Holding

A notification that increases tax liability cannot be issued with retrospective effect, and the selective withdrawal of exemption for NPK 23:23:0 is discriminatory and unconstitutional.

Summary

The State of Uttar Pradesh had issued a notification on 2 November 1994 exempting the sale of the NPK 23:23:0 fertilizer from trade tax for the period 1 November 1994 to 31 March 1995. Two later notifications dated 10 April 1995 and 15 May 1995 withdrew that exemption retrospectively for NPK 23:23:0 while continuing to exempt other NPK fertilizers. Deepak Fertilizers challenged the validity of the later notifications, arguing that the retrospective withdrawal violated the proviso to Section 25 of the U.P. Trade Tax Act and that the selective exemption was discriminatory under Article 14 of the Constitution. The Supreme Court held that a notification that increases tax liability cannot have retrospective effect, rendering the 1995 notification illegal and invalid, and that the classification of fertilizers lacked a rational basis, constituting discrimination. Consequently, the appeal was dismissed, upholding the High Court’s order in favour of the respondent.

Issues considered

Whether the exemption granted to NPK 23:23:0 by the 2 November 1994 notification can be withdrawn retrospectively by a subsequent notification under the proviso to Section 25 of the U.P. Trade Tax Act, 1948.
Whether the subsequent notifications of 10 April 1995 and 15 May 1995 are discriminatory and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution as they exempt all NPK fertilizers except NPK 23:23:0.

Legislation cited

Constitution of Indias. Article 13(2), s. Article 14
U.P. Trade Tax Act, 1948s. 25

Subjects

Tax exemptionRetrospective effectDiscriminationArticle 14U.P. Trade Tax ActClassification of goodsNPK fertilizerConstitutional lawTrade tax

Judgment

STATEOFU.P. &ORS. A
v.
DEEPAK FERTILIZERS & PETROCHEMICAL CORPORATION LTD.

MAY 14, 2007

[TARUN CHATTERJEE AND V.S. SIRPURKAR, JJ.] B

U.P. Trade Tax Act 1948-s.25, proviso-Tax on sale of chemical
fertilizers-Exemption granted by Notification in regard to fertilizer sold by
Respondent-Held: Could not be withdrawn with retrospective effect by C
issuance of subsequent notification superseding the earlier notification since
it amounted to increasing the tax liability of Respondent with retrospective
effect, which could not be done in view of proviso to s.25-Subsequent
notification also discriminatory being not able to strike a rational balance
of classification between items of the same category since fertilizer sold by
Respondent was not given exemption though all other fertilizers of the same D
category were exempted-No reasonable nexus of classification among
chemical fertilizers of the same class by the State-Notification-Tax
Exemption Notification-Constitution of India, 1950-Article 14.

Respondent-company is engaged in the manufacture and sale of a E
chemical fertilizer NPK 23:23:0. In terms of Notification dated 2nd November,
1994 issued by Appellant-State in exercise of its powers under the U.P. Trade
Tax Act, NPK 23:23:0 was exempted from payment of sales tax for the period
1st November 1994 to 31st March 1995.

Superseding the said Notification, a set of two notifications, one dated F
10th April, 1995 followed by another dated 15th May, 1995 were issued in
terms of which tax exemption to NPK 23:23:0 as allowed by the Notification
dated 2nd November, 1994 was withdrawn with retrospective effect. In terms
of the said two subsequent notifications all fertilizers of the NPK category
except NPK 23:23:0 were exempted from payment of tax.
G
In appeal to this Court the questions which arose for consideration are
1) Whether exemption granted to NPK 23:23:0 by Notification dated 2nd
November, 1994 could not be withdrawn by subsequent notifications with
retrospective effect and 2) Whether the subsequent two notifications were also

525
H
526 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2007] 6 S.C.R.

A discriminatory as they exempted all kinds of fertilizers of NPK category except
NPK 23:23:0.

Dismissing the appeal, the Court

HELD: 1. A bare perusal of the proviso to Section 25 of the U.P Trade
B Tax Act would clearly show that no notification having the effect of increasing
the tax liability shall be issued with retrospective effect under the aforesaid
section. The High Court was justified in holding that exemption could not be
withdrawn with retrospective effect by issuance of subsequent notification
dated I0th Apri~ 1995, superseding the notification dated 2nd November, 1994.
C' Restricting the exemption of tax to certain fertilizers in the same class of
chemical fertilizers certainly amounted to increasing the liability to tax of
the dealer with retrospective effect, which cannot be issued in view of the
proviso to Section 25 of the Act. Accordingly, it is held that the notification
dated 10th April, 1995, denying exemption to NPK 23:23:0 retrospectively is
illegal and invalid. [Para 10) [53'0-E-G)
D
Ganesh International & Anr. v. Assistant Commissioner and Ors., (2001)
124 STC 600 (All), referred to.

2.1. From a perusal of the notifications in question, it is evident that
other fertilizers of the NPK category i.e. N.P.K. 12:32:16; N.P.K.15:15:15;
E N.P.K. 20:20:0; N.P.K. 14:35:14 are included in the exemption list, whereas
it is a matter of fact that the NPK 23:23:0 fertilizer is also a fertilizer of the
same category, but it is omitted from the list. [Para 13) (531-E]

2.2. Every law has to pass through the test of constitutionality, which is
F nothing but a formal name of the test of rationality. Whenever there is to be
made any type of law for the purpose of levying taxes on a particular commodity
or exempting some other commodity from taxation, a sought of classification
is to be made. Certainly, this classification cannot be a product of a blind
approach by the administrative authorities on which the responsibility of
delegated legislations is vested by the constitution. In a nutshell, the
G notifications issued by the Trade Tax Department of the State ofU.P., dated
10th April, 1995 and 15th May, 1995 lack the sense of reasonability because
it is not able to strike a rational balance of classification between the items
of the same category. As a result of this, NPK 23:23:0 is not given exemption
from taxation where as all other NPK fertilizers of the same category like
H that of NPK 20:20:0 are provided with the exemption from taxation. There is
no reasonable nexus of such classification among various chemical fertilizers
STATEOFU.P. •.DEEPAKFERTILIZERS&PETROCHEMICALCORPORATIONLTD(TARUNCHATTERJEE,J.) 527

of the same class by the State. [Paras 15 and 16) [532-F-H; 533-A, C) A
State of Assam & Ors. v. Naresh Chandra Ghosh (D) by Lrs., (2001) I
SCC 265 and Associated Cement Company v. Government ofAndhra Pradesh
and Anr., (2006) I SCC 597, distinguished.

Ayurveda Pharmacy & Anr. v. State of Tamilnadu, (198912sec285; B
Tata Motors Ltd. v. State of Maharashtra and Ors., (2004) 5 SCC 783 and
Kera/a Hotel and Restaurant Association & Ors. v. State of Kera/a & Ors.,
AIR (1990) SC 913, referred to.

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 3511 of2001.
c
From the Final Judgment and Order dated 09.08.2000 of the High Court
of Judicature at Allahabad in Civil Misc. Writ Petition No. I 120 of I 995.

Kavin Gulati and Rajiv Dubey (for Kamlendra Mishra) for the Appellants.

Dhruv Agarwal and Praveen Kumar for the Respondent. D

,,
I
The Judgment of the Court was delivered by

TARUN CHATTERJEE. J, 1. Challenge in this appeal is to the judgment
passed by the Division Bench of the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad.
E
2. Deepak Fertilizers and Petrochemical Corporation Ltd. (respondent
herein) is a Company registered under the Indian Companies Act, 1956 which
is engaged in the business of manufacture and sale of phosphatic fertilizers
and allied chemicals the composition of which is 23 :23 :0 i.e. (Nitrogen,
Prosperous and Potassium) in the State of U.P. and is registered under the
UP Trade Tax Act (hereinafter called the 'Act') and the Central Sales Tax Act. F
The State of UP (the appellants herein) issued notification dated 2nd November,
1994, which provided for exemption from payment of tax on the sale of
potassium phosphatic fertilizers for a specified period. This Notification reads
as under:

"Jn the exercise of the powers under Clause A of Section 4 read G
that Section 25 of the U. P. Trade Tax Act ( U.'"P. Act No. 15of1948),
the Governor is pleased to direct that from 1.11.1994 to 31.3.1995
no tax would be payable under the aforesaid Act on the sale of
Potassium Phosphatic fertilizers."
H
528 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007] 6 S. C.R.

A 3. A reading of this notification indicates that no tax would be payable
for the period from 1st November 1994 to 31st March 1995 under the Act on
the sale of Potassium Phosphatic Fertilizers.

4. Subsequently a notification-dated I0th April, 1995 was issued which
superceded the notification dated 2nd November, 1994. This notification runs
B ,as under:
"In exercise of powers under Section 25 read with Clause 21 of
sub-section A of Section 4 of U. P. Trade Tax Act, 1948 (U.P. Act No.
XV of 1948) and Section 21 of U. P. General Clauses Act, 1904 (U.P.
Act No. I of 1904 superceding the Government Notification No. T.
c T.- 2 - 3714/IJ-9( 856)192-U. P. Act -15 -480rder - 94 dated 2nd
November 1994 (S. No. 235), the Governor is pleased to direct that
during the period !st November 1994 ending with 31st March 1995
no tax will be payable under the aforesaid U. P. Act No. XV of 1948
of the following chemical fertilizers:-
D i. DA.P.
ii. MO.P.
y

iii. Super Phosphate 4

iv. N.P.K. 12:32:16
E
v. N.P.K.15:15:15
vi. N.P.K. 20:20:0
vii. N.P.K. 14:35: 14"

5. This notification was foll.owed by another notification dated 15th
F
May, 1995, which provided for exc!mption to the same category offertilizers
as mentioned in the previous notification dated 10th April, 1995. From a
perusal of the aforesaid two notifications, we find that the exemption to NPK
23:23:0 (product of the respondent) was withdrawn.

G 6. Finding that the exemption to NPK 23:23:0 was not allowed by the
~foresaid two notifications, the respondent had written a letter to the
¢;ommissioner, Trade Tax of the State of UP requesting him to include NPK
23 :23 :0 in the exemption list issued! under the aforesaid two notifications. On
23rd November, 1995 the Trade Tax Department of UP asked by a letter to the
H respondent company, "why their product be included in the aforesaid two
STATE OF U.P. v. DEEPAKFERTILIZERS& PETROCHEMICAL CORPORATION LTD. [TARUNCHATTERJEE.J.] 529

~- notifications?" as the exemption to the product of the respondent was not A
allowed and aggrieved by the issuance of these notifications withdrawing
such exemption allowed by the 1994 notification, the respondent filed a writ
petition in the High Court of Judicature at Allahabad challenging the validity
of the aforesaid two notifications and prayed for a direction upon the appellants
not to discriminate NPK 23 :23 :0 and to include the same in the list of exempted
items of the aforesaid two notifications. B

7. In the writ petition, the first grievance of the respondent was that the
notification dated I 0th April, 1995 could not have been issued with
-< retrospective effect. Relying on a decision of the Allahabad High Court,
namely, Ganesh International & Anr. v. Assistant Commissioner and Ors.,
(200 I) 124 STC 600 (All), the High Court held that the notification dated I 0th
c
April, 1995 shall apply prospectively and not retrospectively. The learned
counsel appearing on behalf of the appellants have not seriously challenged
this part of the impugned order of the High Court. However, since this
question arose before us and the High Court decided the same against the
appellants relying on a decision of its court, we prefer to deal with the D
question in this judgment. Let us, therefore, examine whether, in the facts and
-( circumstances of the case, the notification dated 10th April 1995 which denied
·~ exemption to NPK 23:23:0 retrospectively can be held to be invalid as held
by the High Court in the impugned order. Before proceeding further we may
reiterate that the notification dated 2nd November, 1994 as quoted herein
E
earlier permits exemption from taxes on the sale of Potassium Phosphatic
Fertilizer from 1st November, 1994 to 31st March, 1995. In the notification
dated 2nd November, 1994 exemption, therefore, was allowed on sale of all
categories of Potassium Phosphatic F :rtilizer which, however, was withdrawn
in respect of the product of the respondent, namely, NPK 23:23:0 by the
notification dated I0th April, 1995. F
8. Now the question arises whether by the notification dated I0th April,
1995 retrospectively, the exemption granted to the product of the respondent
namely NPK 23:23:0 could be withdrawn. The High Court held that such
exemption could not be withdrawn by the notification dated I 0th April, 1995
with retrospective effect. The learned counsel for the appellants, however, G
submitted that the High Court fell in error in holding that retrospective
withdrawal of the exemption granted by the notification dated 2nd November,
1994 could not be permitted. However, the learned counsel for the respondent

~
submitted that such retrospective withdrawal was not permissible.
H
:530 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007] 6 S.C.R.

A 9. We have heard learned counsel for the parties on this aspect. After
~ing into consideration, the notifications dated 2nd November, 1994 and
10th April, 1995 we have no hesitation in our mind to hold that the High Court
was fully justified in holding that exemption granted to the respondent by the
notification dated 2nd November, 1994 could not be withdrawn by a subsequent
B notification with retrospective effect. In this connection, we may rely on
Section 25 of the Act itself which runs as under:

" Power to issue notification with retrospective effect: Where the
State Government is satisfied that it is necessary so to do in the
public interest, it may issue a notification under Section 3-A or Section
3-D, or Section 4 or Section 4-B so as to make if effective from a date
c not earlier than six months from the date of issuance of such
notification:

Provided that no notification having the effect of increasing the
liability to tax of dealer shall be issued with retrospective effect
under this section. "
D
(Italicising ours)

10. For this aspect, proviso to Section 25 of the Act is important. A bare
perusal of the proviso to Section 25 of the Act would clearly show that no
E notification having the effect of increasing the tax liability shall be issued with
retrospective effect under the afori~said section. In our view, the High Court
was justified in holding that exemption could not be withdrawn with
retrospective effect by issuance of subsequent notification dated I0th April,
1995, superseding the notification dated 2nd November, 1994. Restricting the
exemption of tax to certain fertilizers in the same class of chemical fertilizers
F !certainly amounted to increasing the liability to tax of the dealer with
~etrospective effect, which in our opinion, cannot be issued in view of the
!proviso to Section 25 of the Act. Accordingly, we hold that the notification
dated 10th April, 1995, denying exemption to NPK 23:23:0 retrospectively is
!illegal and invalid and are in agreement with the view expressed by the High
G Court on this question.
11. The second grievance of the respondent in the writ petition is that
the notification dated 15th May, 1995 is discriminatory as it exempts all kinds
of phosphatic fertilizers ofNPK except the NPK 23 :23 :0 fertilizer manufactured
by the respondent company. The learned counsel for the respondent contended
H that all the fertilizers of NPK category of various combinations are treated as
STATEOFU.P. "OEEPAKFERmtzERS& PETROCHEMICAL CORPORATION LTO. fTARUNCHATTERJEE, J.] 53 J

phosphatic fertilizers not only by the Government of India but also by the A
various agricultural departments of the various State Governments, the fanners, .
the in-trade and in-common parlance. The High Court relying on a decision
of this court in. the case of Ayurveda Pharmacy & Anr. v. State of Tamilnadu,
(1989) 2 sec 285 held that the two items of the same category cannot be
discriminated. Hence, the High Court held that merely because of composition B
of NPK, discrimination could not have been made against the respondent.

12. In Ayurveda Pharmacy decision (supra), it was held that while it was
open to the Legislature or the State Government to select different rates of
~·
tax for different categories, where the commodities belonged to the same class
-(
or category, it was necessary that there must be a rational basis of C
discrimination between one commodity and another for the purpose of
imposing tax. Accordingly, the High Court went on to hold that merely
because of different composition ofNPK, discrimination could not have been
made against NPK 23 :23 :0 and hence ordered the appellants not to realise tax
on the sale ofNPK 23:23:0 from the respondent for the period from 10th April,
1995 to 31st March, 1996. D·
' 13. From a perusal of the notifications in question, it is evident that
other fertilizers of the NPK category i.e. N,P.K. 12:32:16; N.P.K. 15:15:15; N.P.K.
20:20:0; N.P.K. 14:35:14 are included in the exemption list, whereas it is a matter
of fact that the NPK 23:23:0 fertilizer is also a fertilizer of the same category, E
but it is omitted from the list. According to the notification dated 2nd
November, 1994, the intention of the State was not to tax the sale of"potassium
phosphatic fertilizers" but when we go into enquiry of nomenclature of these
chemical compounds, we find that the NPK 23:23:0 is a "nitro-phosphate
fertilizer" which has no potassium (K) ingredient. The Notifications dated I0th
April, 1995 and 15th May, 1995 clearly include NPK 20:20:0, which is also a p
nitro-phosphate feitilizer with zero content of potassium (K). This classification
made under the nc,tification dated I 0th April, 1995 does not hold good on the
rational basis and is hence subject to scrutiny. The fact remains stagnant that
the notifications include a fertilizer NPK 20:20:0 which is of the same category
as that of fertilizer NPK 23:23:0, because both are nitro-phosphate fertilizers.
This shows that the state has not classified the two commodities on a rational G
basis for the purpose of imposing tax. This court in the case of Tata Motors
Ltd v. State of Maharashtra and Ors., (2004] 5 SCC 783, has held:

"It is no doubt true that the state has enormous powers of
legislation and in enacting fiscal laws. Great leverage is allowed in the H
532 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2007] 6 S.C.R.

A matter of taxation laws because several fiscal adjustments are to be
made by the government depending upon the needs of the revenue
and the economic circumstances prevailing in the state. Even so an
action taken by the state cannot be irrational and so arbitrary so
as to one set of rules for one period and another set of rules for
another period by amending the laws in such a manner as to withdraw
B the benefit that had been given resulting in higher burden so far as
the assessee is concerned without any reason. '?.etrosper.tive
withdrawal of the benefit of set-off only for a particular period
should be justified on some tangible and rational ground, when
challenged on the ground of unconstitutionality."
c (Italicising is ours).

14. The learned counsel for the appellants could not, however, satisfy
us that there was a good reason to introduce the first set of notification for
one period and another set of notification for another either by amending the
D notification or by introducing a new notification so as to withdraw the benefit
that was given earlier, resulting in higher burden on the assessee without any
reason.

15. The learned counsel appc:aring for the State relying heavily on the ~
case of Kera/a Hotel and Restaurant Association & Ors. v. State of Kera/a
E & Ors., AIR (1990) SC 913, contended that the State has widest latitude where
measures of economic and fiscal regulation are concerned. There is no dispute
on this principle oflaw as enumera.ted in the aforesaid decision of this Court.
However, this same law must not be repugnant to the Article 14 of the
Constitution, i.e., it must not violate the right to equality of the people of
F India, and if such repugnancy prevails then, it shall stand void up to the level
of such repugnancy under Article 13(2) of the Constitution oflndia. Therefore,
every law has to pass through the test of constitutionality, which is nothing
but a formal name of the test of rationality. We understand that whenever
~here is to be made any type of law for the purpose of levying taxes on a
rarticular commodity or exempting some other commodity from taxation, a
G ~ought of classification is to be ma.de. Certainly, this classification cannot be
~ product of a blind approach by the administrative authorities on which the
responsibility of delegated legislations is vested by the constitution. In a
~utshell, the notifications issued by the Trade Tax Department of the State

H I"=
ofU.P., dated 10th April, 1995 and 15th May, 1995 lack the sense ofreasonability
it • oot >bi< to mik• • rati=I b'1'"" of "'"'""tioo b'""" th•

I
.
STATE OF U.P. '· DEEPAKFERTILIZERS8' PETROCHEMICAL CORPORATIONLTD. (TARUNCHATTERJEE.J.] 533

items of the same category. As a result of this, NPK 23:23:0 is not given A
exemption from taxation where as all other NPK fertilizers of the same .category
like that of NPK 20:20:0 are provided with the exemption frorn taxation.

16. The reasonableness of this classification must be examined on the
basis, that when the object of the taxing provision is not to tax the sale of
certain chemical fertilizers included in the list, which clearly points out that B
all the fertilizers with the similar compositions must be included without
excluding any other chemical fertilizer which has the same elements and
-.. ~
compositions. Thus, there is no reasonable nexus of such classification among
various chemical fertilizers of the same class by the state. This court in the
case of Ayurveda Pharmacy (supra) held that two items of the same category
cannot be discriminated and where such a distinction is made between items
c
falling in the same category it should be done on a reasonable basis, in order
to save such a classification being in contravention of Article 14 of the
Constitution of India.

17. Before finally deciding this aspect of the matter, we need to consider D
a decision cited by learned counsel for the appellant in the case of Associated
~
Cement Company v. Government of Andhra Pradesh and Anr., (2006] 1 SCC
,. 597. Learned counsel for the appellant, drawing inspiration from this judgment,
submitted that no reliance could be placed on the decision of this Court in
the case of Ayurveda Pharmacy wherein it was held that two items of the
same category could not be discriminated and where such distension was E
made between such items, it should be done in order to save such a classification
being in contravention of Article 14 of the Constitution. While examining the
case of Ayurveda Pharmacy this Court in Associated cement observed:

"Jn Ayurveda Pharmacy v. State of TN. which is the sheet anchor
of the appellants' submission the facts were : that the appellants were
F
manufacturers of Ayurvedic drugs and medicines, including arishtams
and asavas. Arishtams and asavas contain alcohol, which according
to the assessee was essential for the effective and easy absorption
of the medicine by the human system and also because it acted as a
preservative. While all other patent or proprietary medicinal G
preparations belonging to the different systems of medicines were
taxed at the rate of 7% only, arishtams prepared under the Ayurvedic
system were made subject to a levey of 30%. The appellants filed the
--...., writ petitions in the High Court of Madras challenging the levy at 3C%
on arishtams and asavas, being violative of Article 14 as well as
H
534 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (2007] 6 S.C.R.

A Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution. The High Court dismissed the writ
petition by observing that the imposition of the rate of 30% on the
sale of arishtams and asavas must be regarded principally as a measure
for raising revenue, and repelled the argument that the rate of tax was
discriminatory or that Artide 19( I)(g) was infringed."

B 18. In Associated Cement case this Court noted the aforesaid facts and
principle laid down in Ayurveda Pharmacy and after noting the same at page
611 of the decision in Associated Cement, this Court observed as under:

"Referring the decision, it was held by this court that the two
preparations- Arishtams and Asava- were medicinal preparations and
c even though they containe:d high alcoholic content, so long as they
continued to be identified as medicinal preparations they must be
treated for the purposes of sales tax law in like manner as medicinal
preparations generally, including those containing lower percentage
of alcohol."
D 19. This court in Associated Cement case thus noted that in Ayurveda
Pharmacy case (supra) the charge of discrimination was upheld because of
the inherent nature of the commodity and its similarity with others falling
within the same category. However, while the distinguishing the facts of the
Ayurveda Pharmacy, this court in Associated Cement case made the following
E observations:

"but in the present case, the rate of tax on cement is made dependent
on whether the sale price of cement includes the cost of packing
materials."

F 20. From the above, we find that in Associated Cement case, it was held
by this court that the rate of tax cin cement was dependent on the question
whether the price included the cost of packing materials whereas in the
present case we are concerned with the exemption granted to the dealer of
NPK 23 :23:0. In view of our discussion made herein above, we are, therefore,
of the view that the decision in the case of Associated Cement stand on
G different factual situation. Therefore, we are unable to accept the contention
of the learned counsel for the appellants that the decision in Ayurveda
Pharmacy and the principles laid dlown in that case cannot be applied in the
present case.

21. This being the position and in view of our discussion made herein
H
STATE Of UP. ,.. DEEPAK FERTILIZERS& PETROCHEMICAL CORPORATION LTD. [TARUN CHATTERJEE, J.] 535

tr earlier that the products of the respondent and the exemption granted in the A
notification in question which are similar in nature, we hold that the product
ofNPK 23:23:0 is also a similar commodity within the meaning of the notification
of exemption dated I0th April, 1995. Therefore, it would not be open for the
appellants, as held by the High Court, to realise tax retrospectively on sale
ofNPK 23:23:0 from 10th April, 1994 to 3 lst March, 1995.
B
22. Before parting with this judgment, it would be necessary for us to
take into consideration another decision of this Court in the case of State of
....
- ~
.
Assam & Ors. v. Naresh Chandra Ghosh (D) by Lrs., (2001] I SCC 265. The
learned counsel for the appellants relied on this decision in order to distinguish
the decision of this Court in the case of Ayurveda Pharmacy. In our view, this
decision is factually distinguishable. In paragraph 9, this Court observed that
c
so far as the Assam Act is concerned, unlike the Tamil Nadu General Sales
Tax Act, 1959, it identified the medicinal preparations containing more than
12% alcohol as a separate class vis-a-vis such preparations either not containing
alcohol or containing less than 12% alcohol. The difference, according to this
decision, distinguishes the basis of the judgment of this Court in Ayurveda D
Pharmacy case in as much as the Assam Act did not identify the medicinal
I preparations containing more than 12% alcohol as being the same as other
• medicinal preparations not containing alcohol. It was also noted in that
decision that on the other hand these types of spirituous medicinal
preparations, which contained 12% alcohol, have been separately classified
E
for the levy of tax under Item 67 of the Schedule to the Act. In that view of
the matter, the classification founded in the said decision with regard to the
medicinal preparations based on the strength of alcohol contents in the same,
cannot be said to be arbitrary and violative of Article 14, as held by the High
Court. This decision, as already noted, is of no help to the app~llants and the
reasons that this decision will not help the appellants have already been F
discussed above. Accordingly, we are not in a position to rely on the decision
as cited by the learned counsel for the appellants.

23. For the reasons aforesaid, we do not find any merit in the appeal
and the same is dismissed with no order as to costs.
G
B.B.B. Appeal dismissed.

-""'