and Entry 42 of List III.

A Constitution Bench in Ganga Sugar Corporation ltd. v. State of
Uttar Pradesh and Ors., [1980] I SCC 223 upheld the power of States to
impose purchase tax on sugarcane under Item 54 in the State List despite D
central legislation under Entry 52 of List I in respect of the sugar industry.

Another Constitution Bench in Fateh Chand v. State of Maharashtra:
AIR (1977) SC 1825 had to decide the constitutional tug-of-war between the
Maharashtra Debt Relief Act, 1976 on the one hand and the Gold Control Act
on the other. It was contended that the Debt Act was void insofar as it dealt E
with "gold loans" because Parliament had occupied the field under Entry 52
of List I. It was also urged that there was inconsistency between the Debt Act
and the Gold Control Act and that the Debt Act could not be given effect to
the extent of such inconsistency. The Court noted that the Debt Act came
squarely within Entry 33 of List II namely "money-lending and money-
lenders; reli;:f of agricultural indebtedness" and it was held that despite the F
fact that the Gold Act was referable to Entry 52 of List I:

"This does not mean that other entries in the State List become
impotent.even regarding 'gold'. The State Legislature can make laws
regarding money-lending even where gold is involved under Entry G
30, List II, even as it can regulate 'gambling in gold' under Entry 34,
impose sales tax on gold sales under Entry 54 regulate by municipal
laws under Entry 5 and by trade restrictions under Entry 26, the type
of buildings for gold shops and the kind of receipts for purchase or
sale of precious metal. To multiply instances is ea~y. but the core of
the mattt:r is that where under its power Parliament has made a law H
518 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2002] I S.C.R.

A which overrides an entry in the State List, that area is abstracted from
the State List. Nothing more."

It is unnecessary to multiply instances of the numerous decisions which
have followed the logic of Tika Ramji and accepted its conclusion that for the
purposes of Entry 24 of List II and consequently Entry 52 of List I, 'industry'
B means "manufacture or production" and nothing more. It is sufficient to note
that Tika Ramji 's definition of industry has been affirmed and applied recently
by a Constitution Bench in Belsund Sugar Company v. State of Bihar, (supra)
and is still good law. Harak Chand Banthia 's case does not strike a discordant
note.
c Harakchand Ratanchand Banthia & Ors. v. Union Of India, [1970] 1
SCR 4 79, has been cited by the appellants in support of the proposition that
the negative test laid down in Tika Ramji and developed in Calcutta Gas does
not apply to define the scope of Entry 52 of List I vis-a-viz Entry 27 of List
II. The submission is unacceptable. In Banthia 's case the constitutional validity
D of the Gold (Control) Act, 1968 enacted by Parliament was questioned. Gold
had been declared to be a 'controlled' industry under Entry 52 of List I by
the Industries (Development & Regulation ) Act, 1951. One of the challenges
raised was that the activity sought to be controlled by the Gold Act, was not
an industry and did not come within the purview of Parliament under Entry
E 52 of List I. The passage particularly relied upon by the appellants is quoted:

"The question to be considered is what is the meaning of the
word "industry" in Entry 52 of List I, Entry 24 of List II and Entry
33 of List Ill. Whatever may be its connotation it must bear the same
meaning in all these entries which are so interconnected that conflicting
F or different meanings given to them would snap the connection. In
the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary the word "industry" is defined
as " a particular branch of productive labour; a trade or manufacture."
According to Webster's Third New International Dictionary (1961
edn.) the word "industry" means "(a) systematic labour especially for
the creation of value; (b) a department or branch of a craft, art,
G
business or manufacture, a division of productive and profit making
labour especially one that employs a large personnel and capital
especially in manufacturing; ( c) a group of productive or profit making
enterprises or organisations that have a similar technological structure
of production and that produce or supply technically substitutable
H goods, services or sources of income." It was said that if the word
f
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [RUMA PAL, J.] 519
"industries" is construed in this wide sense, Entry 27 of List II will A
lose all meaning and content. It is. not possible to accept this contention
for, Entry 27 is a general Entry and it is a well-recognised canon of
construction that a general power should not be so interpreted as to
nullify a particular power conferred by the same instrument. In Tika
Ramji v. State of Uttar Pradesh, (1956] SCR 393 the expression B
"industry" was defined to mean the process· of manufacture or
production and did not include raw materials used in the industry or
the distribution of the products of the industry. It was contended that
the word "industry" was a word of wide import and should be
construed as including not only the process of manufacture or
production but also activities antecedent thereto such as acquisition C
of raw materials and subsequent thereto such as disposal of the finished
products of that industry. But this contention was not accepted. It was
contended by Mr. Daphtary that if the process of production was to
constitute "industry" a process of machinery or mechanical contrivance
was essential. But we see no reason why such a limitation should be D
imposed on the meaning of the word "industry" in the legislative
lists. Similarly it was argued by Mr. Palkhivala that the manufacture
of gold ornaments was not an industry because it required application
of individual art and craftsmanship and aesthetic skill. But mere use
of skill or art is not a decisive factor and will not take the manufacture
of gold ornaments out of the ambit of the relevant legislative entries. E
It is well settled that the entries in the three lists are only legislative
heads or fields of legislation and they demarcate the area over which
the appropriate legislature can operate. The legislative entries must ·
be given a large and liberal interpretation, the reason being that the
allocation of subjects to the lists is not by way of scientific or logical F
definition but is a mere enumeration of broad and comprehensive
categories. It is not, however, necessary for the purpose of this case
to attempt to define the expression "industry" precisely or to state
exhaustively all its different aspects. But we are satisfied in the present
case that the manufacture of gold ornaments by goldsmiths in India G
is a "process of systematic production" for trade or manufacture and
so falls within the connotation of the word "industry" in the appropriate
legislative entries. It follows, therefore, that in enacting the impugned
Act Parliament was validly exercising its legislative power in respect
of matters covered by Entry 52 of List I and Entry 33 of List Ill."
(Emphasis mine) H
520 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002) I S.C.R.

A The decision cannot be read as whittling down or deviating from the
reasoning or the definition of the word industry in Tika Ramji. It does not
seek to do so. Indeed the Court re-affirmed the definition of industry in Tika
Ramji. The observation relating to Entry 27 of List II must be understood in
relation to the language of the entry which reads:

B "Production, supply and distribution of goods subject to the provisions
of Entry 33 of List III."

This provides for States to generally legislate on production, supply
and distribution of goods. Entry 33 of List III deals particularly with the
C production, supply and distribution of the products of industries where the
control of such industry by the Union is declared by law to be expedient in
the public interest under Entries 7 or 52 of List I. It would not have been
necessary to have especially provided for trade and commerce in, and the
production, supply and distribution of the products of a controlled industry
in Entry 33 of List Ill, had the word 'industry' in Entries 7 and 52 of List
D I covered the field. Similarly had the word 'industry' in Entry 24 of List II
been sufficient, why have a separate head under Entry 27 of the same list
dealing with the production supply and distribution of goods unless we concede
that the framers of the Constitution were guilty of' ineptitude, want of precision.
and tantology'? The concept of a 'general' and 'particular' term is necessarily
E relative depending upon the context in which the term is considered. Entry
27 of List II is certainly a general entry but only in relation to Entry 33 of
List III which deals with trade, commerce etc. in particular kinds of products
namely the products of a controlled industry. Finally, it is clear from the
passage quoted, that Banthia held that the Gold Act was legislatively competent
under Entry 52 of List I because it dealt with the process of manufacture or
F production of gold i.e., it was within the sweep of industry as defined in Tika
Ramji.

The appellants' submission that Tika Ramji narrowly construed the
word because the decision was rendered in the context of the Industrial
G (Development & Regulation) Act, 1951 proceeds on a mis-appreciation of
the decision. Merely because Tika Ramji found that the particular Central
enactment under consideration was under Entry 33 of List III and not Entry
52 of List I does not limit or detract from its authoritative pronouncement on
the scope of Entry 52 of List I. The finding in fact formed the basis of the
conclusion that the provisions of the Central Act, in question, did, not fall
H within Entry 52 of List-I. What was construed was the ambit of Entry 52 of
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [RUMA PAL, J.) 521
List I and the range of a declaration under that entry. That the declaration A
was contained in the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951 was
· inconsequential and could not colour the scope of the entry itself. It is
significant that Banthia 's case, which according to the appellants accepted a
wider meaning of 'industry', was also a case in which the relevant declaration
under Entry 52 of List I was under the Industries (Development and B
Regulation) Act.

Banthia 's case has been considered and explained in the subsequent
decision of the Constitution Bench in Mis Fatehchand Himmatlal and Ors.
v. State of Maharashtra [1977] 2 SCC 670. With specific reference to
Banthia's case, the Court held: C
" ........... We see nothing in that decision which contradicts the position
that while the Gold Control Act fell within Entry 52 of List I the State
List was not totally suspended for that reason for purposes of
legislating on subjects which fell within that List, but incidentally
referred also to gold transactions." D
To add to the persuasive force of their arguments, the appellants then
put forward what can only be described an argument of alarm. It was contended
that if a narrow view of industry were taken, then despite a declaration by
Parliament under Entry 7 of List I that an industry was necessary for the
purpose of defence of the country or for the prosecution of war, Parliament E
would not be competent to legislate on the supply of raw materials or
distribution of the finished product. Such an argument is hardly relevant to
a question of construction. In any case it overlooks the superior powers of
Parliament under Entry 33 of List Ill and the overriding powers of Parliament
during a national emergency including those under Articles 249, 250, 251
~252. F
To sum up: the word 'Industry' for the purposes of Entry 52 of List I
has been firmly confined by Tika Ramji to the process of manufacture or
production only. Subsequent decisions including those of other Constitution
Benches have re-affirmed that Tika Ramji 's case authoritatively defined the G
word 'industry' - to mean the process of manufacture or production and that
it does not include the raw materials used in the industry or the distribution
of the products of the industry. Given the constitutional framework, and the
weight of judicial authority it is not possible to accept an argument canvassing
a wider meaning of the word 'industry'. Whatever the word may mean in any
other context, it must be understood in the Constitutional context as meaning H
522 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2002] I S.C.R.

A 'manufacture or production'.
Applying the negative test as evolved in Tika Ramji in this case it
would follow that the word 'industry' in Entry 24 of List II and consequently
Entry 52 of List I does not and cannot be read to include Entries 28 and 66
of List II which have been expressly marked out as fields within the State's
'B exclusive legislative powers. As noted earlier Entry 28 deals with markets
and fairs and Entry 66 with the right to levy fees in respect of, in the present
context, markets and fairs. Entry 52 of List I does not override Entry 28 in
List II nor has Entry 28 in List II been made subject to Entry 52 unlike Entry
24 of List II. This Court in Belsund Sugar (supra) has also accepted the
C argument that Entry 28 of List II operated in its own and cannot be affected
by any legislation pertaining to industry as found in Entry 52 of List I. ..
If 'industry' does not include 'markets and fairs' it is important to
define what markets and fairs connote. 'Market' may s!rictly be defined as
"the meeting or congregating together of people for the purchase and sale of
D provisions or livestock, publicly exposed, at a fixed time and place" .10 A
'fair' has been judicially defined as meaning 'a periodical concourse of buyers
and sellers in a place generally for sale and purchase' 1• at times or on occasion
ordained by custom 11 • The distinction between markets and fairs appears to
lie in the periodicity viz. while a market may be a regular or permanent place
of business, a fair is an intermittent one. At common law, fairs and markets
E were also franchises or rights to hold a concourse of buyers and sellers to
dispose of the commodities in respect of which the franchise is given. 12 This
included the right to levy a toll or sum payable by the buyer upon sales of
articles in a market. 13 The sense in which the word has been used in Entry
28 appears to cover not only such right but the market place itself including
F the 'concourse of buyers and sellers' and the regulation of all these.
The word "Markets" has also found place in Entry 48 of List I which
reads "Stock Exchanges and future markets". A Constitution Bench of this
Court in Waverly Jute Mills Co. ltd. v. Raymon & Co. (India) Private Ltd.,
[1963] 3 SCR 209 rejected the submission that the word "markets" must be
G restricted to "a place set apart for the meeting of the general public of buyers
and sellers, freely open to any such to assemble together, where any seller
may expose his goods for sale and any buyer may purchase".
I 0. Oxford English Dictionary.
11. Amritsar Mun1c1pality v. State of Punjab, AIR (1969) SC 1100. 1104.
12. Halsbury's Laws of England (4th Edn.) Vol. 29 para 601.
H 13. ibid: Para 629.
I.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [RUMA PAL, J.] 523

It was held that : A
"Market no doubt ordinarily means a place where business is being
transacted. That was probably all that it meant at a time when trade
was not developed and when transactions took place at specified
places. But with the development of commerce, bargains came to be
concluded more often than not through correspondence and the B
connotation of the word 'market' underwent a corresponding
expansion. In modem parlance the word 'market' has come to mean
business as well as the place where business is carried on."

The question then is does the Markets Act fall within this definition of C
the word 'markets'? The establishment of regulated markets had long been
recognized as an imperative requirement of any ordered plan of agricultural
development in this country. 14 The objects and reasons for enacting the Bihar
Markets Act, 1960 has been stated as: properly organising markets of
agricultural and allied commodities to ensure that the agriculturist gets a fair
share of the price paid by the consumer for his produce by attempting to do D
away or rigidly controlling the middle man. What was originally a source of
private profit in common law, has by virtue of the Markets Act become a
~ matter of municipal concern namely, setting up of regulated markets for the
marketing of agricultural produce.

The provisions of the Markets Act are briefly noted. The Markets Act E
provides for the issuance of a notification under Section 3 by the State
Government declaring its intention of regulating the purchase, sale, storage,
processing of specified agricultural produce in that area. "Agricultural produce"
has been defined in Section 2 (6) as:
F
"all produce whether processed or non-processed, manufactured or
not, of Agriculture, Horticulture, Plantation, Animal Husbandry, Forest,
Sericulture, Pisciculture, and includes livestocks or poultry as specified
in the Schedule."

Tobacco has been mentioned at Item XI in the Schedule. Under Section G
4 the State Government declares the area specified as a market area for the
purpose of the Markets Act. From the date of the declaration, under Section
4 no person or authority can establish or continue or be allowed to set up any
place for the purchase, sale, stores or processing of any notified agricultural

14. (vide Report of the Royal Commission on Agriculture in India (1929). H
524 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2002) I S.C.R.

A produce except in accordance with the provisions of the Markets Act. Under
Section 5 the State Government may declare by notification any building or
locality in any market area to be the principal market yard. Sections 6 to 15
and 17 to 27-A deal with the setting up of Market Committees, their
constitution and functions. These Market Committees are subject to the
B superintendence and control of the Bihar Agricultural Marketing Board set
up under Section 33A of the Markets Act.

Section 15 15 prohibits notified agricultural produce from being bought
or sold by any person at any place in the market area other than the relevant
principal market yard or sub-market yard or yards established therein unless
C it is for retail sale, personal consumption or exempted by the Marketing
Board under Section 15( I) or (2). The mode of purchase and sale specified
under Section 15(2) is by means of open auction or tender system. Sub-
section (2) of Section 18 specifically authorises the Market Committee to
issue licences to persons engaged in the processing, storage or processing of
agricultural produce to operate in the market area and also to control and
D regulate the admission of persons into the market yard or the sub-market
yards and to prosecute persons trading without a valid licence. Section 27
empowers the Market Committee to levy and collect market fee from the
buyer on the agricultural produce bought or sold in the market area at specified
rates. The remaining sections of the Markets Act are omitted from
E consideration as they are not at all relevant. We are really concerned with
Section 15 and more particularly Section 27. The setting up of markets areas,
markets yards and regulating use of the facilities within such area or yards
by levy of market fee is a matter of local interest and would be covered by
Entry 28 of List II and thus within the legislative competence of the State.

F
If any portion of the market area or the market yards is used for the sale or
purchase of tobacco, that too will be within the State's competence. To hold
...
to the contrary would be to ignore the exclusive powers of the States to
legislate in respect of markets and fairs under Entries 28 and 66 of List II.

15. State of Agricultural produce.
(I) No agricultural produce, specified in notification under sub-section (I) of section 4
G shall be bought or sold by any person at any place in the market area other than the
relevant principal market yard or sub-market yard or yards established therein except
such quantity as may on this behalf be prescribed for retail or sale or personal
consumption.
(2) The sale and purchase of such agricultural produce in such area notwithstanding
anything contained in any law be made by means of open auctionor tender system
except in cases of such class or description of produe as may be exempted by the
H Board.
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [RUMA PAL, J.) 525
The Markets Act does not seek to regulate either the "manufacture or A
production" of tobacco (assuming that agricultural produce can be
manufactured) and thus does not impinge upon the Tobacco Act in so far as
it is at all relatable to Entry 52 of List I. All the provisions of the Markets
Act, in my view, are clearly relatable to Entry 28 of List II given the scope
of the entry as discussed earlier. The State in the circumstances, was not
incompetent to incidentally also legislate with regard to tobacco and "the B
semantic sweep of Entry 52 did not come in the way of the State Legislature
making laws on subjects within its sphere and not directly going to the heart
of the industry itself' . 16 In my opinion, therefore, Sections 15 and 27 of the
Markets Act in pith and substance are relatable to Entries 28 and 66 of List
II and have been competently enacted by the State. Incidentally it is nobody's C
case that the fee charged under Section 27 does not represent a quid pro quo
for the services rendered and facilities afforded in the market area. It follows
that Parliament is incompetent to legislate for the setting up or regulation of
'markets and fairs' within the meaning of the phrase in entry 28 of List II,
even in respect of tobacco. It may of course incidentally trespass into the
States legislative field, provided (I) the trespass is an inseparable part of the D
provisions validly passed and (2) the State has not already fully occupied its
field with conflicting statutory provisions. ·

Let us consider the scope of the Tobacco Act. The Statement of Objects
and Reasons of the Tobacco Act shows that the enactment was necessary in E
view of the fact that India is the third largest producer of tobacco in the
world, the sixth largest among the tobacco exporting countries and the second
largest exporter of virginia tobacco. The manifest intention of Parliament was
to take measures to ensure that the tobacco particularly virginia tobacco met
the demands of the markets in India and abroad both qualitatively and
'. -<I
quantitatively. The Act. which extends to the whole of India has, however, F
not been brought entirely into force in all the States. Chapter I contains the
first three Sections. Section I, sub-section (3) provides for the Act coming
into force on such dates as the Central Government may, by notification in
the Official Gazette, appoint; provided that different dates may be appointed
for different provisions for the Act and for different States or different parts G
thereof. Section 2 contains the necessary declaration in terms of Entry 52 List
I in relation to the tobacco industry.

Chapter II of the Act consists of Sections 4 to 8 and deals with the

16. Ganga Sagar Corporation ltd v. State ofUttar Pradesh, (1980] I SCC 223. H
\
526 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A establishment and functions of the Tobacco Board. Section 8 (!)casts a 'duty
on the Board to promote the development of the tobacco industry'. Sub-
section (2) prescribes some specific measures which may be taken by the ->\
Board. Those which are of relevance are noted:

"8(2) (a) .......... .
B
(b) keeping a constant watch on the virginia tobacco market both in
India and abroad, and ensuring that the growers get a fair and
remunerative price for the same and that these are no wide fluctuations
in the prices of the commodity;

C (c) maintenance and improvement of existing markets, and
development of new markets outside India for Indian virginia tobacco
and its products and devising of marketing strategy in consonance
with demand for the commodity outside India, including group
marketing under limited brand names;

D (cc) establishment by the Board of auction platform with the previous
approval of the Central Government for the sale of virginia tobacco
by registered grower or curers and functioning of the Board as an
auctioneer at auction platform established by or registered with it
subject to such conditions as may be specified by the Central
Government.
E

(e) regulating in other respects virginia tobacco marketing in India
and export of virginia tobacco having due regard to the interests of
growers, manufacturers and dealers and the nation;
F
(g) purchasing virginia tobacco from growers when the same is
considered necessary or expedient for protecting the interests of the
growers and disposal of the same in India or abroad as and when
considered appropriate; .................."

G Sections 10 to 15 are in Chapter III which deals with Regulation of
Production and Disposal of Tobacco, for registration/licensing not only of the
growers including nursery growers (Section 10, I 0-A) but also curers (Section
11), processors and manufacturers (Section 11-A), graders and storers (11-
B), and exporters, dealers, packers or auctioneers (Section 12).

H Of particular relevance are Sections 13 and 13A which provide for
I.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [RUMA PAL, J.) 527
.. virginia tobacco to be sold at registered auction platforms or auction platforms A
established by the Board, and places a duty on registered dealers and exporters
to purchase tobacco only at such auction platforms. However, in those States
in which Section 13 is not in force, under Section 13B dealers purchasing
virginia tobacco must pay the full price for the whole quantity and are restricted
from taking recourse to any such practice which may be specified as unfair B
by the Board.

Section 14 deals with the forms for registration and Section 15 with the
power of inspection to ascertain whether the particulars in the forms are
correct. Apart from these sections, according to the appellants, Section 14-A
in particular occupies the field with respect to levy of fees on the sale of C
tobacco. It reads:

"14-A(I) Where virginia tobacco is sold at any auction platform
established by the Board under this Act, it shall be competent for the
Board or for any officer of the Board authorised by it in this behalf
to levy fees, for the services rendered by the Board in relation to such D
sale, at such rate not exceeding two percent of the value of such
tobacco as the Central Government may from time to time, by
notification in the Official Gazette, specify;

(2) The fees levied under sub-section ( 1) shall be collected by the
Board or such officer equally from the seller of the Virginia tobacco E
and the purchaser of such tobacco, in such manner as may be
prescribed."

The contents of Chapter IV and V of the Act need not detain us as they
deal with aspects far removed from the Markets Act. Of the last Chapter viz.
Chapter VI, two Sections are noteworthy viz. Section 30(1) which allows the F
Central Government to suspend provisions of the Act in respect of certain
territories and Section 31 which reads:

- 31. The provisions of this Act shall be in addition to, and not in
derogation of, the provisions of any other law for the time being
in force." G
The object of the Tobacco Act is to keep a control on the quality and
quantity of tobacco grown in the country with an eye on the international
markets. The location of domestic markets for sale of tobacco can hardly be
described as a necessary concomitant to the achievement of this object.
Assuming it is, fairly read, it is possible to reconcile the allegedly conflicting H
528 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A provisions of the two statutes by a reasonable and practical construction of
their provisions. The use of the word "markets" and marketing in the Tobacco
Act, including Section 8, does not mean a market in the sense the word has .
been used in the Markets Act. It is obvious from phrases such as "the Virginia
Tobacco market'', 'development of new markets outside India' etc. that the
word has been used in the sense of"sale as controlled by supply and demand;
B especially a demand for a commodity or service" 17 - in this case tobacco. The
Tobacco Act is not concerned so much with the 'where' but with the 'how',
the tobacco is disposed of. Even when the Tobacco Act speaks of setting up
of auction platforms it does not indeed it could not say where the auction
platforms are to be set up.
c
Since States are exclusively competent to decide on the location of
markets, the authorities under the Tobacco Act would have to comply with
the municipal laws and set up the auction platforms only within the permissible
areas. If the facilities afforded under the Markets Act are utilised, the facilities
D will have to be paid for and the authorities appointed to levy and collect fees
for the purpose under the Markets Act would be competent to do so. If
further facilities are offered at the Auction Platforms under the Tobacco Act,
fees may be levied under Section 14-A of that Act. The right to levy fees
under the two acts, therefore, may not necessarily conflict, the levy not being •
in the alternative but additional. Assuming this is not possible and there is
E any conflict, the provisions of the Markets Act and not the Tobacco Act
would prevail.

Even if Sections 15 and 27 of the Markets Act are not referable to
Entries 28 and 66 of List II and are referable to Entries 26 and 27 of List II-
·nevertheless these Sections of the Markets Act do not trespass on turf reserved
F by Parliament under Entry 52 of List I? State legislation on the supply and
distribution of goods as well as trade and commerce therein which are relatable
to Entries 26 and 27, is only subject to the Central enactment if any under

G
Entry 33 of the Concurrent List and not Entry 52 of List I. Furthermore,
whether or not any portion of the Tobacco Act relates to an "industry" within
the meaning of Entry 52 List I, following the logic of Tika Ramji at least
-
those provisions relating to the disposal of tobacco are not so relatable. The
declaration under Entry 52 List I does not cover these provisions and the
States were free to legislate under Entries 26 and 27 of List II on tobacco.
I do not propose to decide whether the provisions of the Tobacco Act dealing

H 17. The New Shoner Oxford English Dictionary.
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [RUMA PAL, J.] 529
with the sale of tobacco may be sustained with reference to Entry 33 of List A
III. It is an unnecessary exercise because the appellants did not argue this,
and also because, as I have said earlier, the Constitutional validity of the
provisions of the Tobacco Act has not been referred to this Bench for scrutiny.

Assuming that Chapter Ill of the Tobacco Act are covered by Entry 52
of List I, nevertheless the Parliament did not intend to invalidate any portion B
of the Markets Act. It has consciously clarified by Section 31 that it does not
intend to occupy the entire field and has 'made space' for the State legislation
and made it clear that the provisions of the Central Act shall be in addition
to and not in derogation of any other law. The Section assumes greater
significance since most of the Markets Acts were in place when the Tobacco C
Act was enacted. There are two ways in which such a saving clause as is
contained in Section 31 of the Tobacco Act may be understood. There is the
way which found favour with this Court in M Karunanidhi v. Union of
India, [ 1979] 3 SCC 431 which held that such a section clearly evinced the
intention of the dominant legislature leaving "no room for any argument that
the State Act was in any way repugnant to the Central Act". There is the D
other way of reading such a section in the dominant legislation as incorporating
or taking under its legislative umbrella the allegedly conflicting provisions of
the subservient statute. Either way, the express words in Section 31 coupled
with the duty of Courts to reconcile and uphold legislation, if possible, can
only result in upholding the constitutional validity of the Market fee imposed E
by the State.

A further compelling circumstance to uphold the levy of market fee is
the fact that several provisions of Chapter Ill of the Tobacco Act particularly
those dealing with the setting up of auction platforms, namely, Sections 13
• and 13A, and Section 14 A relating to the levy of fees on the sale of tobacco F
have not been brought into operation in any State in India except for the State
of Karnataka. I have already stated the reasons why the provisions relating
to sale of tobacco in the Tobacco Act do not come within the definition of
'industry' and are not covered by the declaration under Entry 52 of List I.
But granting for the sake of argument that the sale of tobacco comes within G
the definition of industry until the Central Government chooses to actually
occupy the field by effective legislation, it would remain open for the State
Legislature to cover that field under Entry 24 of List II. It is difficult to adopt
an interpretation which would debar the States from the right to provide for
the sale of tobacco only within market Areas and levy market fees although
Parliament does not now and may never seek to bring Sections 13, IJA and H

'
530 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A 14A into operation in those States. This view finds support in the
pronouncement of a Constitution Bench in Ishwari Khetan Sugar Mills (P)
Ltd v. State of Uttar Pradesh (supra) when it was construing the impact of
a declaration under Entry 52 of List 1, it was said that legislation for assuming
control containing the declaration under Entry 52 of List I must spell out the
B limit of control so assumed by the declaration. Therefore, the degree and
extent of control that would be acquired by Parliament pursuant to the
declaration would necessarily depend upon the legislation enacted spelling
out the degree of control assumed.

In Belsund Sugar (supra), one of the controversies raised related to a
C conflict between the provisions of the Markets Act and the Tea Act, 1953.
There too, the Tea Act envisaged that an order might be passed under Section "
30 relating to the sale and purchase of tea. The contention that the mere
possibility of issuance of such a control order under Section 30 of the Tea
Act was sufficient to oust the State Legislature from the field, was negatived
in the following words:
D
" ... mere possibility of issuance of any future order under Section
30( I) of the Tea Act by the Central Government in the absence of
any existing express order to that effect, cannot be said to have
occupied the field regarding purchase and sale of manufactured tea
and fixation of maximum or minimum price thereof, or the location
E of such sales. These topics cannot be said to be legitimately covered
by the Tea Act. Hence, the field is wide open for the State Legislature
to exercise its concurrent legislative power under Entry 33 of List III
for effectively dealing with these matters."

Therefore, even if one were to concede that there is a conflict between
F the provision in the Markets Act prohibiting sale of tobacco otherwise than •
in a market area and the setting up of auction platforms under the Tobacco
Act, and between the States power to levy market fee under the Markets Act
and the levy of fee on the sale of tobacco under the Tobacco Act, at least in
those States where Sections 13, 13A and 14A of the Tobacco Act are not
G operative, the provisions of the Markets Act must prevail.

It now remains for me to answer the question which was referred to this
Bench, namely whether ITC Ltd v. State of Karna/aka (Supra) has been
rightly decided. The majority opinion on the issue of legislative competence
of the State Legislature was delivered by Fazal Ali, J. In striking down that
H part of the Karnataka Markets Act which provided for the power to levy
I.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [RUMA PAL, J.] 531
market fee on tobacco and its products, the opinion was based on six premises, A
each of which do not appear to be in consonance with the law.

First - The Court proceeded on the basis that the Tobacco Act was
wholly and solely relatable to Entry 52 of List I. I have already given my
reasons for holding that the Tobacco Act in so far as it deals with the disposal
of tobacco is not within Entry 52 of List I. B
Second - Article 246(4) was relied on to hold that Parliament had
overriding power "to legislate in exceptional cases in matters appearing in
the State List". Article 246( 4) has no manner of application to the present
dispute. It reads : C
"(4) Parliament has power to make laws with respect to any matter
for any part of the territory of India not included in a State
notwithstanding that such matter is a matter enumerated in the State
-· List."

The Sub-Article only deals with the power of Parliament to make laws D
in respect of Union Territories even in n:spect of matters enumerated in the
State List.

Third - It was held to be "well settled that where two Acts, one passed
by the Parliament and the other by State Legislature collide and there was no E
question of harmonizing them, then the Central Legislation must prevail".
What is well settled is that if the Parliament and the State Legislature enact
conflicting legislation in respect of the same subject matter under an Entry
in the Concurrent List then only will the Central Legislation prevail. In other
cases it will be a question of whether the conflicting legislation is referable
to an exclusive entry under the State List or the Union List, after the F
determination of which, the dominant legislation will prevail.

Fourth - It was said that if the minority view (expressed by Mukharji-
J) were accepted, it would "amount to robbing the I 975 Act of its entire
content and essential import by handing over the power of legislation to the G
State Government which per se has been taken over by the Parliament under
Article 246 by the 1975 Act". Mukharji-J had in fact followed Tika Ramji
and held correctly that the Tobacco Act and Markets Act operated in their
respective fields and that there was no repugnancy if both the Acts were
considered in the light of their respective true nature and character. Tika
Ramji and the other Constitution Bench decisions following it were not even H
532 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2002] I S.C.R.

A referred to by the majority.
Fifth - In determining the impact of Entry 52 of List I vis a viz entry
28 of List II, the majority relied on decisions dealing with Entry 54 of List
I, and Entry 23 of List II. The scope of the entries are different and I agree
with the view expressed in the opinion of my learned Brother Pattanaik, J
B that the decisions relied upon by the majority viz the Hingir Rampur Coal
Co. Ltd v. State of Orissa, AIR (1961) SC 459, Baijnath Kedia v. State of
Bihar, (1969] 3 SCC 838; Bharat Cooking Coal Ltd. v. State of Bihar, (1990]
4 SCC 557 and State of Orissa v. MA. Tullock & Co., [1964] 4 SCR 461 are
inapposite.
c The final premise on which the majority based their view that the States
could not levy any market fee on Tobacco, was that since the assent of the
President was not taken, the Karnataka Markets Act 1980, was wholly
incompetent. The view proceeds on a misinterpretation of Article 254(2),
which in any event has no application to this case. Article 254(2) provides: ·-
D
"(2) Where a law made by the Legislature of a State with respect to
one of the matters enumerated in the Concurrent List contains any
provision repugnant to the provisions of an earlier law made by
Parliament or an existing law with respect to that matter, then, the
law so made by the Legislature of such State shall, if it has been
E reserved for the consideration of the President and has received his
assent, prevail in that State."

The language is clear. It only deals with the question of supremacy and
not competence. In respect of conflicting legislation under the Concurrent
F List, if the State Legislation has received the assent of the President, it will
prevail over the Central Legislation in that State. The Article does not provide
that State Legislation without the assent of the President is incompetent.

In the circumstances I would hold that ITC v. State of Karnataka (Supra)
was wrongly decided and would for the reasons discussed uphold the
G competence of the State Legislatures to levy market fee on tobacco.
BRIJESH KUMAR, J. I have the privilege of going through the
judgments, separately prepared by my esteemed colleagues Brother G.B. ~
Pattanaik, Brother Y.K. Sabharwal, and Mrs. Ruma Pal, J.J.

H In all the three judgments, the facts as well as the relevant provisions
1.T.C. LTD. v. ~.P.M.C. [BRIJESHKUMAR, J.] 533
of the law and the decisions on the subject have been very elaborately and A
lucidly discussed. Hence, it would not be necessary to·go into those matters
all again. The main question, however, which has been considered is as to
whether the case ITC Ltd. v. State of Karnataka, [1985] Supp. I S.C.R. 145
has been correctly decided or not. In the above cited case; it has been held
that once Tobacco Industry, in the public interest, was declared as such under B
Entry 52 of List I of VIIth Schedule of the Constitution, the State Legislatures
ceased to be competent to legislate on the subject viz. Tobacco Industry, in
conflict with the laws made by the Parliament, namely, the Tobacco Board
Act 1975. The State Act of Karnataka levying market fee on sale of tobacco
in the market area was thus held to be invalid. The whole legislative field in
relation to the subject of tobacco including its sale as an agricultural produce C
was held to have vested in the Parliament. While holding so reliance was
placed on the decisions of this Court reported in State of Orissa v. M.A.
Tullock & Co., [1964] 4 SCR 461 and Baij Nath Kedia v. State of Bihar and
Ors., [I 969] 3 SCC 838. Mr. Justice Mukherjee, however, took a different
view holding that both Acts, namely, the Tobacco Board Act 1975 and the
Kamataka Agricultural Produce Market Act could operate together without D
offending each other. Therefore, the other question for consideration before
this Bench has been as to whether provisions of the two Acts viz. Tobacco
Board Act and State Act could operate together or not.

Different States, namely, Bihar, UP., Tamil Nadu and Ors. have similar E
State Legislations levying market fee on sale of agricultural produce including
Tobacco. The same question arose for consideration in respect of these States
as well, in one way or the other.

Brother Pattanaik, in his judgment has found that the ITC Case (supra)
has been correctly decided, though reasons for holding so were slightly F
different than the reasons on the basis of which the judgment was rendered
in the ITC case. It has been further held that once Parliament takes over the
control of a particular industry in the interest of the said industry as well as
in the national interest, the control should be effective and should be in such
a manner that the desired object can be achieved. Therefore, whole legislative G
field was o~en to the Parliament to legislate on the subject of tobacco industry
including growing of tobacco as well as its sale and purchase. It has also
been held that in any case, entrenching into the legislative field of an entry
in th.: other list on a matter which may be ancillary or incidental thereto,
would not invalidate the legislation. On the other question it has been found
that the two Acts, namely, Tobacco Board Act 1975 and the State Agricultural H
534 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A Produce Marketing Act cannot operate simultaneously.

Brother Sabharwal, J., has broadly held that the decision in Tika Ramji
v. State of UP, [I 956] SCR 393 holds good for the purposes of meaning to
be assigned to the expression 'industry' occurring in Entry 52 of List I. The
B pre-manufacture activity relating to growing and sale of tobacco cannot be
subject matter of legislation by the Parliament by virtue of declaration of
tobacco industry under Entry 52 of List I of the VII th Schedule. The power
of State legislation to legislate on the subject in the List II of the Vllth
Schedule e.g. Entry 14, 28 etc. remains unaffected. It has also been held that
the State Act and the Central Act cannot operate simultaneously whereas
C Hon'ble Ruma Pal J. has also found that power of the State Legislature to
make laws relating to tobacco as agricultural produce, its sale and levy of
market fee was not affected since it cannot be said to be covered by the
expression "industry" in Entry 52 of List-I of the Vllth Schedule. The l.T.C.
case (supra) has been held to be wrongly decided. It has, however, been held (

that the Tobacco Board Act 1975 and the State Act can simultaneously operate
D without offending each other. In case it may not be possible, the provisions
of Markets Act and not the Tobacco Act would prevail.

As noticed earlier the majority view in the ITC Case (supra) has been
upheld in the judgment of Brother Pattanaik, on slightly different reasoning
E and the decisions of this Court in MA. Tullock and Baij Nath Kedia (Supra)
dealing with legislation on Mining and relied upon in the majority judgment
of ITC case (supra) have been found to be not relevant for the decision. It is
true, while legislating on any subject covered under an entry of any list, there
can always be a possibility of entrenching upon or touching the field of
legislation of another entry of the same List or another List for matters which
F may be incidental or ancillary thereto. In such eventuality, inter alia, broad
and liberal interpretation of an entry in the list may certainly be required. An
absolute or watertight compartmentalization of heads of subject for legislation
may not be possible but at the same time entrenching into the field of another
entry cannot mean its total sweeping off even though it may be in the exclusive
G List of heads of subjects for legislation by the other Legislature. As in the
present case the relevant heads of subject in List II, other than entry 24,
cannot be made to practically disappear from List II and assumed to have
crossed over in totality to List I by virtue of declaration of Tobacco Industry
under entry 52 of List I, in the guise of touching or entrenching upon the
subjects of the list II. I therefore, append my full agreement with the
H conclusions and judgment of Brother Sabharwal J. on all points.
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PA TT ANAIK, J.] 535

PATTANAIK, J. Leave granted in all the Special Leave Petitions. A
I.T.C. Limited filed a writ petition under Articles 226 and 227 of the
Constitution of India before the Patna High Court against an order of
assessment passed by the Agricultural Produce Market Committee, Monghyr,
demanding a sum of Rs. 35,87 ,072, inter alia, on the ground that the purchase B
of unprocessed tobacco leaves from the growers, being the subject matter of
the levy, the Market Committee has no power to levy and collect fee. The
stand taken before the High Court was that tobacco leaves neither having
been bought or sold within the market area and the power to levy and collect
market fee under Section 27 of the Bihar Agricultural Produce Markets Act,
being on the Agricultural produce bought or sold in the market area, the C
Market Committee was not entitled to levy market fee. The Division Bench
however, without entering into the aforesaid controversy, came to the
conclusion that no clear notice appears to have been given to the company
to produce the records for the purpose of satisfying the Market Committee
that the tobacco leaves in question, were either not processed or exported
from the market area and, therefore, the company must be given a fresh D
opportunity of adducing all the relevant documents before the Market
Committee to escape the presumption arising out of proviso to Section 27 of
the Act. The High Court having remitted the matter to the Market Committee
for passing a fresh assessment order, the company has approached this Court,
which is the subject matter in Civil Appeal No. 6453 of 2001 arising out of E
SLP (Civil) No. 12374/84. When the Special Leave Petition was listed before
a Bench of this Court in February, 1987, the judgment of this Court in/. T.C.
Ltd. etc. v. State of Karnataka, reported in [ 1985] Supp. 1 S.C.R. 145 had
been placed. The Bench tentatively being of the view that the decision of this
Court requires reconsideration directed that the matter be placed before a
Constitution Bench of five Judges and that is how the matter has been placed F
before the Constitution Bench. Subsequent to the Bihar case, similar cases
arising out of judgment of other High Courts on being assailed before this
Court, those cases also have been tagged on to this case. When this batch of
cases had been earlier listed before a Constitution Bench and arguments had
been advanced on behalf of company, the Court felt that it would be appropriate G
to issue notice to the Attorney General and the Advocate Generals of all the
States, as most of the States have their State Act called the Agricultural
Produce Market Act and pursuant to the order of this Court dated I 0th of
April, 200 I, notices were issued to Advocate Generals of all the States as
well as to the Ld. Attorney General, whereafter this case has been heard by
this Bench. H
536 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2002) I S.C.R.

A Different State Legislatures have enacted Agricultural Produce and
Markets Act for regulating sale and purchase of the agricultural produce
within the market area and for levy and collection of market-fee. Parliament >
having declared that it is expedient in the public interest that Union should
take under its control the tobacco industry, enacted the Tobacco Board Act,
B 1975 which is an Act to provide for the development of tobacco industry
u11der the control of the Union Government. Under the Agricultural Produce
Markets Act, the State Government having notified 'tobacco' as an agricultural
produce, the purchase and sale of tobacco is to be regulated under the
provisions of the State Act and the Market Committee has the right to levy
and collect market-fee on such sale and purchase of the notified agricultural
C produce viz. the tobacco. In a case arising from the State of Karnataka, this
Court by a majority of 2: I, came to hold that the tobacco industry having
been taken over by the Central Government under Entry 52 of List I and
having passed the Tobacco Board Act, the State Legislature ceases to have
any jurisdiction to legislate in that field and, therefore, the provisions contained
in the Karnataka Act, entitling the Market Committee to levy market-fee in
D respect of sale and purchase of tobacco within the market area directly,
collides with the Tobacco Board Act, 1975 and as such the State Act so far
as it relates to tobacco was struck down. The minority view expressed by
Justice Mukherjee was, however, to the effect that both Acts can operate in
their respective fields and there is no repugnancy if both the Acts are
E considered in the light of their respective true nature and character. The
majority view relied upon the decisions of this Court in Stale of Orissa v.
M.A. Tulloch and Co., [ 1964) 4 SCR 461 and Baij Nath Kedia v. State of
Bihar and Ors., [ 1969) 3 S.C.C. 838.

The other matter, arising out of the judgment of Patna High Court is
,.. .
F one filed by Agricultural Produce Market Committee, against a similar order
as in Civil Appeal No. 6453 of 200 I, remanding the matter for making a
fresh assessment order, after issuing notice to the ITC. So far as Civil Appeals
arising out of the judgment of Allahabad High Court is concerned, the Division
Bench of Allahabad High Court followed the judgment of this Court in ITC
G v. The State of Karnataka, [ 1985) (Suppl.) Supreme Court Cases, 476, and
held that Mandi Samiti cannot charge a market fee on sale and purchase of
Tobacco, and consequently Krishi Utpadan Mandi Samiti has preferred the
appeals in question. Civil Appeal No. 3872 of 1990 also arises out of a
judgment of Allahabad High Court and the Tobacco Merchants' Association
and Ors., are the appellants. The Full Bench of Allahabad High Court
H considered the constitutional validity of U.P. Krishi Utpadan Mandi
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.) 537
Adhiniyam, 1964, and came to hold, that the Adhiniyam permitting levy and A
collection of fee under Section I 7(iii), in so far as it applies to tobacco, is not
repugnant to the provisions of Tobacco Board Act and further held that the
decision of the Supreme Court in Ram Chander Kai/ash Kumar v. State of
UP. is binding, notwithstanding the subsequent decision of the Supreme
Court in the case of ITC v. State of Karnataka (supra), and, therefore, the
Tobacco Merchants' Association has assailed the legality of the aforesaid B
Full Bench decision. So far as the State of Tamil Nadu is concerned, the
Tamil Nadu Agricultural Marketing Board has assailed the judgment of the
Division Bench of the High Court as the High Court followed the judgment
of this Court in the ITC case and held that the State Legislature has no
legislative power or competence to notify tobacco for the purpose of control C
and regulation and levy market fee under the provisions of Tamil Nadu
Regulation Act, 1959. In fact the High Court held that the ratio of majority
opinion in ITC case squarely applies and, therefore, the State Legislature of
Tamil Nadu has no legislative power to notify or provide for notifying tobacco
for the purpose of control, regulation and levy of fee or other charges under
the provisions of Tamil Nadu Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1959. D
Jayalakshmi Tobacco Company filed a Civil Writ Petition No. 8614 of
1982 under Article 32, challenging the constitutional validity of certain
provisions of Kamataka Agricultural Produce Marketing (Regulation) Act;·
1966, on the ground that in view of Tobacco Board Act, 1975 and Tobacco E ·
Association Act, 1975, the entire field regarding the development of tobacco
industry including the m<trketing of tobacco was occupied and the State
legislation is repugnant to the Central Act.

-... So far as 12 appeals arising out of the judgments of Madhya Pradesh
High Court are concerned, the High Court of Madhya Pradesh followed the F
judgment of this Court in the ITC case and held that the Market Committee
will not be entitled to realise any market fee in relation to the trade with
regard to tobacco since the Market Committee Act is repugnant to the Tobacco
Board Act. It may be stated that though the Writ Petition had been filed
challenging the constitutional validity of the State Act, the High Court held G
the M.P. Krishi Utpadan Mandi Adhiniyam 1972 as amended by M.P. Krishi
Utpadan Mandi Sanshodhan Adhiniyam, 1986 to be valid.

Mr. Shanti Bhushan, learned senior counsel appeared for ITC, and
argued that the majority view in the decision of ITC case is correct and once
Parliament has made a law relating to tobacco industry, which provides for H
538 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002) I S.C.R.

A the manner and place of sale as well as levy of fee on the sale, the Market
Committee Act enacted by the State Legislature, providing levy of fee for
sale of the tobacco within the market area will be repugnant to the Central
law, and therefore, the State Act, so far as it deals with tobacco, must be held
to be ultra vires.

B Mr. Rakesh Dwivedi, the learned senior counsel, appearing for the
State of Bihar, on the other hand contended, that the majority decision in ITC
case must be held to be contrary to several Constitution Bench decisions of
this Court starting from -Tika Ramji v. State of U.P. [1956] SCR 393, and the
word 'industry' in Entry 52 of List I must be given a limited meaning. So
C construed, according to Mr. Dwivedi, the Parliament cannot be said to have
legislative competence to make law in relation to growing of raw tobacco, or
even sale thereof, and to that extent the Tobacco B9ard Act must be held to
be invalid. According to him the State Legislature was fully competent to
enact the Agricultural Market Committee Act, and providing therein, for levy
of fee for sale and purchase of agricultural produce including tobacco. Apart
D from the main arguments, advanced by these two learned senior counsel,
several other counsel appearing for Market Committee, namely, Mr. Ashok
Ganguli, appearing in Tamil Nadu case, Dr. A.M. Singhvi, appearing for
Market Committee, Monghyr , Mrs. Shobha Dikshit, appearing for Krishi
Mandi of Farukkabad, Mr. Pramod Swarup appearing in the case arising out
E of the judgment of Allahabad High Court, Mr. G.L. Sanghi appearing for
Krishi Mandi in the Madhya Pradesh batch of appeals, supported the arguments
advanced by Mr. Dwivedi. Mr. G.L. Sanghi, the learned senior counsel
appearing for Madhya Pradesh Krishi Mandi, in M.P. batch of appeals
submitted for re-conciliation of both the Acts, and contended that there exists
no repugnancy and both Acts can be allowed to operate. Mr. Trivedi, the
F learned Additional Solicitor General, appearing for the Attorney General of
India, however, contended, that the constitutionality of Tobacco Act, not
having been assailed in any of these cases, the Court need not embark upon
an enquiry with regard to the competence of Parliament to enact the Tobacco
Board Act under Entry 52 List I of the Vllth Schedule. He also further
G contended, that the tobacco industry having been notified, as an industry, the
control of which the Parliament thought it expedient to be taken over in the
public interest, and the Tobacco Board Act having been enacted, there cannot
be any limitation for exercise of power of the Parliament even in relation to
the growing of tobacco or sale of tobacco at specified place as well as levy
of fee for such sale, and in that view of the matter, the Market Committee
H Act providing levy of market fee on sale and purchase of tobacco within the
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK. J.] 539
market area must be struck down. It is true, as contended by the learned A
Additional Solicitor General that the constitutional validity of the Tobacco
Board Act had not been assailed in any of these cases, and only in this Court,
Mr. Rakesh Dwivedi, the learned senior counsel, appearing for the State of
Bihar raised the contention in view of the judgment of this Court in ITC case.
Ordinarily, this Court does not embark upon an enquiry on the constitutionality B
"Of the legislation if that had not been assailed. But taking into account the
procedure, that had already been adopted, and noticing all the Advocate
Generals and the Attorney General, in view of the amplitude of arguments
advanced by the counsel for the parties, we do not think it appropriate to
dispose of this batch of cases without examining the constitutional validity of
the Tobacco Board Act, enacted by the Parliament under Entry 52 of List I. C
In fact the main thrust of the rival contention centers round the same.

Mr. Shanti Bhushan, learned senior counsel appearing for the ITC Ltd.
Contended, that Entry 52 of List I of the VII th Schedule of the Constitution
requires the Parliament to make a declaration by law identifying an industry,
the control of which is expedient to be taken over by the Union in the public D
interest. Once such a declaration is made by the Parliament, the entire gamut
would be within the legislative competence of Parliament to make law, and
the very industry having been made the subject of legislation, the Parliament
gets exclusive power under Article 246( I) of the Constitution. Article 246(1)
itself being, notwithstanding anything in Clauses 2 and 3 of such Article, E
once Parliament makes a law in relation to control of an industry in respect
of which a declaration has been made, the State Legislature will be denuded
of its power to make any law in respect of that industry. Mr. Shanti Bhushan
contends that every Entry in the Legislative List has to be construed in its
widest sense, as was held by this Court in Harakchand Ratanchand Banthia
& Ors. etc. v. Union of India & Ors., (1970] I SCR 479, and even Privy F
Council has also laid down the said proposition. There is, therefore, no rational
to give restrictive meaning to the expression 'industry' in Entry 52 of List I
of the Vllth Schedule. The learned counsel placed reliance on the meaning
of the word 'industry' contained in Encyclopedia of Britannica, which indeed
is too wide and submitted, the Court cannot and ought not give a restricted G
meaning to the expression so as to denude the legislative authority to make
law on the subject. The learned counsel made a reference to laws made by
the Parliament, on a declaration being made in terms of Entry 52 of List I,
namely, the Cardomon Act, 1965; The Central Silk l:loard Act, 1958; The
Coffee Act, 1942; The Rubber Act, 1947; The Tea Act, 1953; The Coir
Industry Act, 1953; The Coconut Development Board Act, 1979 and The H
540 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A Tobacco Board Act, 1975. The learned counsel urged that the Industries
(Development & Regulation) Act, 1951, had declared only certain
manufacturing industries, but that by itself will not denude the Parliament of
its legislative competence to make. law over any industry once a declaration,
in terms of Entry 52 of List I is made, vesting the entire control over the
B industry with the Union Government. According to Mr. Shanti Bhushan, the
Constitution Bench decision in Harakchand's case (1970] 1 SCR 479, fully
answers this question. The learned counsel contends that the Entries in the
three lists are only the heads or fields of legislation demarcating the area over
which the appropriate legislalture can operate. The legislative entries must be
given a large and liberal interpretation, reason being that the allocation of
C subjects to the lists is not by way of scientific or logical definition but is a
mere enumeration of broad and comprehensive categories. According to Mr.
Shanti Bhushan, in the Constitution Bench decision of this Court in Harakchand
(supra) while construing the expression 'industry' in Entry 52 of List I the
wider definition of the Industry in the Webster's Dictionary has been approved
and, therefore. there is no justification in giving the expression any restrictive
D meaning. The learned counsel also urged that in the very same case, construing
Entry 27 of List II, the Court observed that the Entry Indusry is a special
Entry while Entry 27 dealing with production, supply and distribution of
goods is a general Entry. Mr. Shanti Bhushan contends that the word 'industry',
if has been held to be a special Entry, whether in Entry 24 of the List II or
E Entry 7 and Entry 52 of List I, law made under that Entry must prevail over
any law which could be referrable to a general Entry. According to Mr.
Shanti Bhushan, applying the ratio in Harakchand (supra), it must be held
that the majority view in the ITC case is correct. Mr. Shanti Bhushan further
urged, a particular industry, in respect of which a declaration is made by the
Parliament in terms of Entry 52 of List I, the ind•istry itself having become
F a subject of Parliamentary Legislation, any provision contained therein, which
have a reasonable nexus would be within the legislative competence of the
Parliament under Article 246( I) of the Constitution and would be valid.
According to the learned counsel, a law dealing with the raw-material of a
declared industry cannot be held to be having no nexus with the industry
G itself and if the Parliament would be denuded of its power to make law,
dealing with raw-material of the declared industry then the very purpose of
making a declaration and taking over the control of the industry in the interest ..,
of the public would be frustrated. If the Parliament does not choose to cover
all aspects of that industry and may confine the regulation of that industry
only with regard to the manufacturing part, as was done in the Industries
H (Development & Regulation) Act, 1951, then certainly there would be no
I.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.) 541
repugnancy even if the State Legislature makes a law dealing with the raw A
materials of the notified industry, provided the State law is referable to any
of the Entries in List II. So far as the observations made by the Constitution
Bench in Tikaramji's case (supra), Mr. Shanti Bhushan contends that the
articles relatable to the scheduled industry were finished products and not
raw materials and, therefore, the Industries (Development & Regulation) Act, B
1951 did not at all purport to cover or have any provisions therein relating
to sugarcane. It was in this context the observations came to be made by this
Court in Tikaramji's case (supra) that the expression 'industry' will have a
limited meaning. Mr. Shanti Bhushan also placed reliance on the Constitution
Bench decision in Chaturbhai M Patel v. Union of India, [I 960] 2 SCR 362
which dealt with the legislative competence under the Government of India C
Act, 1935. The Court was, in that case examining the question, whether the
Central Exicse Act was beyond the legislative competence under the
Government of India Act 1935. On examining Entry 45 of the Union List and
Entries 27, 29 and 31 of the State List, the Court held that the examination
should be as to whether the Act, in question, is a law with respect to matters
enumerated in item 45 of List I, or to the matters enumerated in items 27 and D
29 of List II. Quoting the observations of Federal Court to the effect;

"It must inevitably happen from time to time that legislation,
though purporting to deal with a subject in one list, touches also on
a subject in another list, and the different provisions of the enactment E
may be so closely interwined that blind adherence to a strictly verbal
interpretation would result in a large number of statutes being declared
invalid because the legislature enacting them may appea.- to have
legislated in a forbidden sphere"

approved the same and held that it was a correct method of interpreting the p
various items in different lists. Mr. Shanti Bhushan also pointed out that in
the aforesaid judgment the Constitution Bench followed the earlier observation
of Hon'ble Hidaytullah, J. in the case of State of Rajasthan v. G. Chawla,
AIR (1959) SC 544 to the effect ;

"It is equally well settled that the power to legislate on a topic of G
legislation carries with it the power to legislate on an ancillary matter
which can be said to be reasonably included in the power given".

According to the learned counsel, it would be within the competence of the
Central Legislature to provide for matters which may otherwise fall within
the competence of the State Legislature if they are necessarily incidental to H
542 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A effective legislation by the Central Legislation on a subject of legislation
" expressly within its power. According to Mr. Shanti Bhushan, ifthe expression
'industry' is construed in the wide sense, in which it was construed by this
Court in the Constitution Bench judgment of Harakchand (supra) then the
provisions of Tobacco Board Act of 1975 would certainly be within the
B legislative competence of Parliament, notwithstanding the fact that some of
those provisions may touch upon subjects contained in the State Lists. The
learned counsel, in this connection also placed reliance on a recent decision
of this Court in the case of State Bank of India v. Yasangi Venkateswar Rao,
(1999] 2 SCC 375. With reference to the decisions of this Court in Calcutta
Gas (1962] Supp. SCR 1, the Mcdowell, (1996] 3 SCC 709 and Tikkaramji
C (supra), the learned counsel contended, that in none of these cases, the
competence of Parliament to make any law was under consideration. On the
•
other hand, both in Calcutta Gas (supra) case and in Mcdowell (supra) case,
what was under consideration is as between the two entries, if one is general
and the other is special then which law would prevail, and the Court held that
the special law would prevail over the general law. In Calcutta Gas case the
D word 'industry' in Entry 24 was held to be a general entry, whereas word
'gas and gas works' in Entry 27 was held to be a speciahntry and applying
the principle of harmonious interpretation, the Court held that the expression
'industry' will be given a limited scope so as to exclude from its ambit gas
and gas works, and it is in this sense, it was held that from the expression
E 'industry' in Entry 24 in List II the gas and gas works must be excluded. In
Mcdowell's case (supra) also the Court applied the same principle of special
excluding general and held that the production and manufacturing of liquor
would not fall under Entry 24 of List II but under Entry a of List II, which
relates to intoxicating liquor that is to say that the production, manufacture,
possession, transport, purchase and sale of intoxicating liquors. According to
F the learned counsel, these decisions will have no relevance in the context of
the present case, where the competence of the Parliament to make any law
within the ambit of Entry 52 of List I is the subject matter of scrutiny. Mr.
Shanti Bhushan also urged that Entry 27 of the State List relating to production,
supply and distribution of goods cannot be held to be a special Entry so as
G to be excluded from the purview of Entry 52 of List I. According to him the
two entries do not form the part of the same genus so as to apply in the same
field, and if the ratio in the judgment in Harakchand (supra) case is applied
then Entry 27 cannot be held to be a special Entry. He also relied upon the
Constitution Bench judgment in Waverly Jute Mills Case (1963] 3 SCR 209,
where the Court was required to examine the competence of the Parliament
H to enact Forward Contract Regulation Act, 1952 , and whether it encroached
1.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.) 543

upon the subject matter falling under Entry 26 and Entry 28 of List II. The A
Court upheld the validity of the law by holding that the Parliament has
legislative competence under Entry 48 of List I relating to stock exchanges
and future markets, and in fact it has the exclusive competence. Mr. Shanti
Bhushan contended, that apart from the fact that in Tikaramji (supra), in
Calcutta Gas (supra), in Mcdowell (supra) the competence of the Parliament B
to make law had not been assailed, and on the other hand, what was under
consideration is whether the Central Act and the State Act could be held to
cover different fields so that there was no repugnancy between the two. It
was further contended that the State Acts would be ultra vires as they related
to subject which were brought to the Union List by a declaration in terms of
Entry 52. Mr. Shanti Bhushan contends, that all the decisions in which C
constitutional validity of Parliamentary enactment was questioned on the
ground of ambit of Entry 52 of List I. the Court has upheld the validity of
the same as in Harakchand (supra). Any incidental observation where the
competence of Parliament to make law was not under assail, cannot be relied
upon for the proposition that the expression 'industry' in Entry 52 of List I
must have a restricted meaning. With special reference to Tikaramji 's case D
(supra) the learned counsel contended that the Court was not examining the
scope of word 'industry', as contained in Entry 52 of List I, as is apparent
from the discussions at page 414 of the SCR, but was examining the question,
whether raw-materials of an industry which form an integral part of the
process are within the topic of' industry' which forms the subject-matter of E
item 52 of List I as ancillary or subsidiary matters which can fairly or
reasonably be said to be comprehended in that topic and whether the Central
Legislature while legislating upon sugarcane 'industry could act within the
scope of Entry 52 of List I, and would as well legislate upon sugarcane. The
observations of the learned Judges at page 420 of the report, according to Mr.
Shanti Bhushan, are only in that context and when the Court did not go into F
the question as to whether the word 'industry' could or could not have a wide
meaning which could be applied when Parliament purported to cover other
aspects apart from the manufacturing processes, it would not be appropriate
to hold that the word 'industry' in Entry 52 of List I must be given a restricted
meaning. According to the learned counsel in Tikaramji 's (supra) the Court G
was considering the question of repugnancy and it answered by comparing
the provisions of Industries (Development and Regulation) Act with the
provisions of UP Regulation of Sugarcane Act and found that there was no
repugnancy and two were covering two different fields and could therefore,
co-exist. It is urged that a restricted meaning, being given to the expression
'industry' in Entry 7 and 52 of List I or Entry 24 of List I will have disastrous H
544 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I 3.C.R.

A consequences, inasmuch as the Parliament would declare by law a particular
industry to be necessary for the purposes of defence or for the prosecution
of war under Entry 7, and yet in such law, cannot make any provision in
respect of raw-materials or growth of any item, which may be absolutely
necessary for the industry in question.

B According to Mr. Shanti Bhushan, the learned senior counsel, the
majority judgment in ITC case, no doubt, relied upon the decisions of this
Court in State of Orissa v. MA. Tulloch, [1964] 4 SCR 461 and Baijnath
Kedia v. State of Bihar, [1969] 3 SCC 838, for the proposition that, when the
Central Government takes over an industry under Entry 52 of List I and
C passes an Act to regulate the legislation, the State Legislature ceases to have
the jurisdiction to legislate in that field, and if it does so, then it would be
ultra vires of the powers of the State Legislature as the entire field is occupied
by the Central Legislation. The case of Tulloch (supra) as welt as the case
of Baijnath (supra) deal with the laws made by the Parliament under Entry
54 of List I of the Vllth Schedllle and the Court was examining those laws
D and tile legislative competence vis-a-vis Entry 23 of List II, but those principles
laid down in Tulloch 's case (supra) as welt as in Baijnath 's case (supra)
would equally apply to the legislation made under Entry 52 of List I, as has
been held by this Court in paragraph I I of Jshwari Khetan Sugar Mills v. ...
State of U.P., [ 1980] 4 SCC 136 judgment. The learned counsel stated that
E what has been stated therein, that on a law being made by the Parliament in
respect of a particular industry the State's legisl~.tive power would stand
denuded only to the extent that any aspect related to that industry is actually
covered by the Parliamentary legislation. In other words, it is necessary to
examine the extent of coverage by the Parliament enactment, as has been
held in Ganga Sugar, and the extreme argument advanced in the case that the
F industry as a subject by itself goes out of the competence of the State
Legislature, was not accepted. According to Mr. Shanti Bhushan, it is a welt
settled principle, once a Parliamentary Legislation is enacted, whether in
exercise of its competence under Entry in List I or List III, or there is an
incidental or anciliary coverage over some Entries in the State List, and there
G is any repugnancy between the law made by the Parliament and law made by
the State Legislature, then it is only the Parliamentary law to the extent of
repugnancy which has to prevail and not the State Legislation. On the question
of the re-conciliation between the Tobacco Board Act and the Agricultural
Market Committee Act, and in relation to the provisions contained in Section
31 of the Tobacco Board Act to the effect, - "provisions of this Act shalt be
H in addition to, and not in derogation of, the provisions of any other law for
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.) 545
the time being in force", the learned counsel contends, the aforesaid provision A
by no stretch of imagination can be construed to mean, that notwithstanding
the State Legislation being repugnant to the Parliamentary law, yet the State
Legislation will be permitted to operate. According to the learned counsel,
Section 31 of the Tobacco Board Act purports to declare that if a law which
was consistent with the Tobacco Board Act and made additional requirement B
of some kind, laid down under any other Act, it should not be taken as if in
respect of any matter relating to Tobacco, all other acts whether consistent
or inconsistent with the Tobacco Act will cease to prevail. In other words, if
there is any field which is not covered by the Tobacco Board Act, and if
there was some other valid provision, then the Tobacco Board Act would not
come in the way. In support of this contention Mr. Shanti Bhushan relied C
upon the decision in M Karunanidhi v. Union of India, (1979) 3 SCC 431,
wherein in paragraph 57 this Court in unequivocal terms expressed the intention
that the State Act which was undoubtedly the dominant legislation would
only be in addition to and not in derogation of any other law for the time
being in force, which manifestly includes the Central Acts, namely, the Indian
Penal Code, the Corruption Act and the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act. In D
analysing the provisions of the Tobacco Board Act, the counsel contend, that
the intention of the Parliament is to cover the field of trade in Tobacco.
Relying upon the Constitution Bench decision in Belsund Sugar Company,
(1999) 9 SCC 620, the learned counsel contends that if a special Act deals
with regulating trade in an Article, it has to go out of the sweep of the E
Agricultural Markets Act. In this view of the matter, the Tobacco Board Act
having be.en a special Act regulating the sale and purchase of the agricultural
produce, namely, Tobacco and the Marketing Act, being of a general nature,
the Marketing Act will cease to operate in respect of Tobacco. Analysing
different provisions of the Tobacco Board Act, I 975 and the Bihar Agricultural
Produce Marketing Act the counsel urged, that the provisions cannot co-exist F
and, therefore, the majority view in ITC case rightly held that the Agricultural
Market Committee A ct, framed by the State Legislature is ultra vires.

Mr. Nageshwar Rao, learned senior counsel appearing for the Tobacco
Merchants' Association, reiterated all that had been argued by Mr. Shanti G
Bhushan, and placing reliance upon several authorities submitted, that the
Tobacco Board Act being a special Act, enacted by Parliament for controlling
the tobacco industry and making provision therein, relating to growing of
tobacco and purchase or sale of tobacco, which have direct nexus with the
tobacco industry, the general provisions of the Agricultural Produce Markets
Act will have to give way to the Tobacco Board Act, and therefore, the H
546 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002) I S.C.R.

A Market Committee would have no power to levy market fee by taking recourse
to the provisions of the Market Committee Act on the purchase and sale of
tobacco within a market area.

Mr. Rakesh Dwivedi, learned senior counsel, who led the main argument
by contending that the Parliament had no competence to make the Tobacco
B Board Act in its entirety, particularly in relation to growing and raw-materials
of the tobacco industry, appearing for the State of Bihar contended that the
subject matter 'industry' in Entry 52 of List I of the Vllth Schedule cannot
be construed to be all pervasive and the Constitution Bench of this Court in
Tikaramji (supra) conclusively held that the raw-materials which are integral
C part of the industrial process cannot be included in the process of manufacture
or production. According to Mr. Dwivedi, the Court should construe a
particular entry in the Schedule in a manner so that the other Entries in the
Schedule will not be otiose. Consequently, the raw-materials would be goods
which would comprised in Entry 27 of List II and the manufacturing process
or production would come within the ambit of expression 'industry' in Entry
D 24 of List II. Entry 24 of List II being subject to Entry 52 of List I, when
Parliament makes a law in respect of an industry in exercise of its power
referable to Entry 52 of List I then that expression cannot be wider than the
word 'industry' in Entry 24 of List II. It would, therefore, be given a restricted
meaning to the expression 'industry', as was done by this Court in Tikaramji's
E case, which was followed in Calcutta Gas, Kannan Devan Hills and Ganga
Sugar Corporation. According to Mr. Dwivedi, even in the case of B.
Viswanathaiah & Co. v. State of Karnataka, [ 1991] 3 SCC 358, a three Judge
Bench of this Court construed the declaration made in terms of Entry 52 of
List I in relation to silk industry and held that taking over the control of raw
silk industry must be restricted to the aspect of production and manufacture
F of silk yarn or silk and did not take in the earlier stages of the industry, •
namely, the supply of raw-materials. According to Mr. Dwivedi, in the
aforesaid case the Court unequivocally held that the declaration in Section 2,
which is under Entry 52 of List I, do not in any way, limit the powers of the
State Legislature to legislate in respect of goods produced by the silk industry.
G The Court so held being of the opinion that any wider interpretation to the
expression 'industry' in Entry 52 of List 1 would render Entry 33 in List 3
to be otiose and meaningless. Mr. Dwivedi also further contended that both
in Indian Aluminium Company, [1992] 3 SCC 580 as well as Sie/ Ltd. and
Ors. v. Union of India and Ors., [1998] 7 SCC 26, Tikaramji and Calcutta
Gas have been followed and it has been held that the term 'industry' in Entry
H 24 of List II and Entry 52 of List 1 could have the same meaning and it
l.T.C. LTD. v. ~.P.M.C [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.] 547
would not take within its ambit Trade and Commerce or production, supply A
and distribution of goods coming within the province of Entry 26 and 27 of
• List II. Referring to the Constitution Bench decision of this Court in Be/sund
Sugar Mills, [1999) 9 SCC 620, Mr. Dwivedi submits that in the aforesaid
case the Court was construing the provisions in Entry 28 of List II as well
as Entry 33 of List llI and sugar and sugar cane having been held as food
stuff coming within the ambit of Entry 33 of List lll, the Market Committee B
Act referable to Entries 26, 27 and 28 of List II was held to be subject to the
Sugar Cane Act. Thus industry in Entry 24 of List II and Entry 52 of List I
would not cover the subject matter coming within the ambit of Entries 26 and
27 of List II or Entry 33 of List III. It is, therefore, urged that the raw tobacco
~
which would be a produce of agriculture and thus the raw-material for the c
tobacco industry, which required to be cured and processed and for such a
raw-material for the tobacco industry, the Parliament cannot make any
legislation by making a declaration and raking over the control of tobacco
industry under Entry 52 of List l. Tobacco, not being a food stuff, the same
will also not come within the ambit of Entry 33 of List Ill, and therefore, the
raw-tobacco would continue to be within the exclusive domain of the State D
Legislature and State Legislature would have power to make law in relation
to the raw-tobacco which would be referable to Entry 14 (Agriculture), Entries
;.,
26, 27 and 28 of List II, as has been held by this Court in the Constitution
Bench decision in the case of Belsund Sugar (supra). Mr. Dwivedi contends
that judged from this angle to the extent the Tobacco Board Act seeks to E
regulate the market by providing for auction platform and by seeking to
regulate growing of raw-tobacco, must be held to be beyc.11d the competence
of Parliament, and on the other hand, is within the exclusive domain of the
State Legislature. State Legislature having provided for a market where alone
... the trade and commerce in and the production supply and distribution of
tobacco can take place, the Tobacco Board Act would cease to operate and F
it is the State law which would prevail. With reference to the judgments in
M.A. Tulloch and Baij Nath Kedia relied upon in the majority judgment of
ITC's case, Mr. Dwivedi contends that those decisions will have no application,
inasmuch as a comparison of Entry 23 of List II and Entry 54 of List I would
indicate that the head of the Legislation is one and the same, and Entry 23 G
of List II itself is subject to Entry 54 of List I. Necessarily, therefore, the
... entire field, which was there available for the State Legislature to make law
under Entry 23 of List II, once assumed by the Parliament under Entry 54 of
List I, then the State Legislature is denuded of its power. Question of giving
narrow meaning or wider meaning to the legislative Entry does not arise for
consideration in those cases. Accordingly the majority judgment of this Court H
548 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A committed error in construing the meaning to be given to the word 'industry'
under Entry 52 of List I by relying upon the decision under Mining Legislation,
which was wholly unwarranted. Mr. Dwivedi urged that even the Tobacco
Board Act has not been made operative in the State of Bihar and several
other States, for instance, Sections 13, 13A and 14A. This being the position,
B in the States where aforesaid provision had not been brought into force, there
cannot be any difficulty in allowing the State Act, namely, the Agricultural
Market Committee Act to operate. With reference to legislative history for
the expression 'industry' in Entry 52 of List I, Mr. Dwivedi contends that the
fact that a separate entry .was made for regulating trade and commerce,
production, supply and distribution of the products of controlled industry
C would suggest that the expression 'industry' in Entry 52 of List I will have
a restricted meaning. Mr. Dwivedi urged that ifthe contention of the appellant,
that the word 'industry' in Entry 52 of List I should be given a wider
interpretation is correct, then the same would be destructive of the scheme
pertaining to distribution of powers. Mr. Dwivedi refers to the judgment of
this Court in Tikaramji as well as the judgment of Full Bench of Allahabad
D High Court in SIEL case and points out as to how the law relating to trade
and commerce and production, supply and distribution of goods has been
traced in these two cases and how after the end of the second world war
when emergency was lifted, the power to enact on the subject was 'given to
the Central Legislature by India (Central Government & Legislature) Act,
E 1946. Mr. Dwivedi urged, even though under Government of India Act 1935,
the subject of trade, commerce, production, supply and distribution of goods
was within the competence of the provincial legislature, the law was made
temporarily by the Central Legislature. Under the Constitution of India, Article
369 was included which empowers the Parliament to make laws for 5 years
with respect to trade and commerce in and the production, supply and
F distribution of certain specified products. That very Article 369 shows that
the subject matters of raw-cotton, raw-jute, cotton seed etc. would be covered
by the Entries in List II and even the marginal note of Article 369 throws
sufficient light on the subject. By referring to Articles 249, 250, 252 and 253,
the learned counsel urged that they are special provisions which provide that
G in the national interest, during proclamation of emergency with the consent
of two or more States, Parliament can make law with respect of any of the
matters coming within the State List. In fact in the Constituent Assembly
there was a heated debate in relation to Article 249 and there was a strong
objection to wide power being given by that Article for legislation in the
national interest with respect to the State List. The Founding Fathers
H apprehended that in the name of national interest, the federal character of the
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.] 549

"Indian polity could be completely destroyed and India could be converted A
into a unitary State, therefore, Article 249 was re-tailored and was provided
for a shorter duration of operation of parliamentary law so made. Mr. Dwivedi
urged that the term 'industry' in Entry 7 of List I as well as Entry 52 of List
I should be confined to the process of manufacture of the industries which
are declared to be necessary for the purposes of defence or for prosecution
of war. According to Mr. Dwivedi there is no necessity or compulsion to give B
this entry a wider meaning merely because the war situation is being dealt
with in the State Entry. In such a situation Entry 33 of List III is always
available to Parliament for controlling products and Article 250 gives over
riding power to the Parliament to legislate with respect to any matter
enumerated in the State List during the period of proclamation of emergency. C
Even Articles 352 to 354 also confer sufficient power on the President to
declare by proclamation that a grave emergency exists which can be kept
alive as long as the war situation or need of defence is required. By virtue
of Article 353 the power of Parliament would extend to making of laws with
respect to a matter not enumerated in the Union List, therefore, the Constitution
makers have well thought of and designed the Constitution in such a manner D
in the matter of distribution of power that there would be no difficulty at all
for the Parliament to enact any law when the country is in war, and therefore,
,;._.
in normal times there should be no justification to give the expression
'industry' a wider meaning and thereby denuding the State Legislatures to
make law on several heads of legislation enumerated in List II. According to E
Mr. Dwivedi, reference to Entry 5 of List I, in this context was wholly mis-
conceived as that is a specific Entry in List I with regard to arms, and as
such, would not be covered under Entry 27 of List JI and Entry 33 of List
III. Mr. Dwivedi also contended that reference to Article 254(1), in this
context is mis-conceived as the said Article can be invoked both by the
Parliament and the State Legislatures to make law with respect to one of the F
matters enumerated in the Concurrent List. The expression 'repugnant' in
Article 254(1) refers to matter only in the Concurrent List, and it is in this
conn.ection, he placed reliance on the decision of this Court in the case Deep
Chand, [1959] Suppl. 2 SCR 8 and Hoechst Chemicals, [1983] 4 SCC 45.
According to Mr. Dwivedi Federalism having been accepted as one of the G
basic features of our Constitution, as was held by this Court in S.R. Bommai
[1994] 3 SCC I, a construction of a particular legislative Entry which would
denude another legislative body from exercising its power in respect of several
heads of legislation could be held to be contrary to the basic feature of the
Constitution, and therefore, the Court should avoid giving a wider meaning
to the expression 'industry' Entry 7 and Entry 52 of List I as well as Entry H
550 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A 24 of List II. With reference to different Articles of the Constitution, Mr
Dwivedi contends that the State Legislatures have exclusive power to make
laws with respect to Entries in the State List and only in specified contingencies
Parliament can legislate with respect to them. In this view of the matter
counsel contends, entries in List I ought not to be construed very widely as
construed by this Court in ITC case. The counsel says that in the State of
B Bihar, Market Act in relation to tobacco is relatable to Entries 26 and 27 of
List II whereas Tobacco Board Act, enacted by the Parliament, includes
within its fold the entire process of growing, curing and marketing of tobacco
and unlike the sugar industry and purchase of sugar cane by it which was
dealt with by the Constitution Bench in the case of Tika Ram ji the tobacco
C industry cannot be split up with reference to the raw-material. According to
learned counsel growing of tobacco, its curing and marketing being one •
integrated industrial process the same would be embedded into Tobacco
Industry. The very object of the Tobacco Board Act, being to encourage
export of good quality tobacco and to augment the foreign exchange reserves,
the same does not seek to regulate and control the sale and purchase of
D tobacco in normal markets in different States. Therefore, trade and commerce,
production, supply and distribution of tobacco in different markets in India
could not be regulated by the Tobacco Board Act. He also urged that the Act,
in question, may not be solely to the field of Legislation in Entry 52 of List .....
I inasmuch as foreign exchange comes within Entry 36 of List I, whereas law
E ensuring fair and remunerative prices for the growers and minimum prices
for export of tobacco could be referable to Entry 34 of List Ill. This being
the position, it is not possible to define the 'industry' in its widest form.
Further the Tobacco Board Act being an Act to regulate the sale of tobacco
at auction platform, the raw-material which is produced by the growers in so
far as the growing of raw-material is concerned, the same would be the
,,
F matter pertaining to exclusive domain of 'agriculture' covered by Entry 14
of List II and the Parliament cannot be permitted to encroach upon the domain
of the State Legislature. The learned counsel places reliance on the decision
of this Court in A.S. Krishna, [1957] SCR 399. Mr. Dwivedi does not agree
with the submission of the counsel appearing for the company that the tobacco
G industry is one comprehensive integrated industry covering within its expanse
the growing of tobacco, curing, marketing and export. According to him,
growing of tobacco is pure and simple agriculture and the industrial aspect
begins after the industries purchase raw tobacco from the growers and begin
curing the same. Consequently the Markets Act enacted by the State Legislature
would be fully competent, legal and valid governing the sale and purchase of
H tobacco within .the local market area. Referring to the provisions of the Bihar
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. (G.B. PATTANAIK, J.] 551
Act, the counsel urged that the same had been enacted by the State Legislature A
under Entry 28 of List 11, the object being to provide for better regulation of
buying and selling of agricultural product and the establishment of markets
for agricultural produce. The comparison of the provisions of the Market Act
and the Tobacco Board Act would show that both the Acts can operate,
particularly when the Tobacco Board has not set up any auction platform or B
any kind of market centre in Bihar and in fact several relevant provisions like
Sections 13, 13A and 14 have not been enforced in the State of Bihar. If the
provision of the Tobacco Board Act is construed in its wide meaning then the
Parliament must be held to have no competence to make laws in respect of
anything prior to the curing of tobacco. According to the learned counsel,
when this Court in ITC case held the State Act to be invalid, it so held on C
the conclusion that the entire field is covered by the Central Legislation. But
no steps having been taken by the Tobacco Board in the State of Bihar under
Sections 8, 20 and 20A and other provisions not having been applied, it is
difficu.It to subscribe that the entire field is covered by the Tobacco Act. Mr.
Dwivedi also very seriously contended that the Parliament by enacting the
law under Entry 52 of List ! in relation to the Tobacco Industry and having D
enacted Tobacco Board Act included the provisions of Section 31, which
unequivocally indicates that the Act is in addition and not in derogation of
any other law for the time being in force. This being the position, the Market
Act must be allowed to operate. Therefore, the Market Committee would be
entitled to levy market fee on the sale and purchase of Tobacco within the E
market area. Reliance was placed on the decision5 of this Court in M.
Karunanidhi, [1979] 3 SCC-431, Chanan Mal, [1977] 1 SCC-340 and Jshwari
Khaitan, [ 1980] 4 SCC 136. With special reference to the majority judgment
of this Court in ITC's case the counsel urged that the aforesaid decision has
not noticed several decisions of this Court starting from Tikaramji, Calcutta
Gas etc. Mr. Dwivedi also contended that, as has been held by this Court in F
several decisions, in the event of any conflict between the law made by the
Parliament with reference to some Entry in List I and the law made by the
State Legislature with reference to any Entry in List II, the Courts must try
to harmonise and re-concile, which is well known method of construction.
The majority view, however, did not examine the provisions of two Acts for G
its conclusion as to whether both Acts could be allowed to operate, whereas
the judgment of Hon 'ble Mukherjee, J proceeds on the basis that both the
Acts could operate in its own field. According to Mr. Dwivedi, the principle
of occupation of field by a particular legislature is a concept relevant for
interpreting an entry in the Concurrent List and it will have no application
when the legislation in question is under a particular Entry in List I. According H
552 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002) I S.C.R.

A to Mr. Dwivedi, where a particular legislation made by the Parliament is
found to be occupying the entire field then the extent of occupation of the ...
field would have to be examined with reference to Entry 33 of List III to find
out which field remains available to the State Legislature, and if there is any
repugnancy, then same has to be dealt with, with reference to Article 254.
But the Act in question not having been made (Tobacco Board Act ) with
B reference to Entry 33 of List Ill, conclusion with reference to Article 254 was
wholly erroneous. It is lastly urged that the majority view in ITC case not
having noticed the earlier Constitution Bench decisions in Tikaramji, Calcutta
Gas as well as other cases following the same, the conclusion is unsustainable
in law, and, therefore, this Constitution Bench must hold that the ITC case
c has not been correctly decided. While interpreting and considering the word "
'industry' occurring in different Entries of List I and List II, it would be
wholly inappropriate to refer to the meaning of the word given in
Encyclopaedia of Britannica, as was held by this Court in Tikaramji. It is also
urged that the scope of Constitutional Entry in the 7th Schedule can never be
left to be determined on a case to case basis depending upon how much field
D the Parliament deems fit to cover. The scope of the word 'industry' in Entry
52 of List I will not expand or restrict depending upon what the Parliament
does in its legislation. The competence of Parliamentary law can never be
adjudged with reference to the nature of the law which is being enacted. The
scope of the Entries in List II also cannot be determined with res.pect ·to
E Parliamentary enactment made from time to time. On the other hand, the
scope of entries have to be determined by reference to each other and by
modifying one with respect to the other on the basis of the context without
making any of the entries otiose. It was so held by this Court in the case of
McDowell, (1996) 3 SCC 709. Since a law made by a legislature, be it
Parliament or be it the State, has to be tested on the anvil of the entries in "
F the 7th Schedule of the Constitution when a question of legislative competence
arises, the head of the Legislation in any entry cannot be differently construed.
In other words, the word 'industry' occurring in Entry 24 of List II as well
as Entry 7 and Entry 52 of List I must have the same meaning. That being ~-

the position, Parliament cannot be permitted to amend Industry Development
G Regulation Act by including Sugarcane, as has been held by this Court in
Belsund Sugar. Mr. Dwivedi repelled the argument of Mr. Shanti Bhushan
that the observations in Tikaramji must be confined to the fact from that case
on the ground that, it is no doubt true, that in Tikaramji the validity of the
Parliamentary enactment had not been questioned, and on the other hand, it•
is the power of the State Legislature to enact the Sugarcane Act, was the
H subject matter of consideration. But the Court did examine the provisions of
t
1.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.) 553

the State Act to find out whether it encroached upon Entry 52 of List I as A
sugar industry was a controlled industry under the provisions of IDR Act,
1951. That apart, the Constitution Bench having thoroughly gone into the
constitutional history including the corresponding entries in the Governmerlt
of India Act, and then considering a particular provision, and ultimately
holding that it would not bring within its sweep the raw-materials which is B
the stage prior to the manufacture of industry, it is not permissible for another
Constitution Bench to by pass the earlier Constitution Bench decision by
limiting the ratio therein to the fact of that case, more so when the said
decision had been followed later on in several other Constitution Bench
decisions and has stood the test for last two decades. With reference to
Banthia 's case Mr. Dwivedi contends that in the very same judgment the C
only question that cropped up for consideration is whether the Goldsmith's
work was a handi-craft requiring application of skill and the art of making
gold .ornaments and was not an 'industry', within the meaning of Entry 52
of List I or Entry 33 of List Ill of the 7th Schedule, the Court never examined
with reference to Entry 14 dealing with agricultural raw-material and in fact
the Court observed that it is not necessary for the purposes of this case to D
attempt to define the expression 'industry' precisely or to state exhaustively
all the different aspects. The Court was, however, satisfied that the manufacture
of gold ornaments by the Goldsmith is a process of systematic production for
trade or manufacture and, would, therefore, fall within the connotation of the
word 'industry' in the appropriate legislative entries. Thus Harakchand also E
follows the ratio in Tikaramji and not departed from the view taken in
Tikaramji. In HR Banthia, the Supreme Court rejected the submission to
adopt the definition of 'industry', as given in the Industrial Disputes Act.
According to Mr. Dwivedi, the observations of this Court in Harakchand and
Banthia cannot be utilised for the purposes of the agricultural raw-material
and its production within the word 'industry' in Entry 52 of List I, how so F
ever wide the same word may be construed. With reference to the judgment
of this Court in lshwari Khaitan, Mr. Dwivedi contends that the enunciation
of law made therein would indicate that the Court was examining to find out
by virtue of law made under Eutry 52 of List I to what extent there has been
denudation of the State Legislature's power to legislate under Entry 24 of G
List II. The Court did find that the extent of erosion is not absolute but only
to the extent the control is spelled out by the parliamentary legislation. The
extent of parliamentary legislation is seen only to determine how much is
taken out from Entry 24 of List II and nothing more. Though in this case the
Court relied upon the earlier decision of this Court in State of West Bengal
v. Union of India, [ 1964] I SCC 371, but unfortunately in the West Bengal H
554 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A case the scope of 'industry' did not fall for consideration, and that is why
even Tikaramji had not been referred to. But it cannot be concluded that the
Constitution Bench was departing from Tikaramji and laying down some
new principles without even discussing Tikaramji. Mr. Dwivedi submitted
that in /shwari Khaitan, no doubt the judgment of this Court in Baijnath has
B been relied upon but the said reference and reliance was for a different
purpose and not to equate the structure of Entry 52 of List I with Entry 54
of List L The Court referred Baijnath Kedia for the limited purpose as in both
cases the denudation of States' power is only to the extent of control, while
Baijnath dealt with Entry 23 of List II, Ishwari Khaitan dealt with Entry 24
of List IL The subject matter of other entries was not in issue. It would,
C therefore, be a fallacy to contend that Ishwari Khaitan relied upon Baijnath
Kedia to hold that the entire field is occupied by the Central Legislation
though the majority view in /TC case holds so, and that must be held to be
not correctly decided in view of the series of decisions starting from Tikaramji,
already referred to. Mr. Dwivedi, in this connection relies upon the Constitution
Bench decision in Belsund Sugar Company, [1999] 9 SCC 620 wherein in
D paragraphs 117 and 118 the cases under Mines and Mineral Regulation and
Development Act had been noticed and the Court ultimately held tH'at this
scheme of the legislative entries is entirely different from the scheme of
Entry 52 of List I read with Entry 24 of List II with which the Court was
concerned in Belsund Sugar. According to Mr. Dwivedi the ratio in Belsund
E Sugar would support the contention on the question of competence of
Parliament to enact Tobacco Board Act covering the field of growing and
raw-material prior to any manufacturing process. Mr. Dwivedi strongly relied
upon the Full Bench decision of Allahabad High Court in SIEL 's case (AIR
1996 All. 135) and submitted that the Full Bench had considered all the
relevant decisions and has come to the right conclusion. According to Mr.
F Dwivedi, Tikaramji principles enunciated therein having been approved in
the subsequent cases, and even in Ganga Sugar case Hon'ble Krishna Iyer,
J. having negatived a similar contention, as was urged in the present appeal
as a desperate plea and Belsund's case have approved Tikaramji, irresistible
conclusion would be that the majority view in ITC judgment is incorrect and
G necessarily, therefore, the Parliament did not have the legislative competence
while enacting the Tobacco Board Act after declaring Tobacco industry to be
taken over as a controlled industry to make any provision therein relating to
growing of tobacco or sale of tobacco within the market area prior to its
curing or any subsequent process of manufacturing.

H Dr. A.M. Singhvi, appearing for the Agricultural Produce Market
I.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.) 555
Committee, Munger, on an analysis of different entries made in List I, List A
II and List III of the Seventh Schedule submitted that there are as many as
nine entries in List II out of 66 entries which are specifically made su;,ject
to List I. 3 of the entries in List II are subject to list Ill. Entry 24 of list II,
however, is subject to entry 52 of list I. According to the learned counsel,
wherever the Constitution intended that the entries in list II were to be made
subject to entries in list I, it was specifically and clearly so provided. Where,
B
however, an entry in list II is not subject to list I or list III, then the power
o( the State Legislature to legislate with regard to that matter is supreme. The
Bihar Agriculture Markets Act, being relatable to entries 14 and 28 of list II,
which is not subject to any entry either in List I or List Ill, the same must
be held to be supreme and there would be no fetter on the power of the State C
Legislature to make the Agricultural Produce Markets Act. With reference to
the expression "subject to List I" in McDowell's case, (1996) 3 S.C.C. 709,
Supreme Court had itself observed that the power to make a law with respect
to 'industries' lies with the States under Entry 24 of List II but the said entry
is made expressly subject to the provisions of Entries 7 and 52 in List I. If
the Parliament declares by law that it is expedient in the public interest to D
take over the control of a particular industry, then such industry gets
transplanted to List I. According to the learned counsel, the industry in respect
of which Parliament makes a declaration contemplated under Entry 52 of List
I, the States are denuded of the power to make any law with respect to them
under Entry 24 of List II. But making of a declaration by Parliament does not E
have the effect of transplanting the industry from the State List to the Union
List. Entry 52 of List I since governs only Entry 24 of List II but not other
Entry like Entry 8, as was the case for discussion in Mc.Dowe/l's case, the
power of the State Legislature cannot be denuded to make a law referable to
Entry 8. This being the correct position, as enunciated by this Court and the
founding fathers of the Constitution having taken due care by expressly stating, F
when a particular Entry in List II is subject to an Entry in List I or List III,
thereby demarcation being made, in respect of other entries in List II, the
power of the State Legislature is exclusive and, therefore, it would be
prohibited field for the Union to make any law. Reiterating the argument
advanced by Mr. Dwivedi, Dr. Singhvi also contends that the question of G
occupied field is only relevant in the case of laws made with reference to
entries in List III. Consequently, neither Entry 14 nor Entry 28 being subject
to any of the entries in List I, the Bihar Legislature was fully competent to
enact the Agriculture Produce Markets Act and once in exercise of the
provisions contained in the Act, tobacco is notified to be one of the agricultural
produce, then the power to levy fee for sale or purchase of tobacco within H
556 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002) I S.C.R.

A the market area cannot be whittled down by the Central Legislation. According
to Dr. Singhvi, the Central Legislation to that extent must be held to be
invalid. The learned counsel further urged that in case of a seeming conflict
of entries of two lists, the entries should be read together without giving a
narrow or restrictive sense to either of them and every attempt should be
made to see whether the two entries can be reconciled or harmonized . This
B approach to the interpretation is necessary to uphold and promote the "Federal
Structure" of the Constitution which is a basic structure, as held by this Court
in S.R. Bommai v. Union of India, [1994] 3 SCC I. The fundamental feature
of federalism being that within each list each legislature is supreme. There
can be no repugnancy between the matters in list 1 and list II and repugnancy
C can only be a concept peculiar to list Ill. It is no doubt true that Entry 52 of
List I over rides only Entry 24 of List II and no other entry under List II. It
has been held by this Court in Bihar Distillery, [1999] 2 SCC 727 and
Dalmia Industry, [1994] 2 SCC 583 that Trade, Commerce, production,
distribution of products of alcohol industry can be regulated both by the
Centre and the State. Bihar Agriculture Produce Markets Act being relatable
D to entry 14 and 28 of List II, that Act must operate on its own and not being
affected by law made by Parliament under Entry 52 of List I. In this connection,
the learned counsel refers to the Judgment of this Court in Belsu.,d, [1999]
9 SCC 620 para 70. According to Dr. Singhvi, the Tobacco Act by providing
Section 31 indicates the intention of the Parliament that the Act would not ·
E govern the entire field in exclusion to all other Acts in existence. In this view
of the matter, there cannot be any justification in denying the market
Committee to levy market fee in respect of the sale and purchase of tobacco
within the market area as the Market Committee Act is a duly enacted law
by the State Legislature within its competence to legislate under Entry 14 and
28. Dr. Singhvi also urged that, mere declaration under Entry 52 is not enough •
F but the law in question must be found which actually occupied the field. Dr.
Singhvi urged that mere existence of power is not enough but the power must
be exercised and on account of such exercise, the field must be occupied so
as to hold that the central law would collide with the State law. It was so held
in Belsund [1999) 9 SCC 620 with regard to tea. To the same effect is the
G ratio in the case of Western Coal Fields, [1982] l SCC 125 and Fateh Chand,
[1977] 2 SCC 677. According to the learned counsel in the case in hand,
there is no question of conflict or repugnancy between the Tobacco Act and
the Bihar Act since both Acts operate in mutually exclusive and different
field and therefore, the majority judgment in ITC case would not apply to the
Bihar Agricultural Produce Act. Dr. Singhvi also made an extreme argument
H to the effect that even if the Central legislation is construed to occupy the
J.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.) 557
entire field under list 1, yet the State Act can still be operative and market fee A
~
could be levied by the Market Committee under the State Act for services
provided by it on the principle of quid pro quo. It is in this connection, he
placed reliance on the decision in Synthetics and Chemicals JT (1989) 4 SC
467. According to Dr. Singhvi, the expression "industry" both under Entry
24 of List II and Entry 52 of List I would not cover subject matters which
are mentioned sui generis in different entries and separately from Entry 24
B
of List II. If a wide meaning to the expression is given, it would run counter
to the scheme of distribution of powers and the structural inter-relationship
between Entry 52 of List I and Entries 24, 26 and 27 of List II and Entry 33
of List III and would make the State List redundant qua that industry. In this
view of the matter, the counsel urged that the decisions relating to mines and c
minerals woutd not be relevant because of inter-relationship of Entry 23 of
List II and Entry 54 of List I. Once the declaration is made by Parliament in
terms of Entry 54 of List I, then both mines and its product minerals get
extracted from the State List and get submerged in the Entry 54 of List I but
that would not be the case when the power under Entry 52 of List I and Entry
24 of List II as well as other relevant entry in List .11 are considered. D
Consequently, the majority view in ITC case must be over-ruled.

Mr. G.L. Sanghi, the learned senior counsel, appearing for Mandi Samiti
in Madhya Pradesh batch of appeals, submitted that in the case in hand,
relevant enquiry should be whether the State Act is within the exclusive
E
subject matter of the State Legislature under Entry 28 of List II. According
to him, there is no irreconcilable clash between the two Acts, which is also
apparent from the mandate of Section 31 of the Central Act. The object and
purpose of the State Act being establishment of market places and the same
.. object having been achieved by the various provisions providing for large
scale infrastructural establishment and provision of a large variety of services, F
the State Act rightly requires those who avail these services to pay the requisite
market fee and also in order to provide for appropriate control, to take licenses
wherever a market functionary desires to function within the market yard or
market area. The provisions of Tobacco Board Act, more specifically Section
8, however, mandates that the Board has to apply its mind to provide
G
appropriate measures including the measure of setting up an auction platform
and since the auction platform has to have a location, the Board cannot but
think it fit to establish such platform within the market area. Such a step will
be consistent with the mandate of Section 31 and, therefore, it will not be in
derogation of the State Act. The amendment introduced in Tobacco Board

- Act, according to Mr. Sanghi is achieved by the enforcement of the amending H
'
1

558 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A Act which exhausts itself by merely introducing the amending provisions into
the Parent Act so that the requirement of sub-section (I) of Section 3 of the
Parent Act, namely, bringing into force the newly added Sections will have
to be complied with. Thus the amended Sections as well as Section 13 of the
Act having not been enforced within the State of Madhya Pradesh, there
B cannot be any inconsistency or repugnancy between the two Acts assuming
that bringing into force all the said Sections may create some inconsistency.
According to Mr. Sanghi, the objects of the Tobacco Board Act being
development of Tobacco Industry, more particularly in respect of virginia
tobacco, is not in any manner defeated by the provisions of the State Act and
the object of the State Act are not defeated by the existing or even non-
C enforced provisions of the Tobacco Board Act. In this view of the matter,
according to Mr. Sanghi, the minority view in ITC case must be held to be
correct and both the Central Act and the State Act should be permitted to
operate in their own sphere.

Mr. A.K. Ganguli, the learned senior counsel, appearing for the Tamil
D Nadu Agricultural Marketing Board, analysed the provisions of Article 246(3)
of the Constitution and contended that the expression "subject to" appearing
in Article 246 (3) has reference to those entries in List II which provides that
the subject matter of said entries are subject to the provisions contained in
certain specified entries appearing in either List I or List Ill as for example
E Entry 2 in List II provides Police (including railways and village police)
subject to the provisions of Entry 2A of List I. Similar provisions are found
in several entries. In List II like Entries 17, 22, 24, 26, 27, 32, 33, 37, 54,
57 and 63 but only three entries in List 11, namely, Entries 13, 23 and 50 do
not specify any entry in List I or List Ill subject to which the said entries
would remain operative but restrict the scope of these entries by a general •
F reference to the provisions contained in List I or List Ill. Therefore, in respect
of all other entries in List II, the State Legislature enjoys the exclusive power
to enact laws and consequently, if the State Act has been enacted under Entry
28 of List II, the State Act must be allowed to operate. The contention that
Parliament enjoys superior legislative powers with regard to subject matters
G enumerated in List II, according to Mr. Ganguli, would hold good only in
respect of those entries in List II which expressly provide that the subject
matter thereof are subject to the matters dealt with in various entries in List
I. But that principle cannot be extended to the subject matters covered by
other entries in List II. Placing reliance on the provision of Section I 00 of
the Government of India Act, 1935 which corresponds to Article 246 of the
H Constitution which was interpreted by Sulaiman, J in Subrahmanyam Chettiyar
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.) 559

v. Muttuswamy Gounder, reported in 1940 FCR 188, which has been approved A
by the Constitution Bench in the case of KSEB v. Indal, [1976) l SCC 466,
> the counsel urged that the State Legislature enjoys exclusive legislative power
under Article 246(3) to make laws with respect to the subject matter
enumerated in Entry 28 of List II i.e. "Market and Fairs". This power has not
been conditioned by any restrictions in so far as the distribution of legislative B
power between the Parliament and the State Legislature is concerned and
consequently, this power cannot be curtailed or restricted by the exercise of
legislative power of the Parliament with reference to any of the entries either
in List I or List III. Mr. Ganguli further contends that the entry in three lists
of the constitution are not powers but fields of legislation. The power to
Legislate is given by Article 246. The entries in different lists demarcate the C
area over which the appropriate legislature can operate. According to him,
the concept of federal supremacy can not be invoked to deny the State
legislature the power to make laws with respect to such subject matters,
which are exclusively assigned to it under the State List. If a law made by
the State Legislature is impugned on the ground of incompetency and on
examination of the law, it is found that the law in substance is with respect D
to a matter in List II, then the law would be valid in its entirety. It is only
in case of a seeming conflict between the law made under any of the entries
in List I and II, then the principle of federal supremacy could be invoked in
view of the opening words in Article 246( I). So far as the meaning of the
expression "industry" in Entry 52 of List I , the counsel urged that the said E
word must have the same meaning as would be ascribed to the word in Entry
24 of List II. So far as the raw materials are concerned, it has been held to
be goods and would fall within the subject matter comprised in Entry 27 of
List II. The products of the industry would also be comprised in Entry 27 of
List II except that in the case of controlled industry, they would fall under
Entry 33 of List llI and only the process of manufacture and production F
would fall under Entry 24 of List II and if the concerned industry is a
declared industry, then the process of manufacture and production would fall
under Entry 52 of List I. It is, therefore, logical to hold that the activities
relating to production and manufacture which would otherwise come within
the purview of the expression "industry" in Entry 24 of List II becomes a G
subject matter of legislation under Entry 52 of List I, where the industry is
a declared industry. Therefore, such legislative competence of the Parliament
would not confer power in relation to raw materials which may be an integral
part of the industrial process and thereby denuding the State Legislature of
its power to make laws with respect to subject matters covered by either
entries ;;i List II. Mr. Ganguli contends that this Court has consistently taken H
560 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A the view that the subject matter of Entry 52 of List I pertains to manufacture
and production activities and therefore, it would not be appropriate that the
word "industry" should have a wider meaning so as to include also the raw _.._
materials within the same. With reference to the decisions of this Court in
relation to law made by the Parliament, regulating the Mines and Minerals
B Development, Mr. Ganguli contends that the subject matter of entry 54 of
List I is the same as in Entry 23 of List II and Entry 23 of List II further
provides that it should be further subject to the provisions of List I with
respect to regulation and development under the control of the Union. In
such a case, therefore, once the Parliament makes a declaration in Section 2
of the Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation Act, then all aspects
C of Regulations and Minerals Development even including taxes on minerals
are covered by the said declaration and, therefore, the State Legislature is
denuded of its power to make laws with reference to the subject matter. This
has been so held in Baij Nath Kedia v. State of Bihar, [1969) 3 SCC 838,
State ofOrissa v. MA.Tulloch, [1964) 4 SCR 461, India Cement v. State of
Tamil Nadu, [1990) 1 SCC 12 and Orissa Cement Ltd. v. State of Orissa &
D Ors., [1901) Supp. I SCC 430. But the subject matter of Entry 52 of List I
and the subject matter comprised in Entry 24 of List II both relate to Industry
and entry 24 of List II is subject to Entry 7 and 52 of List I. The State
Legislature could not have made a law in exercise of power under Entry 24
of List II so as to make other entries redundant. According to Mr. Ganguli,
E the expression "Industry" cannot have a wider meaning. On the question of
repugnancy, Mr. Ganguli contends that the said question arises only when
both legislatures are competent to enact the respective laws and the two laws
cover the same field. If the two laws are found to be operating in the same
field and are also found to be inconsistent with each other, only then the law
made by the Parliament would prevail. But that would apply only when the
F law made by the Parliament and State Legislature are both in respect of the
same subject matter, enumerated in the concurrent list, as was h~ld in Hoechest
Pharmaceuticals, [1983] 4 SCC 45. Even in Deep Chand's case the two sets
of laws made by the State Legislature and the Parliament with respect to the
same subject matter enumerated in Entry 35 of List lll, was under consideration
G and the Court was examining the question of repugnancy. But that will have
no application to the question involved in the present case inasmuch as the
State Act falls within the subject matter comprised under Entry 28 of List II
in respect of which the State Legislature enjoys the exclusive power to make
laws. On an analysis of the provisions of Tobacco Board Act and Section 31
thereof, Mr. Ganguli contends that the provisions of Tobacco Act would
H operate only in addition to other laws and, therefore, that Act cannot be
\

}-
I.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.] 561

pressed into service to give an over-riding effect over other legislation A
including the Agricultural Produce Markets Act, which has been enacted by
the competent State Legislature. According to the learned counsel the two
Acts over-lap only as regar~s sale and purchase of Tobacco within the notified
area and if auction platform registered with Board are held within the market
area, then the so called conflict in the two Acts can be easily avoided and B
both Acts would be allowed to operate. While Market Committee would be
entitled to levy fees in respect of sale and purchase of tobacco in the market
area for the services rendered including the entire infrastructure, the Tobacco
Board Act can yet levy fee as provided under Tobacco Board Act, which
would be a separate fee for special services rendered by it, as determined by
the Central Government under Section 14A and according to the learned C
counsel, this is the only harmonious construction which should be and ought
to be made of the two provisions. According to Mr. Ganguli, the majority
decisions in /TC case are in conflict with Ti/ca Ram v. State of U.P., [1956]
SCR 393, Calcutta Gas, [1962f Supp. SCR l, Kannan Devan Hills, [1972] 2
SCC 218, Ganga Sugar, [1980] l SCC 223, B. Viswanathan, [1991] 3 SCC
358, and therefore, the said decisions must be held to be erroneous. In fact D
the minority view expressed by Justice Mukherjee, looking at the object of
two Acts, allowing both the Acts to operate in their respective fields should
be upheld. Mr. Ganguli contended that though the competence of the
Parliament to make Tobacco Board Act covering the field exclusively within
the competence of the State Legislature, had not been assailed in any of these E
writ petitions, but in view of the nature of controversy that has arisen and the
arguments advanced in the case leaves no room for doubt that each of the
parties including the Central Government as well as the Tobacco Board had
the opportunity of placing its case and, therefore, there should be no fetter
on the power of the Court to decide the legislative competence of the
...
Parliament in the case in hand. F
Mr. Malhotra, the learned senior counsel, appearing for the Tobacco
Board though initially proceeded with the arguments that both Acts could be
reconciled but later on categorically submitted that the Central Legislation
must prevail. According to him the Tobacco Industry got lifted from Entry G
24 of List II to Entry 52 of List I and the same must be held to be a special
Act dealing with tobacco industry right from the stage of growing till it is
exported. This being a special Act and the Market and Fairs under Entry 28
being a general entry and Agriculture under Entry 14 of List II being a
general entry, the special Act enacted by the Parliament must prevail and
there is no question of lack of competence of the Parliament to enact the law. H
562 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2002] I S.C.R.

A In support of this contention reliance was placed on the Constitution Bench
decision of this Curt in Be/sund Sugar Company Limited, [ 1999] 9 SCC 620.
Mr. Malhotra relied upon several decisions of the Federal Court and this
Court and contended that entries in the schedule must be given its widest
meaning and it would not be a correct approach to give a restricted meaning
B to the subject matter of legislation described in an Entry. In support of this
contention, he placed reliance on the decision of the Federal Court in The
United Provinces v. Mst. Atiqa Begum & Ors., (1940) 2 Federal Court Reports
110, The First Additional Income-Tax Officer, Mysore v. H.N.S. Iyengar,
[1962] Supp. SCR I, Chaturbhai M Patel v. The Union of India & Ors.,
[1960] 2 SCR 362, Navinchandra Ma/at/al v. The Commissioner of Income
C Tax, Bombay City, [1955] I SCR 829 and Zaverbhai Amaidas v. The State
of Bombay, [1955] I SCR 799. The learned counsel also contended that it is
a cardinal rule of interpretation that words in an entry should be given their
ordinary, natural and grammatical meaning subject to the rider that legislative
entries are required to be interpreted broadly and widely so as to give powers
to the legislatures to enact the law with respect to the matters enumerated in
D the legis 1:i.tive entries. He places reliance on the decision of this Court in R.S.
Rekhchand Mo hota, [ 1997] 6 SCC 12, Rai Ramkrishna & Ors. v. The State
of Bihar, [ 1964] I SCR 897 and Indian Aluminium Company & Ors. v. State
of Kera/a & Ors., [1996] 7 SCC 637. He also referred to the case of
Harakchand Ratanchand Banthia, [1969] 2 SCC 166, which had been relied
E upon by Mr. Shanti Bhushan in his arguments. Mr. Malhotra contends that
the majority decision in ITC case, therefore, must be held to be correct.

The learned Additional Solicitor General Mr. Trivedi, appearing for the
Attorney General of India, placed before us the process of manufacture of
tobacco and indicated how tobacco is grown commercially. To emphasise on
F the issue he contended that the tobacco industry having been notified to be
a 'controlled industry' it will be a disaster if the Parliament is held to have
no competence to make law in relation to growing of tobacco or processing
of raw tobacco. According to the learned Additional Solicitor General the
trade and commerce in product of controlled industry being covered by Entry
G 33 of List I, the legislative power of the State is subordinate to the power of
the Parliament in respect of List III. He further contended that the Constitution
itself has specifically put down entries in List II in which the power is
expressed in general terms but is made subject to the provisions of entries in
either List I or List III. Consequently, no anomaly will arise in holding
exclusive power with the Parliament in respect of the subject coming under
H any entry in List I. He further contended that Tobacco Board Act covers the
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.) 563

entire field of tobacco industry and is within the competence of Parliament A .
under Entry 52 of List I. Tikaramji was a case which concerned only with a
part of the industry, namely, manufacture of sugar. The observations made
in Tikaramji, [ 1956) SCR 393 were in the background of that case, as in that
case the Court was never concerned with the entire process as in the present
case. According to the learned Additional Solicitor General, it was not B
necessary for the Court to examine the ambit of the expression "industry" in
Entry 52 of List I. If the ordinary principle of construction of an entry in the
legislative list is that the entry should be given wide meaning as has been
held in several cases of this Court, there is no reason why on the basis of the
said observations made in Tikaramji, the Court would give a limited meaning
to the expression "industry" in Entry 24 of List II and Entry 52 of List I. C
With reference to the judgment of this Court in H.R. Banthia, [ 1969] 2 SCC
166, the learned Additional Solicitor General stated that for the purpose of
that case, it was not necessary for the Court t<;i make an attempt to define the
expression "industry". The Court was merely concerned with the question
whether manufacture of gold ornaments would be a process of systematic
product, so as to fall within the expression "industry" in the appropriate D
legislative entry. The Court did come to that conclusion. The learned Additional
Solicitor General also contended the case of Harakchand, [1971] 2 SCC 779
is in consonance with the principle of interpretation of an entry and should
be applied to the case in hand. The learned Addi. Solicitor General contends
that the Constitution being an organic document, has to be interpreted in its E
widest amplitude. According to the learned Addi. Solicitor General the majority
decision in ITC case must be held to be the correct law. The counsel states
that the validity of the Tobacco Board Act was also not under challenge in
the ITC case which stood disposed of by the judgmtnt of this Court since
reported in [1985] (Supp.) SCC 476 and, therefore, it would not be appropriate
for this Court to examine the legislative competence of the Farliament in F
relation to the enactment of the Tobacco Board Act.

Though several counsel have raised contentions in different forms as
indicated earlier, but essentially the following questions arise for our
determination:- G
1. Whether the Tobacco Board Act enacted by the Parliament under
Entry 52 of List I can be held to be constitutionally valid and
within the legislative competence of the Parliament, so far as the
provisions contained in the same in relation to the growing or
tobacco and sale of raw-materials, and this in tum would depend H
564 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A upon the question whether the word 'industry' used in Entry 52
of List I should be given a restricted meaning ;

2. Even if the Tobacco Board Act is held to be constitutionally ·"-
valid and the Agricultural Produce Market Act is also held to be
constitutionally valid and within the powers of the State
B Legislature, so far as purchase and sale of tobacco within the
market area is concerned, whether both the Acts can be allowed
to operate, as was held by the minority judgment in ITC case;
3. If there is a repugnancy between the two then whether the Central
Act would prevail, as was held by the majority judgment in ITC
C case.

But before considering several elaborate arguments advanced on these issues,
it may be noticed that the Constitution of India itself defines the political
authority, locates the sources of political power and also indicates how the
power has to be exercised setting out the limits on its own use. The rules
D relating to the distribution of legislative power by providing the legislative
heads for the Parliament to make law in respect of subjects enumerated in
List I, and similarly enumerating the subjects in List II with respect to which
the State Legislature can frame law, in fact constitutes the heart of the federal
scheme of the Constitution. But the Constitution Makers having found that
E the need for power sharing devices between the Central and the State must
be subordinated to the imperatives of the State's security and stability propelled
the thrust towards centralisation and by using non obstante clause under
Article 246 the federal superrnacy is achieved. Article 246 of the Constitution
deals with the distribution of legislative powers as between the Union and the
State Legislature, with reference to the different Lists in the 7th Schedule.
F The various entries in 3 Lists of the 7th Schedule are not powers of legislation
but the fields of legislation. The entry in the List are legislative heads and are
of enabling character. They are designed to define and limit the respective
areas of legislative competence of the Union and the State Legislature. It is
a well recognised principle that the language of Entry should be given a
G widest scope and each general word should be interpreted to extend to all
ancillary or subsidiary matters which can fairly and reusonably be
comprehended in it. The Entries in the Lists should be read together without
giving a narrow or restricted meaning to any of them. Powers of the Union
and the State Legislatures are both expressed in precise and in definite terms
and, therefore, there can be no reason in such a case in giving broader
H interpretation to one rather than to the other. It is only when an apparent
}
I.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. (G.B. PATTANAIK, J.) 565
overlapping occurs the doctrine of 'pith and substance' has to be applied to A
find out the true nature of legislation and the Entry within which it would
fall. When different entries in the same List crop up for consideration the
usual principle followed is that each particular entry should relate to a separate
subject or group of subjects and every attempt should be made to harmonise
different entries and to discard a construction which will render any of the B
entries ineffective.

Coming to the case in hand, the relevant entries which arise for our
consideration are Entry 52 of List I, Entry 24 of List II and Entry 28 of List
II. Under Entry 52 of List I Tobacco Board Act has been enacted by Parliament
and under Entry 28 of List II the Agricultural Produce Market Act has been C
framed by the State Legislature. Incidentally, also Entry 7 of List I and
Entries 14 and 27 of List II crop up for consideration. It would, therefore, be
appropriate to indicate those Entries hereunder :

"LIST- I
D
Entry 7 - Industries declared by Parliament by law to be necessary for
the purpose of defence or for the prosecution of war.

Entry 52 - Industries, the control of which by the Union is declared by
Parliament by law to be expedient in the public interest.
E
LIST - II

Entry 24 - Industries subject to the provisions of (entries 7 and 52) of
List I.

Entry 27 - Production, supply and distribution of goods subject to the F
provisions of entry 33 of List III; and

Entry 28 - Markets and fairs."

Though the State Legislature has power to make law in relation to any
industry under Entry 24 of List II, but the said Entry it~elf being subject to G
the provisions of Entries 7 and 52 of List I, once Parliament makes a declaration
by law identifying an industry, the control of which is taken over by the
Union in the public interest, then the State Legislature is denuded of its
competence to make any law in respect of that industry, notwithstanding its
competence under Entry 24 of List II. The industry in question, having been
identified and necessary declaration to that effect being made in terms of H
566 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A Entry 52 of List I then over that subject the Parliament gets exclusive power
to make laws under Article 246(1) of the Constitution. The Tobacco Board
Act having been enacted by the Parliament under Article 246( 1) of the
Constitution and the law in question being referable to Entry 52 of List I, the
moot question that arises for adjudication is, what is the extent and ambit of
B the expression 'industry' used in Entry 52. As has been stated earlier, the
expression 'industry' has been used in Entry 24 of List II and Entry 7 and
Entry 52 of List I. In deciding the legislative competence of the Parliament
in enacting Tobacco Board Act and in making provision therein in relation
to the growing of tobacco as well as sale of tobacco in the places specified
therein, and on terms and conditions mentioned therein, the moot question is
C whether the word 'industry' would be given a wide meaning so as to bring
within its ambit all that is necessary for the industry, including the raw
material as well as the growing of the raw material, as contended by Mr.
Shanti Bhushan, or a restricted meaning would be given to the same on the
basis of the observations made by this Court in Tikaramji's case and followed
in several other authorities, as contended by Mr. Dwivedi. In the majority
D judgment of this Court in ITC case [1985] Suppl. 1 SCR 145, the majority
view expressed by Hon'ble Fazal Ali, J. came to hold that the Centre having
taken over an industry under Entry 52 of List I and having passed the Act
to regulate the legislation, and the said legislation having covered the, entire
field, the State Legislatures ceases to have any jurisdiction to legislate in that
E field, and if it does so, then the State Legislation would be ultra vires of the
powers of the State Legislature. Even the minority view expressed by Hon'ble
Justice Sabyasachi Mukherjee also accepts the recognised principle of
Parliamentary supermacy in the field of legislation engrafted in Article 246.
The learned Judge also held that the words in a constitutional document
conferring legislative powers should be construed most liberally and in their
F widest amplitude, following the judgment of this Court in Navin Chandra v.
CIT, Bombay, [1955] I SCR 829. The minority view also was not to the
effect that the Tobacco Board Act was beyond the legislative competence of
the Parliament. On the other hand having held the Tobacco Board Act to be
constitutionally valid and the Agricultural Market Act enacted by the State
G Legislature to be a valid piece of legislation, the learned Judge came to hold
that the said Act essentially dealing with the object to regulate marketing of
agricultural produce and the control of coffee (for tobacco) industry would
not be defeated if the marketing of coffee (for tobacco) is done within the
provisions of Marketing Act, the State Legislatures' power to make Marketing
Act ought not to be denuded and one must avoi.d corroding the State's ambit
H of power of legislation which will ultimately lead to erosion of India being
1.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.] 567
a union of States. The minority view appears to have been influenced by the A
fact that the States must have the power to raise and mobilise resources in
their exclusive fields. Thus all the three learned judges did not doubt the
competence of the Parliament to enact Tobacco Board Act. While the majority
view was to the effect that the Marketing Act will not· operate so far as
dealing with the sale and purchase of tobacco within the market area, as the B
field is fully occupied by the Central Act, namely, the Tobacco Board Act,
the minority view proceeded on a finding that both Acts can be permitted to
operate in their respective sphere.

In the Constitution Bench decision of this Court in Harakchand
Ratanchand Banthia & ors. etc. v. Union of India and Ors., [1970] I SCR C
479, the legislative competence of the Parliament under Entry 52 of List I
came up for consideration, while dealing with validity of the provisions of
the Gold Control Act, which Act included within its ambit the gold ornaments.
One of the contention that had been advanced was that the goldsmith's work
was handicraft, requiring application of skills and the art of making gold
ornaments was not an 'industry' within the meaning of Entry 52 of List I. It D
had been contended on behalf of the Union Government that the legislative
entry must be construed in a large and liberal sense and goldsmith's craft was
an industry within the meaning of Entry 24 of List II as well as Entry 52 of
List I and, therefore, Parliament was competent to legislate in regard to the
manufacture of gold ornaments. Having considered the relevant entries, E
namely, Entry 52 of List I and Entries 24 and 27 of List II, the Constitution
Bench had observed that - "It is well established that the widest amplitude
should be given to the language of the entries". The Court in that case did
not think it necessary to attempt to define the expression "industry" precisely
or to state exhaustively of its different aspects but considered the question
.~
whether the manufacture of gold ornaments by goldsmith in India falls within F
the connotation of the word "industry" in the appropriate legislative Entries.
The Court unequivocally rejected the contention raised by Mr. Daphtary that
if the process of production was to constitute "industry" a process of machinery
or mechanical contrivance was essential, as in the opinion of the Court there
is no reason why such a limitation should be imposed on the meaning of the G
word "industry" in the legislative lists. The Court also rejected the argument
advanced on behalf of Mr. Palkhivala that manufacture of gold ornaments
was not an industry because it required application of individual art and
craftsmanship, as in the opinion of the Court mere use of the skill or art is
not a decisive factor and it was held that the said factor will not take the
manufacture of gold ornaments out of the ambit of the relevant legislative H
568 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S. C.R.

A entries. It is in this connection, the Court observed :

"It is well settled that the entries in the three lists are only legislative
heads or fields of legislation and they demarcate the area over which
the appropriate legislature can operate. The legislative entries must
be given a large and liberal interpretation, the reason being that the
B allocation of subjects to the lists is not by way of scientific or logical
definitiort but is a mere enumeration of broad and comprehensive
categories."

The Court ultimately came to the conclusion that the manufacture of gold
C ornaments by goldsmith in India is a process of systematic production for
trade or manufacture and so falls within the connotation of the word "industry"
in the appropriate legislative Entries. At Page 490 of the aforesaid Judgment,
while construing as to what is the meaning of the word "Industry" in Entry
52 of List I and Entry 24 of List JI, it referred to the definition of "industry"
in Shorter Oxford English Dictionary as well as the meaning of the said word
D in Webster's Third New International Dictionary and the contention raised on
behalf of the applicant that if the word "industry" is construed in this wide
sense, then Entry 27 of List II will lose all meanings and contents, was not
accepted by the Court. It is, thus clear that the Court did apply the theory that
· widest amplitude and meaning should be given to the entries in the legislative
E lists. Further the contention of the applicant that the legislation in fact is a
legislation under Entry 27 of List II, dealing with "Production, supply and
distribution of goods" and being a special entry, the contents of Entry should
be excluded from the expression "industry" in Entry 52, was not accepted
and rejected.

F In Chaturbhai M Patel v. Union of India, [1960] 2 S.C.R. 362, a
Constitution Bench of this Court was construing the Entries under the
Government of India Act, 1935 and one of the contention raised in that case
was Sections 6 and 8 of the Central Excise & Salt Act, 1944 and the Rules
made thereunder were beyond the legislative competence of the central
G legislature. The relevant entries which came up for consideration in that case
were Entry 45 of List I and Entries 27 and 29 of the State List, which are as
under:-

"45. Duties of Excise on Tobacco and other goods manufactured or
produced in India except:-(a)alcoholic liquors for human consumption
H (b)opium, Indian hemp and other narcotic drugs and narcotics, non-
J
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.] 569

narcotic drugs; A
(c) medical and toilet preparations containing alcohol or any substance
included in sub-paragraph (b) of this entry.

Item 27. Trade and commerce within the province; markets and fairs,
money lending and money lenders." B
Item 29. Production, supply and distribution of goods; development
of industries, subject to the provisions in List I with respect to the
development of certain industries under Federal control."

A bare look at those Entries and on being compared with the Entries C
in List II of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, it appears that
Entry 27 of the State List under the Government of India Act now comprises
of Entries 26 and 28 of List II of the Seventh Schedule and Entry 29 of the
State List in the Government of India Act is now combined in Entry 27 of
the State List relating to production, supply and distribution of goods and
also Entry 24 of List II, namely, development of Industries. In the aforesaid D
Constitution Bench decision, a passage from the judgment of the Federal
Court reported in (1940) F.C.R. 188, 201 was quoted, which may be extracted
hereunder:

"It must inevitably happen from time to time that legislation, though E
purporting to deal with a subject in one list, touches also on a subject
in another list, and the different provisions of the enactment may be
so closely interwined that blind adherence to a strictly verbal
interpretation would result in a large number of statutes being declared
invalid because the legislature enacting them may appear to have
legislated in a forbidden sphere." F
The Constitution Bench approved thl' aforesaid Judgment of the Federal
Court and referring to the judgment of this Court in the State of Rajasthan
v. G. Chawla, AIR (1959) SC 544, the Court held :

"It is equally well-settled that the power to legislate on a topic of G
legislation carries with it tile power to legislate on an ancillary matter
which can be said to be reasonably included in the power given."

The Court ultimately held that the Federal Legislature did have the competence
to make provisio:is in Sections 6 and 8 of the Central Excise & Salt Act
under Entry 45 of List I of the Government of India Act, 1935 and observed H
570 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002) I S.C.R.

A thus:
"It is within the competence of the Central Legislation to provide for
matters which may otherwise fall within the competence of the
Provincial legislature if they are necessarily incidental to effective
legislation by the Central Legislature on a subject of legislation
B expressly within its power."

This indicates that the Court has all along been construing a particular
legislative Entry to give wide connotation possible and in that case, it was
held while legislating upon an industry, Parliament would be entitled to
legislate also on the raw materials of that industry which is an ancillary to the
C industry and there should not be any limitation in interpreting the expression •
"industry" to denude the power of the Parliament and thereby make the law
ineffective. In the aforesaid judgment of this Court, it has been held:

"Looking at the scheme of the Act, its object and purpose, its true
nature and character and the pith and substance the conclusion is
D inevitable that the Act was within the legislative competence of the
Central Legislature-and although there may be certain matters otherwise
within the legislative competence of the provincial legislature they
are necessarily incidental to effective legislation by the Central
legislature. The various provisions of the Act and the Rules made
thereunder were, in our opinion, essentially connected with the levying
E
& collection of excise duty and in its true nature and character the
Act remains one that falls under item 45 of List I and the incidental
trenching upon the provincial field of items 27 or 29 would not affect
its constitutionality because the extent of invasion of the provincial

F
field may be a circumstance to determine the true pith and substance
but once that question is determined the Act, in our opinion, would
.
fall on the side of the Central field and not that of the provincial
field."
In Synthetics and Chemicals ltd and Ors. v. State of U.P. and Ors., [1990]
I SCC I 09, it was held that the Constitution must not be construed in any
G narrow or pedantic sense and that construction which is most beneficial to the
widest possible amplitude of its power must be adopted. In the said case,
after noticing the principle of construction in relation to a constitutional
provision, providing division of power and jurisdiction in a federal
constitutional scheme, it was held:
H "It is well settled that widest amplitude should be given to the language
1.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.] 571
of the entries in three Lists but some of these entries in different lists A
or in the same list may override and sometimes may appear to be in
direct conflict with each other, then and then only comes the duty of
the court to find the true intent and purpose and to examine the
particular legislation in question. Each general word should be held
to extend to all ancillary or subsidiary matters which can fairly and B
reasonably be comprehended in it. Jn interpreting an entry it would
not be reasonable to import any limitation by comparing or contrasting
that entry with any other in the same list."

Jn Express Hotels Private Ltd v. State of Gujarat and Anr., [1989] 3 SCC
677, the Court was no doubt interpreting some entries providing for taxes on
luxuries but dealing with the general principles of an Entry in a legislative C
list, the Court held :

"We are dealing with an entry in a Legislative List. The entries should
not be read in a narrow or pedantic sense but must be given their
fullest meaning and the widest amplitude and be held to extend to all D
ancillary and subsidiary matters, which can fairly and reasonably be
said to be comprehended in them."

:.c As has been stated earlier, even in his minority judgment in ITC case, Justice
Mukherjee had observed:

"It is well settled that the cardinal rule of interpretation is that the E
words should be read in their ordinary natural and grammatical
meaning. But words in a constitutional document conferring legislative
powers should also be construed most liberally and in their widest
amplitude."
- ..., In view of the aforesaid rules of interpretation as well as the Constitution F
Bench decision referred to above, it is difficult for us to accept the contention
of Mr. Dwivedi that the word "industry" in Entry 52 of List I should be given
a restricted meaning, so as to exclude from its purview the subject of legislation
coming within entry 27 or Entry 14 of List II. Bearing in mind the
constitutional scheme of supremacy of Parliament, the normal rule of G
interpretation of an Entry in any of the list in the Seventh Schedule of the
Constitution, the object of taking over the control of the tobacco industry by
the Parliament, on making a declaration as required under Entry 52 of List
I and on examining the different provisions of the Tobacco Board Act, we
see no justification for giving a restricted meaning to the expression "industry"
in Entry 52 of List I, nor do we find any justification in the contention of the H
572 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2002) I S.C.R.

A counsel appearing for the States and also different Market Committees that
the provisions contained in Tobacco Board Act dealing with the growing of
tobacco as well as making provision for sale and purchase of tobacco, must
be held to be beyond the legislative competence of the Parliament, as it does
not come within the so-called narrow meaning of the expression "industry"
B on the ground that otherwise it would denude the State Legislature of its
power to make law dealing with market under Entry 28, dealing with
agriculture under Entry 14 and dealing with goods under Entry27 of List II.
Such an approach of interpretation, in our considered opinion would be against
the very scheme of the Constitution and supremacy of the Parliament and
such an approach towards interpreting the power sharing devices in relation
C to entries in List I and List II would be against the thrust towards centralisation.
In our considered opinion, therefore, the word "industry" in Entry 52 of List
I should not be given any restricted meaning and should be interpreted in a
manner so as to enabling the Parliament to make law in relation to subject
matter which is declared and whose control has been taken over to bring
within its sweep any ancillary matter, which can be said to be reasonably
D included within the power and which may be incidental to the subject of
legislation, so that the Parliament would be able to make an effective law. So
construed and on examining different provisions of the Tobacco Board Act,
we do not find any lack of legislative competence with the Parliament so as
to enact any of the provisions contained in the said Act, the Act in question
E having been enacted by the Parliament on a declaration being made of taking
over of the control of the Tobacco industry by the Union and the Act being
intended for the development of the said industry.

The main prop of the argument advanced by Mr. Dwivedi is the decision
of this Court in Tikaramji, which was followed in Calcutta Gas, Kanandevan
F and Ganga Sugar Corporation, all of which are Constitution Bench decisions.
"' -
In Tikaramji, no doubt the Constitution Bench of this Court held that the raw
materials which are integral part of the industrial process, cannot be included
in the process of manufacture or production and thus "industry" within the
meaning of Entry 52 of List I under which the Parliament makes a law,
G would not bring within its sweep the raw materials. The aforesaid observations
had been made in connection with sugar industry and sugar-cane. According
to Mr. Dwivedi, the majority decision in ITC case, cannot be sustained, since
the earlier constitution Bench decision of this Court in Tikaramji, Calcutta
Gas, Kanandevan and Ganga Sugar Corporation have not been noticed. Mr.
Dwivedi's further contention is that a legislative Entry in any List should be
H so interpreted so as not to denude another entry in the same list or in any
1.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.] 573

other Iist and, therefore, it is necessary to give a restricted meaning to the A
expression "industry" occurring in Entry 24 of List 2 as well as Entry 52 of
~ List I. According to Mr. Dwivedi, while examining the constitutionality of
the Market Committee Act referable to Entries 26, 27 and 28 of List II vis-
a-vis the Sugar-cane Act referable to Entry 33 of List Ill in Belsund Sugar,
this Court has held that the Market Committee Act should be subject to B
Sugarcane Act. Applying the same principle, it would be logical to hold that
the raw tobacco, which would be a produce of agriculture and consequently
a raw material for the tobacco industry would continue to be within the
exclusive domain of the State Legislature and the Parliament is incompetent
to make any legislation in relation to either growing of tobacco or sale and
.. purchase of tobacco. It would, therefore, be necessary to examine what really C
this Court in Tikaramji has held. At the outset, it may be noticed that in none
of these cases, relied upon by Mr. Dwivedi, namely, Tikaramji, Calcutta Gas,
Kanandevan and Ganga Sugar, the competence of Parliament to make any
law referable to Entry 52 of List I had not been questioned. In Tikaramji, the
question for consideration was whether the Act passed by the State Legislature
and notification issued thereunder is repugnant to the Parliament Act and D
notification issued thereunder. On examining the provisions of the State Act,
namely, the Sugarcane Act, the Court held that the said law concerns solely
with the regulation of supply and purchase of sugarcane and in no way
trenched upon the jurisdiction of the Centre with regard to sugar and on
scrutiny of Section 18-G of the Industries (Development and Regulation) E
Act, the Court held that the Act, more specifically Section 18-G did not cover
sugarcane nor even the Parliament's intention to cover the entire field could
be inferred. The Court was required to find out the meaning of the expression
"any article or class of articles relatable to any scheduled industry" used in
Section 18-G and it held that it did not refer to the raw materials but only to
the finished products. The Court went into the object of the Central Act F
which was equitable distribution and availability of manufactured articles at
fair prices. The argument that had been advanced in that case was that the
Sugarcane Act enacted by the State Legislature though appears to be a
legislation in regard to sugarcane required for use in sugar factory but in pith
and substance and its true nature is a legislation in regard to sugar industry G
which had been declared under the Industries (Development and Regulation)
Act and control of the industry has been taken over by the Union. Negativing
that contention and on examining the contents of Entry 24 of List II and
Entry 2 7 of the said List 11, the Court observed that the controlled industries
were relegated to Entry 52 of List I which was the exclusive province of
Parliament leaving the other industries within Entry 24 of List II. In that case, H
574 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A the Court was not required to examine the content and scope of the expression
"industry" in Entry 52 of List I and in fact the Court observed that it was
concerned with as to whether the raw materials of an industry which form an
integral part of the process are within the topic of "industry" which fonn the
subjer.t matter of Item 52 of List I. The Central Legislation which was under
B consideration in that case as well as the notifications issued by the Central
Government were held to have been enacted by the Parliament in exercise of
the legislative power conferred upon it by Entry 33 of List III and was an
exercise of concurrent jurisdiction and once the law is made by the Parliament
in exercise of its concurrent jurisdiction, then it would not deprive the
Provincial Legislatures of similar powers which they had under the Provincial
C Legislative List. It is important to notice the findings of the Court in that
case:
•

"It follows as a necessary corollary that even though sugar industry
was a controlled industry, none of these Acts enacted by the Centre
was in exercise of its jurisdiction under Entry 52 of List I."
D
Whatever observations the Court made on which Mr. Dwivedi placed strong
reliance, therefore, cannot be made use of indicating the ambit and contents
of the expression "industry" under Entry 52 of List I. When the Court observed
that the term "industry" which would be capable of comprising three different
E aspects: (i) raw materials which are an integral part of the industrial process,
(ii) the process of manufacture or production and (iii) the distribution of the
products of the industry, and held that raw materials should be goods which
would be comprised of Entry 27 of List II and the process of manufacture or
production would be comprised in Entry 24 of List II, except where the
industry was a controlled industry when it would fall under Entry 52 of List
F I, the Court was obviously not examining the contents of the expression .. ·-

"industry" under Entry 52 of List I and that is why the Court observed that
the legislation which was enacted by the centre in regard to sugar and sugarcane
could fall within Entfy 52 of List I. When the legislation in question that was
under consideration was held not to be legislation under Entry 52 of List I,
G the question of applying the ratio in the case of Tikaramji, in the context of
Parliament's power to make a law under Entry 52 of List I and the content
and scope of such law or the scope and content of the expression "industry"
under Entry 52 of List I cannot have any application and consequently, on
the basis of the judgment of this Court in Tikaramji, it cannot be contended
that the expression "industry" in Entry 52 of List I must have a restricted
H meaning. It is further apparent from the conclusion of the Court in that case
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.) 575
when it refused to import the pith and substance argument, holding that the A
same cannot be imported for the simple reason that both the centre as well
as the State Legislatures were operating in the concurrent field and, therefore,
there was no question of any trespass upon the exclusive jurisdiction vested
in the Centre under Entry 52 of List I. In other words in Tikaramji, neither
this Court was called upon to examine the content of the ex11ression "industry" B
under Entry 52 of List I nor the relevant Central law which was under
consideration had been enacted with reference to power under Entry 52 of
List I. This being the position, we do not find much force in the submission
of Mr. Dwivedi that the conclusion recorded by the majority view in ITC
case is vitiated, as it had not noticed observations of the Constitution Bench
decision in Tikaramji. In our opinion, it would be wholly inappropriate for C
this Court to apply the observations made in Tikaramji 's case with regard to
raw materials of "industry". The Court in Tikaramji 's case having not been
called upon to determine the question whether the expression "industry" in
Entry 52 of List I should be given a restricted meaning at all is contended
by Mr. Dwivedi, it would be wholly inappropriate to import the observations
in Tikaramji for construing the ambit and content of the subject head of D
legislation "industry" under Entry 52 of List I. Since the Court was examining
).
the provisions of Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, which
regulated the manufacturing process until Section 18-G was brought. in
amendment in the year 1953 and the Industries (Development and Regulation)
Act did not purport to regulate the trade and commerce in the raw materials, E
namely, sugarcane and the Court in fact was scrutinizing whether the State
Act enacted by the State Legislature could be held to be repugnant to the
Central Legislation, it found that there exist no repugnancy and the two Acts
cover two different fields and would co-exist. In this view of the matter any
observations or conclusion of the Court in Tikaramji will be of no assistance
to us for arriving at a decision as to whether the term "industry" in Entry 52 F
of List I would have a restricted meaning or would. have a wide meaning,
which is the normal interpretation of every entry in the respective lists. In
Calcutta Gas case, no doubt Tikaramji, had been followed and the Court was
examining the two competing entries in list II itself of the Seventh Schedule
of the Constitution, namely, Entry 24 and 25. While Entry 24 of List II is G
"industry", Entry 25 is 'Gas and Gas works' and the question, therefore, was
whether law made by the State Legislature on the subject head 'Gas and gas
works' would prevail over a law made by the State Legislature over the
subject "industry" and the Court held that 'Gas and gas works' being a
special subject head, law made thereunder would prevail over any Jaw made
under the general head "industries". It may be observed that in the Calcutta H
576 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A Gas case [l 962] Supp. S.C.R.) 1 at page 17, it has been held "It is not
nece~sary in th is case to attempt to define the expression "industry" precisely
or to state exhaustively all its ingredients." In view of the aforesaid
observations, we fail to understand how this decision can be pressed into
service for ascertaining the true import and content of the expression "industry"
B which is the subject head under consideration in •he case in hand. Coming
to the decision of this Court in Kanandevan Hi!ls Produce v. State of Kera/a,
[I 972] 2 SCC 218, as has been stated earlier, it is the validity of State
Legislation, namely, Resumption of Lands Act, 1971, which was under
challenge on the ground of lack of legislative competence of the State
Legislature. The validity of the Act was upheld on a conclusion that the law
C was referable to the legislative head under Entry 18 of List II relating to land
and legislative Entry 42 of List III relating to acquisition and requisitioning
of property. It is in that context, it was observed that the power of the State
Legislature to make the law under the aforesaid two entries could not be
denied merely on the ground that it had some effect on the industry, the
control of which has been taken over under Entry 52 of List l. But the Court
D was ~areful to hold that the effect was not the same thing as subject matter.
In other words, the subject matter of "industry" under Entry 52 of List I
really was not under consideration. In paragraph 29 of the said judgment,
referring to the case of Baijnath Kedia v. State of Bihar, where the Court had
construed Entry 23 of List I and Entry 52 of List I, it was observed that the
E scope of Entry 52 of the Union List is slightly different and once it is declared
by Parliament by law to be expedient in public interest to control an industry,
Parliament can legislate on that particular industry and the States would lose
their power to legislate on that industry. Necessarily, therefore, if the law
made by the Parliament in relation· to a controlled industry, the control of
which has been taken over by a declaration in the law, then there cannot be
F any limitation on the power of the Parliament to make ?ny provision having .-
a reasonable and direct nexus with the industry. But at the same time, the
Parliament cannot make a law, which would have no connection at all with
the concerned industry. This, in our opinion is what has been expressed in
paragraph 29 of the aforesaid judgment, but by no stretch of imagination, the
G aforesaid judgment of the Court in Kanan Devan, can be construed to be an
authority for interpreting the expression "industry" in Entry 52 of List I by
giving it a restricted meaning, as contended by Mr. Dwivedi. In Kanan Devan,
the petitioner therein had assailed the competence of the State Legislature to
enact the legislation in question and had relied upon Tikaramji, which has
been referred to in paragraph 30 of the judgment. But the Court in paragraph
H 33 holds that none of these cases assist the petitioners. In the aforesaid
1.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.] 577

premises, we fail to understand how the decision in Kanan Devan will be of A
any assistance to the respondent - State of Bihar in support of the contention
that the Parliament had no legislative competence to enact the Tobacco Board
Act under Entry 52 of List 1, so as to include within the same the provisions
relating to growth of tobacco as well as sale and purchase of raw tobacco
within the market area. The observations of this Court in the Constitution B
Bench decision of Ganga Sugar Corpn. Case, [1980] 1 SCC 223, on which
Mr. Dwivedi strongly relied upon , though ex facie appears to be supporting
the contention of the learned counsel for the State of Bihar, but a deeper
scrutiny of the same would make it crystal clear that the said observation is
of no consequence either in the matter of deciding the ambit of the expression
"industry" in Entry 52 of List 1 or in deciding the legislative competence of C
Parliament to make law like the Tobacco Board Act in relation to a controlled
industry and making provision therein in respect of the growing of tobacco
and purchase and sale of raw tobacco. In Ganga Sugar's case, the levy of
purchase tax on sugar-cane purchased by a factory owner under Section 3 of
the U.P. Sugarcane (Purchase Tax) Act, 1961, was under challenge on the D
ground that the legislation in question being in respect of a controlled industry,
...... the power belongs exclusively to Parliament under Entry 52 of List I. The
Court repelled this contention on the ground that Entry 54 in List II of the
Seventh Schedule empowers the State to legislate for taxes on purchase of
goods and, therefore, it cannot be said to have invaded Entry 52 of List I. The
Court posed the question as to whether the Purchase Tax Act is bad because E
it is a legislation with respect to a controlled industry, namely, the Sugar
industry and answered the same in the negative, following the observations
of the earlier Constitution Bench decision in Tikaramji's case. Thus the extreme
argument that the State Legislature is incompetent to make any law with
regard to a controlled industry, the control of which has been taken over by F
the Union Government by making a declaration, was negatived and it is in
that context, the observations on which Mr. Dwivedi relied upon had been
made. We are unable to accept the submission of Mr. Dwivedi to hold that
the decision of this Court in Ganga Sugar, can be pressed into service for a
contention that the Parliament had no legislative competence to make a G
legislation in respect of a controlled industry like tobacco and enacting the
Tobacco Act and making provision therein in relation to growing of tobacco
as well as sale and purchase of raw tobacco. In our considered opinion, this
decision is of no assistance to support the contention of Mr. Dwivedi, appearing
for the State of Bihar that the expression "industry" in Entry 52 of List I must
be given a narrow meaning so as to include only the process of manufacture H
578 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.

A or production and nothing further. We also reiterate that in none of these
aforesaid Constitution Bench decisions of this Court relied upon by Mr.
Dwivedi, appearing for the State of Bihar, the true import and meaning of the
expression "industry" under Entry 52 of List I was for consideration, nor the
competence of the Parliament to make a legislation in respect of a controlled
B industry, so as to include within itself the provisions relating to the stage
prior to manufacture or production was an issue and consequently these
decisions will be of no assistance so as to strike down the provisions of the
Tobacco Board Act, so far as the provisions contained therein relating to
growing of tobacco/or sale and purchase of raw tobacco.

c It is no doubt true that in Ishwari Khetan 's case [ 1980] 4 SCC 136,
while construing Entry 52 of List I and the effect of the declaration made
thereunder by the Parliament, the Court has relied upon also the legislation
made under Entry 54 of List I, which was held to be in pari materia with
Entry 52 of List I and the earlier decision of this Court in Baij Nath Kedia 's
D case, has been followed, as contended by Mr. Shanti Bhushan, but we need
not embark upon an inquiry in that respect, in view of our conclusion on the
question as to what would be the ambit and extent of the expression "industry"
occurring in Entry 52 of List I. In lshwari Khetan 's case, the Court was
-·
construing the scope and ambit of Entry 54 of List II and Entry 52 of List
I and had observed that the State's power under Entry 24 of List II would get
E eroded only to the extent the control is assumed by the Union pursuant to a
declaration made by the Parliament in respect of declared industry as spelt
out by legislative enactment and the fieid occupied by such enactment is the
measure of erosion and subject to such erosion, on the remainder the State
Legislature will have power to legisiate in respect of declared industry without
F in any way trenching upon the occupied field. Applying the aforesaid ratio •
to the case in hand and having examined the provisions of the Tobacco Board
Act, the answer is irresistible that the State Legislature is denuded of its
power to make any law in relation to growing of tobacco or sale and purchase
of raw tobacco when such a provision has already been made in the Tobacco
Board Act.
G
The two other decisions which require to be noticed by us are the case
of Viswanathiah & Co. v. State of Karnataka, [ 1991] 3 SCC 358 and Belsund
Sugar, [ 1999] 9 SCC 620. So far as Viswanathiah 's case is concerned, Mr.
Dwivedi relied upon the observations made in paragraph 8 of the said judgment
H wherein the Court had observed :-
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.] 579

"It is true that the Silk Board Act purports to control the raw silk A
industry in the territory of India. But, as pointed out by the High
Court in the light of the earlier decisions of this Court therein referred
to, the control of the industry vested in Parliament was only restricted
to the aspect of production and manufacture of silk yam or silk. It did
not obviously take in the earlier stages of the industry, namely, the B
supply of raw materials."

According to Mr. Dwivedi this decision lends support to his contention that
the Industry in Entry 52 of List I will have to be given a restricted meaning,
and as such, it would not cover either the growing of tobacco or dealing with
sale and purchase of raw tobacco. As has been held by us earlier, the power C
of the State Legislature gets denuded to the extent the Central Legislation
occupies the field in respect of the controlled industry, the control of which
has been takerl over by the Parliament on a declaration being made. If after
taking over the control of the industry in exercise of its legislative competence
under Entry 52 of List I, the Parliament while making a law did not make any
provision in relation to the supply of raw material, then merely because the D
control of the industry has been taken over, the State's power to make
legislation in relation to the supply of raw-material would not get denuded.
A But that does not mean that the Parliament cannot make any law in relation
to any other aspect other than the aspect of production and manufacture of
the industry. In other words, the contention of Mr. Dwivedi that the E
Parliament's competence to make any law in respect of the legislative head
'industry' in Entry 52 of List I would entitle the Parliament to make a law
only with respect to the production and manufacture and not any earlier stage
cannot be accepted to be correct, and the aforesaid decision of this Court
cannot be held to have laid down the law in that way. So far as Belsund
Sugar Company's case is concerned, the question for consideration was, F
whether the provisions of the Bihar Agricultural Produce Markets Act would
at all be applicable for levy of market fee in respect of sale and purchase of
sugar cane, in view of the special provisions contained in the Bihar Sugar-
cane Regulation of Supply and Purchase Act, 1981. The Market Committee
Act was also a State Legislation purported to have been enacted under Entries G
26, 27 and 28 of List II. The Sugar cane Regulation of Supply and Purchase
Act purported to be a legislation enacted in Entry 33 of List Ill. The Court
held that in view of the special Act dealing with sale and purchase of sugar
cane the general Act, namely, the Market Committee Act will have no
application at all, and therefore, the levy of market fee by the Market
Committee was held to be invalid. On examining different provisions of the H
;...

580 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002) I S.C.R.

A two Acts the Court also held that there consists direct conflict between the
two Acts and that conflict could be avoided only if it is held that the Market
Act being a general Act covering all types of the agricultural produce and the
Sugar Cane Act, which also deals with an agricultural produce like sugar,
being a special enactment laying down an independent exclusive machinery
for regulating sale, purchase and storage of such a commodity under a special
B Act, then the special Act would prevail over the general Act for that commodity
and by necessary implication will take the said commodity out of the sweep
of the general Act. This decision, in our considered opinion, is not an authority
for the proposition that the expression 'industry' in Entry 52 of List I should
be given a restricted meaning, as contended by Mr. Dwivedi. In that case also
C the extreme contention that there exists possibility of issuance of control
order by the Central Government would denude the State Legislature of its
authority to make a law in respect of any matter coming under any of the
Entries in List II was not accepted. But at the same time it is difficult for us
to construe the aforesaid decision of having laid down a ratio that in dealing
with a Central Legislation in relation to a controlled industry, the control of
D which has been taken over by a declaration made by law, enacted by Parliament
would not clothe the Central Legislature to make any law other than production
or manufacture of the industry in question. Belsund Sugar (supr~) by no
stretch of imagination can be construed to have even remotely held that the
word 'industry' ought to receive a restricted meaning. The said decision,
E therefore, does not support the contention of Mr. Dwivedi, appearing for the
State of Bihar as well as for the State of Karnataka. Mr. Shanti Bhushan,
learned senior counsel, no doubt argued with vehemence that the principle
enunciated in Hingir-Rampur Coal Co. Ltd. & Ors. v. The State ofOrissa &
Ors., [1961] 2 SCR 537, Belsund Sugar, [1970] 2 SCR 100 and State of
Orissa v. M.A. Tulloch & Co., [1964] 4 SCR 461, should equally apply to the
F case in hand while interpreting the scope and extent of the legislative
competence of the Parliament under Entry 52 of List I, but we do not think
it necessary to apply the ratio in the aforesaid three cases, inasmuch as in all
those cases the Court was considering the competing power of the State
Legislature under Entry 23 of List II and the power of the Central Legislature
G under Entry 54 of List I. Both the Entries are on the subject 'Regulation of
Mines and Minerals Development'. Entry 23 of List 2 itself is subject to the
provisions of List I with respect to the Regulation and Development under
control of the Union, and necessarily therefore, when Union takes over the
control of the Mines and Minerals Development by legislation under Entry
54 of bist I the State Legislature would be denuded to make any law in
H relation to the Mines and Minerals Development under Entry 23 of List II.
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.] 581

But in the case in hand, we are concerned with the legislation made by the A
Parliament under Entry 52 of List I which is the Tobacco Board Act and the
legislation made by the State Legislature under Entry 28 or any other ancillary
Entry like Entry 14 or Entry 27 of List II, namely, the Bihar Agricultural
Produce Market Act. In such a case the focus for consideration of the Court
would be as to what is the scope and content of Entry 52 of List I and once B
it is held that the expression 'industry' cannot be given any restricted meaning
and the law enacted by the Parliament, the Tobacco Board Act, is held to be
intra vires then the State Legislation, namely, the Bihar Agricultural Produce
Market Act, so far as it deals with the commodity tobacco will go out of the
general sweep of all agricultural produce notified under the State Act, as the
provisions in respect thereof have been made by the Central Legislation and C
by application of Article 246 of the Constitution the Central Act would
prevail.

·Mr. Dwivedi placed reliance on the Full Bench decision of Allahabad
High Court in SIEL 's case (supra), but in view of our conclusions already
arrived at, the aforesaid Full Bench decision must be held not to have been D
correctly decided. It is also difficult for us to accept the submission of Dr.
Singhvi, learned senior counsel appearing for the Market Committee of
,. Monghyr, that if the subject head of legislation in List II is not subject to the
corresponding Entry in List I then the power of State Legislature to legislate
with regard to that matter is paramount and supreme, and therefore, the E
Market Committee Act being relatable to Entries 14 and 28 of List II, which
are not subject to any of the Entries of List I, the Market Committee Act must
be allowed to prevail. In our considered opinion, the aforesaid approach to
consider the validity of a law made by the Parliament or a law made by the
State Legislature is not a correct approach. The Entries merely being the
subject head of the legislation and the power to make law having emanated F
from Article 246, if a particular law made by Parliament comes within the
legislative competence of the Parliament with reference to any of the Entries
in List I then the State Legislature would not have the competence to make
law with respect to that subject with reference to some other Entries in List
II. It is of course true, that Courts while examining the competing legislations G
would make an attempt and see whether both the legislations could operate,
and that question we will deal later. But the contention that Entries 14 and
28 of List II not being subject to any Entry under List I and the Market
Committee Act being relatable to Entries 14 and 28 of List II the same should
be allowed to operate notwithstanding the wide meaning to the word 'industry'
in Entry 52 of List I and the Parliament has already taken over the control H
582 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2002] I S.C.R.
'
\

A of the industry and has made law in that respect. In the context of our
conclusions.on the question of the import and extent of expression 'industry'
in Entry 52 of List I it is not necessary to examine the other contentions of
Dr. Singhvi that whether the theory of occupied field is relevant only in case
of law made with reference to Entries in List III. We are also not persuaded
B to agree with the submission of Dr. Singhvi that the Market Committee Act
can still be. operative and the Market fee could be levied by the Market
Committee under the State Act for services provided by it on the principle
of quid pro quo even if the Court comes to the conclusion that the Tobacco
Board Act is a valid piece of legislation enacted by the Parliament and that
Act also has made necessary provision for growing of tobacco as well as
C purchase and sale of tobacco. We are also unable to sustain the argument of
Mr. Sanghi, learned senior counsel appearing for Krishi Mandi in the Madhya •
Pradesh batch of appeals, that the enquiry in the case should be whether the
State Legislature had the legislative competence to enact the Market Committee
Act under 28 of List II. His other submission on the question that there is no
irreconciable clash between the two Acts and the meaning of Section 31 of
D Tobacco Board Act will be considered while considering the different
provisions of the two Acts. Mr. Ganguli, learned senior counsel appearing for
the Tamil Nadu Agricultural Marketing Board also submitted in the same
manner as Dr. Singhvi and relied upon Article 246(3) of the Constitution. But
in our considered opinion Article 246( I) itself being notwithstanding anything
E in clauses 2 and 3 of the said Atticle the submission of Mr. Ganguli is devoid
of any force. The elaborate submissions of Mr. Ga11guli in relation to the
decisions of this Court in Bai} Nath Kedia, MA. Tulloch, India Cement and
Orissa Cement, all of which dealt with mining legislations are not necessary
to be dealt with inasmuch as we have not relied upon the principles enunciated
in those decisions, even though Mr. Shanti Bhushan pressed those decisions
F in support of his contention.

In the aforesaid premises, we are of the considered opinion that the
Tobacco Board Act enacted by the Parliament under Entry 52 of List I is
constitutionally valid and all the provisions therein, including the provisions
G relating to growing of Tobacco and sale and purchase of tobacco are within
the legislative competence of the Parliament. We are also further of the
opinion that the word 'industry' in Entry 52 of List I cannot be given a
restricted meaning, particularly when a conspectus of all the decisions
interpreting Entry in any of the Lists of the Constitution including the minority
view of Mukherjee, J. in ITC case is to the effect that the Entries in the List
H should be given liberal and generous construction and it is well accepted
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.] 583

cardinal rule of interpretation that the words in constitutional document, A
conferring legislative powers should be construed most liberally and in their
"' widest amplitude.

Coming to the second question, it is no doubt true as a matter of
principle of construction that in the event there are two competing legislations,
one by the Parliament and one by the State, the Court would make an B
endeavour if both the legislations could be allowed to be operated upon. But
on examining the provisions of the two Acts, if it is found that the Central
Legislation and the State Legislation come in collision with each, then question
of allowing both of them to operate would not arise. In such an event, the
Central Legislation would prevail, provided the said legislation is otherwise C
constitutionally valid, namely, the Parliament had the legislative competence
to enact the legislation in question. From the aforesaid stand point, if we
examine the different provisions of the Tobacco Board Act, more particularly
Sections 3, 8 and 32 and the provisions of the Agricultural Produce Markets
Act, more particularly Section 4(2) thereof as well as Section 15, which is
said to be the heart and soul of the Markets Act in Belsund's case, the D
conclusion is irresistible that tHe two Acts come in direct collision with each
other and it is difficult to reconcile the provisions of both the Acts. Necessarily,
therefore, the Tobacco Board Act having been enacted by the Parliament and
making all provisions in relation to the tobacco industry including the
provisions for growing of tobacco as well as sale and purchase of raw tobacco, E
in accordance with the procedure prescribed under the said Act, the provisions
of the Agricultural Produce Markets Act, entitling the Market Committee to
levy fee for sale and purchase of raw tobacco within the market area will not
be operative, so far as the produce 'tob<tcco' is concerned. In other words,
Central Act would prevail and would govern the entire gamut of tobacco
industry. It is also important to bear in mind that when parliament decides to F
take over the control of a particular industry in the interest of the said industry
as well as in the national interest, the control should be effective and should
be in such a manner that the desired object can be achieved. Necessarily,
therefore, legislation ought to be made providing control over the growing of
tobacco as well as on its sale and purchase, which alone would subserve the G
very purpose for which the control of the industry has been taken over by the
Parliament. In this view of the matter, we hold that the Tobacco Board Act
and the Agricultural Produce Markets Act, collide with each other and cannot
be allowed to be operated simultaneously. Necessarily, therefore, the Tobacco
Board Act would prevail and the Agricultural Produce Markets Act, so far as
it relates to levy of fee for sale and purchase of tobacco within the market H
584 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2002] I S.C.R.

A area must be held to go out of the purview of the said Act.

Coming to the third question posed by us in view of the inconsistency
and repugnancy between the two Acts, as already stated, it is the Central Act
that would prevail and in our opinion, the majority judgment in the ITC case
has been correctly decided, though the reasons for the same given by us may
B be slightly different than the reasons which persuaded the learned Judges to
have the conclusion in the ITC case.

In view of our conclusion on the three issues, the impugned judgment
of the Patna High Court, remitting the matter to the Market Committee for
C passing a fresh assessment order is set aside and it is held that the sale and
purchase of tobacco within the market area of any Market Committee would •
not be subjected to the provisions of the Bihar Agricultural Produce Markets
Act. Civil Appeal No. 6453 of 2001 is accordingly allowed.

Civil Appeal No. 3872 of 1990, filed by the Krishi Utpadan Mandi
D Samiti against the Division Bench Judgment of Allahabad High Court stands
dismissed.

We also set aside the Full Bench decision of the Allahabad High Court
and the appeal filed by the Tobacco Merchants' Association, assailing the
E legality of the Full Bench decision of the Allahabad High Court is allowed.
Similarly, the Judgment of the Division Bench of the High Court of Madras,.
which follows the majority view of this Court in ITC case, is upheld and the
appeals filed by the State of Tamil Nadu as well as the Tamil Nadu Agricultural
Marketing Board are dismissed.

F Civil Writ Petition filed by the Jayalakshmi Tobacco Company under
Article 32, registered as Civil Writ Petition No. 8614 of 1982, challenging
••
the validity of the provisions of Karnataka Agricultural Produce Marketing
(Regulation) Act, stands disposed of and the said Act, enacted by the State
legislation of Karnataka must be held to be invalid, so far as the provisions
authorising levy of fee on sale and purchase of tobacco within the market
G area is concerned.

The twelve appeals filed against the Judgment of Madhya Pradesh High
Court are dismissed and the Judgment of the Division Bench of Madhya
Pradesh High Court is upheld.

H In different appeals arising out of the judgment of the Madhya Pradesh
l.T.C. LTD. v. A.P.M.C. [G.B. PATTANAIK, J.) 585
High Court, interim stay had been granted by different Benches on 27.4.88, A
2.5.88, 17.8.88 and 5.10.88. By these orders, the Court had stayed the operation
of the judgment, without any condition. All these orders stood modified by
order dated 27.2.89, when the Court passed the following order:

" .................. There will be no recovery of arrears due. There will also
be no stay of the refund collected if any. The amount collected may B
be refunded within four months from this date. In future there will be
no stay of recovery of market-fee found due and payable from the
date of the High Court's judgment. It is, however, made clear that if
the parties have filed objection against the levy, the objection shall be
disposed of in accordance with law before the recovery is restored. C
In case, ultimately if the respondents succeed then the amount collected
will be refunded by the appellants along with the interest @ 12% per
annum. In case the appellants succeed then the respondents undertake
to pay the arrears of market-fee along with the interest @ 12% per
annum from the date of the payment."
D
Now that the judgment of the High Court is being upheld and the appeals are
being dismissed, the question for consideration would be as to whether the
said order of stay dated 27.2.1989 should be modified or the order should be
allowed to operate and the collected market-fee would be required to be
refunded with interest @ 12% per annum in accordance with the order dated
27.2.1989. Having regard to the facts and circumstances and the.resources of E
the Market Committee, we think it appropriate to modify the said order dated
27 .2.1989 and direct that the Market-fee already collected from the sale and
purchase of tobacco within the market area by the Mandi Samiti, need not be
refunded. But at the same time, the Market Committee will not be entitled to
collect the same, even for any past period, if the same has not already been F
collected.

G.N. Appeals and petition disposed of.