15 November 1966
Supreme Court
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MOHANLAL HARGOVINDDAS Vs STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH & ORS.

Bench: RAO, K. SUBBA (CJ),SHAH, J.C.,SIKRI, S.M.,RAMASWAMI, V.,VAIDYIALINGAM, C.A.
Case number: Appeal (civil) 242 of 1965


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PETITIONER: MOHANLAL HARGOVINDDAS

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH & ORS.

DATE OF JUDGMENT: 15/11/1966

BENCH: RAMASWAMI, V. BENCH: RAMASWAMI, V. RAO, K. SUBBA (CJ) SHAH, J.C. SIKRI, S.M. VAIDYIALINGAM, C.A.

CITATION:  1967 AIR 1022            1967 SCR  (2)  88

ACT: Central  Provinces and Berar Sales Tax Act (21 of  1947)  as amended  by Madhya Pradesh Sales Tax Act (20 of  1953),  ss. 27A  and 4(6)-Goods declared and mentioned  in  registration certificate as meant for use as raw material for manufacture of  goods  for  sale, delivery  and  consumption  in  Madhya Pradesh actually used for export out of State-Whether liable to  purchase  tax-Effect of Sales Tax Laws  Validation  Act, 1956.

HEADNOTE: The  appellant  was  a  firm  in  Madhya  Pradesh  and   was registered  as  a dealer’ under the  Central  Provinces  and Berar  Sales Tax Act, 1947 as amended by the Madhya  Pradesh Sales  Tax (Amendment) Act, 1953.  During 1951 and 1955  the firm  imported  tobacco  from the State  of  Bombay  on  the declaration  that  it would be used as raw material  in  the manufacture  of goods for sale by actual delivery in  Madhya Pradesh   for  consumption  in  that  State.   Tobacco   was mentioned  as  one  of  the  raw  materials  in  the  firm’s registration  certificate  issued  under s. 8  of  the  Act. However the goods manufactured by the firm were utilised for a  different  purposes i.e. for export  outside  the  State. Under  s.  4(6)  of  the Act when  goods  were  used  for  a different purpose other than the one declared and  mentioned in the registration certificate the price paid by the dealer for  such goods would be included in his  taxable  turnover. However  in  a  writ  petition before  the  High  Court  the appellant firm contended that the goods exempt as interstate sales were exempted from levy of sales ,,tax under s. 27A of the  Act  which incorporated the bans in Art.  286  of  ,the Constitution.   The writ petition was allowed  in  September 1955.   However in ’1956 the Sales tax Validation  Ordinance and  thereafter  the  -Sales Tax Laws  Validation  Act  were passed.   Accordingly  the  Sales  Tax  ,Authorities  issued notices  to  the appellant firm proposing to  levy  purchase ,tax  on  the  tobacco purchased  by  it  from  non-resident dealers  during the period November 7, 1953 to September  5, 1955.   The appellant thereupon filed another writ  petition

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before  the  High  Court challenging the  levy  but  it  was dismissed.   With  certificate the appellant  came  to  this "court. It  was  urged on behalf of the appellant  that  (i)  before advantage  could be taken of the Sales Tax  Laws  Validation Act. 1956 there had to be in existence a State Act  imposing tax  on inter-State.sales and s. 27A of the Act  imposed  no such  tax, (ii) s. 4(6) had no application  because  tobacco was not specified in the certificate of registration granted to  the appellant as intended for use by it as raw  material in the manufacture of any goods for sale by actual  delivery in  Madhya  Pradesh for the purpose of consumption  in  that State." HELD : (i) Read with the third explanation to s. 2(g)of  the Act  s.  27-A  had  a positive and  not  merely  a  negative content.  It gave power to -the State of Madhya Pradesh,  to impose  a tax on a transaction falling ’Within its  purview. It  was therefore a pre-existing law validated by the  Sales Tax  Laws  Validation Act, 1956 and the appellant  could  be -taxed under it in respect,of inter-State sales only  during the relevant period. [95 H; 96 G-H]                              89 M.P.V.  Sundararamier & Co. v. The State of Andhra  Pradesh, [1958] S.C.R. 1422, relied on. (ii)The  declaration  made by the appellant to  the  Bombay dealers  was  for the purpose of  obtaining  exemption  from purchase  tax.  The same was the purpose of the  mention  of tobacco  in the registration certificate under s. 8. If  the language of the certificate were construed in the context of the  s.  8.  of  the Act (as amended)  and  along  with  the declaration  of  the  appellant, it was  manifest  that  the appellant  was  liable to pay tax on tobacco  imported  from Bombay  dealers  and that the requirements of a.  4(6)  were satisfied.  The technical omission of the Sales Tax  Officer to make a specific entry in the certificate would not confer any   benefit  on  the  appellant  when  there   was   other incontrovertible  evidence  to show that the  appellant  did purchase  the  goods  specified in the  certificate  as  raw materials in the manufacture of any goods for the purpose of sale by actual delivery in Madhya Pradesh for the purpose of consumption in that State. [98 F-H; 99 A] Modi  Spinning & Weaving Mills Co. Ltd. v.  Commissioner  of Sales Tax, Punjab & Anr. 16 S.T.C. 310, relied on.

JUDGMENT: CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 242 of 1965. Appeal  from the judgment and order dated February 19,  1962 of the Madhya Pradesh High Court in Misc.  Petition No.  395 of 1958. A.   K. Sen, R. M. Hazarnavis, D. N. Verma, O. P.  Malhotra, O.   C.  Mathur, J. B. Dadachanji and Ravinder  Narain,  for the appellant. B. Sen and I. N. Shroff, for the respondent. The Judgment of the Court was delivered by Ramaswami,  J. This appeal is brought, by certificate,  from the  judgment  of  the High Court of  Madhya  Pradesh  dated February 19, 1962 in Miscellaneous Petition No. 395 of 1958. The appellant is a firm carrying on the business of manufac- turing  and selling bidis.  During the period April 1,  1951 to  September  6, 1955, the appellant was  registered  as  a "dealer" under the Central Provinces & Berar Sales Tax  Act, 1947  (C.P. & Berar Act 21 of 1947) (hereinafter called  the ’Act’).   For  the  purposes of manufacture  of  bidis,  the

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appellant imported from the State of Bombay large quantities of  tobacco.   During the period from November  7,  1953  to October  26,  1954, the appellant imported from  that  State tobacco worth Rs. 84,29,580-15-0 and during the period  from October 27, 1954 to November 14, 1955 the appellant imported tobacco  worth Rs. 1,38,27,630-12-6.  In the  usual  course, the  tobacco, after being imported into the State of  Madhya Pradesh,  was rolled into bidis which were largely  exported to  other States for sale and consumption in  those  States. In  respect  of  the  imports  of  tobacco  the  Sales   Tax authorities required the appellant to file returns in Part B of Form IV clause 2 of which stated as follows: M19Sup.CI/66-7 90               "2.  Purchase price of goods other than  those               mentioned   in   Schedule  11   purchased   on               declaration  under  rule  26  as  being  goods               specified  in the registration certificate  as               intended  for  use  as raw  materials  in  the               manufacture  of any goods for sale  by  actual               delivery in Madhya Pradesh for the purpose  of               consumption in that State but utilised for any               other  purpose; such as one’s own  consumption               or  for  export outside the  State  for  which               deduction is claimed under section 27-A or for               use  in  the  manufacture  of  goods  exported               outside  the  State  for  which  deduction  is               claimed under section 27-A, etc." The  appellant  filed a return for the quarter from  May  3, 1954 to July 29, 1954 showing the amount of Rs. 16,47,567-3- 3-  as the purchase price of goods purchased on  declaration as being goods specified in the registration certificate  as intended for use as raw material in the manufacture of goods for  sale  by  actual delivery in  Madhya  Pradesh  for  the purpose  of consumption in that State but utilised  for  any other  purpose.   In  the return which  was  filed  for  the quarter beginning from July 27, 1954 and ending with October 26,  1954,  the  appellant did not fill in  any  figure  but showed the above item as blank contending that the Sales Tax authorities  were  not  entitled to levy  any  purchase  tax against it in respect of the same.  ’Me appellant thereafter moved  this Court under Art. 32 of the Constitution for  the issue  of a writ of mandamus or any other suitable  writ  to restrain  the respondents from enforcing the  provisions  of the Act and for other consequential reliefs.  In Writ  Peti- tion  No.  67  of 1955 decided on  September  20,  1955  M/s Mohanlal  Hargovind  Das v. The State of  Madhya  Pradesh(1) this  court  observed  in  the course  of  its  judgment  as follows:               "All  the  transactions  entered  into  by   a               registered dealer, however, do not necessarily               import  a liability to pay tax under  the  Act               because,  whenever  the  question  arises   in               regard  to his liability to pay any tax  under               the  Act,  such  liability would  have  to  be               determined in spite of his being a  registered               dealer  with  reference, inter  alia,  to  the               provisions  of Section 27-A of the  Act  which               incorporates  within its terms the bans  which               have  been imposed on the powers of the  State               Legislatures  to tax under Article 286(1)  (a)               and (2) of the Constitution.  If, therefore, a               dealer  who  has  got  himself  registered  as               dealer under the provisions of Section 8(1) of               the Act is sought to be made liable in respect

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             of  transactions  of sale effected by  him  he               could  claim exemption from such liability  if               the  transactions  of sale  or  purchase  took               place  in the course of inter-State  trade  or               commerce after the 31st March, 1951, except in               so far (1)  [1955] 2 S.C.R. 509. 91               as  Parliament may by law  otherwise  provide.               In  the  case  before us  there  was  no  such               provision   made   by   Parliament   and   the               transactions  in question were all  after  the               31st.   March, 1951, with the result that  the               ban imposed by Article 286(2) was in               operation  and if the transactions took  place               in the course of inter-State trade or commerce               not only were Shri Chhaganlal Ugarchand Nipani               and Shri Maniklal Chunanlal Baroda exempt from               the   liability  to  pay  the  tax  on   these               transactions  but  the petitioners  also  were               similarly  exempt.  No  liability,  therefore,               could  be imposed either for Sales Tax or  for               Purchase  Tax within the terms of the  Act  on               these transactions which as above stated  took               place  in the course of inter-State  trade  or               commerce."               This  Court accordingly granted a writ to  the               following effect:               "The  respondents  will  be  restrained   from               enforcing  the  Central  Provinces  and  Berar               Sales  Tax  Act,  1947,  and  its   provisions               against  the petitioners and from  imposing  a               tax in respect of the transactions in question               and  in particular from imposing a tax on  the               purchase  price  of  goods  purchased  on  the               declarations   under  Rule  26   being   goods               specified  in the registration certificate  as               intended  for  use  as  raw  material  in  the               manufacture  of  goods  for  sale  by   actual               delivery in Madhya Pradesh for the purpose  of               consumption in that State but utilised for any               other purpose under the provisions of  Section               4(6) of the Act." In  view  of this writ the Assistant Commissioner  of  Sales Tax, Jabalpur, by his two orders dated September 9, 1956 and September  10, 1956, exempted the appellant from tax on  the purchases  of  tobacco made in the State of  Bombay,  which, after  being imported into the State of Madhya Pradesh,  was used  as  raw material for manufacturing bidis  exported  to other States.  The appellant preferred appeals to the Deputy Commissioner  or  Sales  Tax against the  two  orders  dated September 9, 1956 and September 10, 1956.  In the  meantime, on  March 21, 1956, the Sales Tax Laws Validation Act,  1956 (Act  7  of 1956), which repealed the Sales  Tax  Validation Ordinance  3  of 1956, had come into force.   Thereupon,  on December  5,  1958,  the Deputy Commissioner  of  Sales  Tax issued two notices to the appellant proposing to levy tax on purchases of tobacco during the period from November 7, 1953 to September 5, 1955 from non-resident dealers under s. 4(6) of the Act.  The appellant filed in the High Court of Madhya Pradesh  Miscellaneous Petition No. 395 of 1953 praying  for grant  of  a writ of certiorari to quash the  notices  dated December 5, 1958 issued by the Deputy Commissioner of  Sales Tax and for a writ in the nature 92

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of  mandamus restraining the respondents from enforcing  the provisions  of the Act and of the Central Act 7 of 1956  and from imposing any tax on purchases of tobacco and other  raw materials from non-resident dealers.  By its judgment  dated February 19, 1962, the High Court of Madhya Pradesh rejected the petition of the appellant. By the Madhya Pradesh Sales Tax (Amendment) Act, 1953  (M.P. Act  20  of 1953) certain amendments were made in  the  Act. The material provisions of the latter Act, as amended by the former Act, were as follows:               "2. (c) "dealer" means any person who  whether               as  principal or agent, carries on  in  Madhya               Pradesh  the business of selling or  supplying               goods, whether for commission, remuneration or               otherwise    and    includes   a    firm,    a               partnership..................               "2.  (g)  "sale"  with  all  its   grammatical               variations  and cognate expressions  mean  any               transfer  of  property in goods  for  cash  or               deferred    payment    or    other    valuable               consideration,   including   a   transfer   of               property  in  goods  made  in  course  of  the               execution of a contract......... and the  word               ’purchase’ shall be construed accordingly;               Explanation (II).-(Notwithstanding anything to               the contrary in the Indian Sale of Goods  Act,               1930,  but subject to the provision  contained               in  the Explanation to clause (i)  of  Article               286 of the Constitution) the sale or  purchase               of any goods shall be deemed for the  purposes               of this Act, to have taken place in this State               wherever  the  contract of  sale  or  purchase               might have been made-               (a)   if the goods were actually in this State               at  the  time  when the contract  of  sale  or               purchase in respect thereof was made, or               (b)   in case the contract was for the sale or               purchase of future goods by description, then,               if the goods are actually produced or found in               this  State at any time after the contract  of               sale or purchase in respect thereof was made;               Explanation (III).-Notwithstanding anything to               the contrary in the Indian Sale of Goods  Act,               1930,  the  sale  of  any  goods  which   have               actually been delivered in the State of Madhya               Pradesh  as a direct result of such  sale  for               the purpose of consumption in the said  State,               shall be deemed, 93 for  the  purpose -of this Act, to have taken place  in  the said  State, irrespective of the fact that the  property  in the  goods  has, by reason of such sale  passed  in  another State." "2.  (j)  ’turnover’ means the aggregate of the  amounts  of sale prices and parts of sale prices received or  receivable by a dealer in respect of the sale or supply of goods or  in respect  of sales or supply of goods in the carrying out  of any contract affected or made during the prescribed  period; and  the expression ’taxable turnover’ means that part of  a dealer’s  turnover  during such period which  remains  after deducting therefrom (a) his turnover during that period on-               (ii)sales  to a registered dealer  of  goods               declared  by  him in the  prescribed  form  as               being  intended  for resale by him  by  actual               delivery in Madhya Pradesh for the purpose  of

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             consumption   in  that  State  or   of   goods               specified  in  such  dealer’s  certificate  of               registration as being intended for use by  him               as  raw  materials in the manufacture  of  any               goods  for sale by actual delivery  in  Madhya               Pradesh for the purpose of consumption in that               State,  and of containers and other  materials               used in the packing of such goods;" "4. (6) Where any goods are purchased by a registered dealer as  being intended for resale by him by actual  delivery  in Madhya Pradesh for the purpose of consumption in that State, or as being goods specified in such dealer’s certificate  of registration as intended for use by him as raw materials  in the manufacture of any goods for sale by actual delivery  in Madhya Pradesh for the purpose of consumption in that  State and  such goods are utilised by him for any  other  purpose, the  price paid by him for such goods shall be  included  in his  turnover  and be liable to tax in accordance  with  the provisions of this Act."               "27-A. (a) Notwithstanding anything  contained               in this Act-               (a)   a  tax on the sale or purchase of  goods               shall not be imposed under this Act-               (i)   where such sale or purchase takes  place               outside the State of Madhya Pradesh; or               (ii)where such sale or purchase takes  place               in the course of import of the goods into,  or               export of the goods out of, the territories of               India; 94               (b)   a  tax  on the sale or purchase  of  any               goods  shall not, after the 31st day of  March               1951,  be imposed where such sale or  purchase               takes place in the course of inter-State trade               or commerce except in so far as Parliament may               by law otherwise provide.               (2)   The Explanation to clause (1) of Article               286 of               the   Constitution   shall   apply   for   the               interpretation of subclause (i) of clause  (a)               of sub-section (1)." Article  286(1) and (2) of the Constitution, as it stood  at the material time, is reproduced below:               "286(1)  No  law of a State shall  impose,  or               authorise the imposition of, a tax on the sale               or  purchase  of  goods  where  such  sale  or               purchase takes place:-               (a)   outside the State; or               (b)   in the course of the import of the goods               into,  or  export  of the goods  out  of,  the               territory of India.               Explanation.-For  the purposes  of  sub-clause               (a),  a  sale or purchase shall be  deemed  to               have  taken  place in the State in  which  the               goods have actually been delivered as a direct               result  of  such  sale  or  purchase  for  the               purpose   of   consumption  in   that   State,               notwithstanding   the  fact  that  under   the               general  law  relating to sale  of  goods  the               property  in the goods has by reason  of  such               sale or purchase passed in another State.               (2)Except  in so far as Parliament  may  by               law otherwise provide, no law of a State shall               impose,  or authorise the imposition of a  tax               on  the  sale or purchase of any  goods  where

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             such  sale  or  purchase takes  place  in  the               course of inter-State trade or commerce.               Provided  that  the  President  may  by  order               direct that any tax on the sale or purchase of               goods  which was being lawfully levied by  the               Government of any State immediately before the               commencement   of  this  Constitution   shall,               notwithstanding  that the imposition  of  such               tax  is  contrary to the  provisions  of  this               clause,  continue  to  be  levied  until   the               thirty-first day of March, 1951." In  m/s  Mohanlal  Hargovind  Das v.  The  State  of  Madhya Pradesh,(1)  it was held by this Court that the  transaction of purchase of tobacco by the appellant from dealers outside the  territory  of Madhya Pradesh were transactions  in  the course of inter-State (1)  [1955] 2 S.C.R. 509. 95 trade  or commerce and since the ban imposed by Art.  286(2) was in operation, the appellant was exempt from liability to pay  tax  on those transactions.  On January 30,  1956,  the President  of  India promulgated an  Ordinance  called  ’The Sales Tax Laws Validation Ordinance, 1956’ (Ordinance No.  3 of  1956) which was repealed and replaced by the  Sales  Tax Law  Validation  Act, 1956 (Act 7 of 1956) which  came  into force on March 21, 1956.  Section 2 of this Act states:               "Notwithstanding any judgment, decree or order               of  any Court, no law of a State  imposing  or               authorising  the imposition of, a tax  on  the               sale or purchase of any goods where such  sale               or purchase took place in the course of inter-               State  trade  or commerce  during  the  period               between the Ist day of April, 1951 and the 6th               day of September, 1955, shall be deemed to  be               invalid or ever to have been invalid merely by               reason of the fact that such sale or  purchase               took place in the course of inter-State  trade               or  commerce;  and all such  taxes  levied  or               collected  or purporting to have been  validly               levied  or  collected  during  the   aforesaid               period  shall  be deemed always to  have  been               validly levied or collected in accordance with               law.               Explanation.-In this section ’law of a  State’               in relation to a State specified in Part C  of               the First Schedule to the Constitution,  means               any  law made by the Legislative Assembly,  if               any, of that Sate or extended to that State by               a  notification issued under Section 2 of  the               Part C States (Laws) Act, 1950 (30 of 1950)". It  was argued by Mr. A. K. Sen on behalf of the  appellant, in  the  first  place,  that s. 27-A of  the  Act  places  a restriction  on the power of the taxing authorities  and  so long  as it stood unrepealed there was no  pre-existing  law authorising  the  imposition  of tax on sales  made  in  the course  of inter-State trade or commerce and in  consequence the Sales Tax Laws Validation Act, 1956 which merely  lifted the  ban and did not impose any tax, bad no  application  to the  case  of  the appellant.  To put  it  differently,  the contention of Mr. A. K. Sen was that before advantage  could be  taken of the Sales Tax Laws Validation Act,  1956  there had  to  be in existence a State Act imposing  tax  on  such sales  and  s. 27-A of the Act imposed no such  tax  on  the sales.   We are unable to accept this argument  as  correct. An   identical   question   was  the   subject   matter   of

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consideration by this Court in M. P. V. Sundararamier &  Co. v. The State of Andhra Pradesh & another(1) and it was  held that  s.  22  of the Madras Sales Tax  Act  had  a  positive content  and  the  Explanation  in  the  context  of  s.  22 authorised the State of (1)  [1958] S.C.R. 1422. 96 Madras  to impose tax on sales falling within  its  purview. In  the  course  of  his  judgment  Venkatarama  Aiyar,  J., speaking for the Court, observed:               "These   considerations   will   clearly    be               inapposite in construing a taxing statute like               the  Madras  Act,  the  object  of  which   is               primarily to confer power on the State to levy               and  collect  tax.   When we find  in  such  a               statute  a provision containing a  prohibition               followed  by an Explanation which is  positive               in  its terms, the true interpretation  to  be               put  on  it is that while the  prohibition  is               intended to prevent taxation of outside  sales               on  the  basis  of  the  nexus  doctrine,  the               explanation is intended to authorise  taxation               of  sales falling within its purview,  subject               of  course  to  the other  provisions  of  the               Constitution, such as Art. 286(2).  It  should               be  remembered that unlike  the  Constitution,               the  law of a State can speak only within  its               own territories.  It cannot operate either  to               invest  another  State with a power  which  it               does  not  possess, or divest it  of  a  power               which it does possess under the  Constitution.               Its  mandates  can  run only  within  its  own               borders.    That  being  the  position,   what               purpose  would the Explanation serve in s.  22               of  the  Madras Act, if it merely  meant  that               when  goods are delivered under a contract  of               sale  for consumption in the State of  Madras,               the  outside  State in which property  in  the               goods  passes  has no power to tax  the  sale?               That  is  not  the concern  of  the  State  of               Madras, and indeed, the Legislature of  Madras               would be incompetent to enact such a law.   In               its   context  and  setting,  therefore,   the               Explanation  to  s.  22  must  mean  that   it               authorises the State of Madras to impose a tax               on  sales falling within its  purview.   Thus,               while  in the context of Art. 286(1)  (a)  the               Explanation  thereto  could  be  construed  as               purely  negative in character though  positive               in  form,  it cannot be so  construed  in  its               setting  in s. 22 of the Madras Act, where  it               must have a positive content." Section  22  of  the  Madras Act is  couched  in  a  similar language  to  s.  27-A  of the Act.   In  our  opinion,  the principle of the decision in M. P. V. Sundararamier & Co. v. The  State of Andhra Pradesh & another(1) therefore  governs the  present case.  We should also refer to  the  additional circumstance that in the present case the third  Explanation to  s.  2(g)incorporates into the definition of  ’sale’  the Explanation occurring in Art. 286 in contrast to the  Madras Act   where   there  is  no  such   incorporation   in   the definition.of  sale  under  s. 2(h) of  that  Act.   We  are accordingly  of  the  opinion  that  the  argument  of   the appellant must be rejected on this aspect of the case.

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(1)  [1958] S.C.R. 1422.                              97 The next question to be considered in this appeal is whether the  provisions of s. 4(6) of the Act are attracted  in  the circumstances  of  the  case.   It  was  submitted  for  the appellant  that  the  section  has  no  application  because tobacco was not specified in the certificate of registration granted  to the appellant "as intended for use by it as  raw material in the manufacture of any goods for sale by  actual delivery in Madhya Pradesh for the purpose of consumption in that  State".   Section 2(j) of the Act,  as  it  originally stood, was to the following effect :               "Sales   to  a  registered  dealer  of   goods               specified  in  such  dealer’s  certificate  of               registration  as being intended for resale  by               him,  or for use by him in the manufacture  of               any goods for sale or in the execution of  any               contract  and on sales to a registered  dealer               of  containers  and other  materials  for  the               packing of such goods;" The section was amended from time to time until, with effect from December 1, 1953 it stood as follows:               "Sales   to  a  registered  dealer  of   goods               declared  by  him in the  prescribed  form  as               being  intended  for resale by him  by  actual               delivery in Madhya Pradesh for the purpose  of               consumption   in  that  State  or   of   goods               specified  in  such  dealer’s  certificate  of               registration as being intended for use by  him               as  raw  materials in the manufacture  of  any               goods  for sale by actual delivery  in  Madhya               Pradesh for the purpose of consumption in that               State,  and of containers and other  materials               used in the packing of such goods;" Section  4(6) of the Act was also inserted with effect  from December 1, 1953 by the Madhya Pradesh Sales Tax (Amendment) Act  1953 (Act 20 of 1953).  In consequence of these  amend- ments  it  became  necessary to  amend  the  certificate  of registration  granted-to the appellant before the  amendment of the Act.  Therefore, on January 5, 1954, even before  the relevant  Rule  was  amended,  the  appellant  applied   for substitution of the words "raw materials" for the words "for the  purpose of manufacture".  In allowing  the  application the  Sales Tax Officer did not comply with the  language  of Form II but merely specified as raw materials "Tendu leaves, Tobacco,  Yarn" The contention of the appellant is that  the purchase  of  tobacco  cannot be taxed because  it  was  not "specified  in the dealers’ certificate of  registration  as intended for use by him as raw materials in the  manufacture of  any goods for the purpose of sale by actual delivery  in Madhya Pradesh for the purpose of consumption in that State" as required by s. 4(6) of the Act.  We are unable to  accept the  argument of the appellant as correct.  It is true  that there is a technical omission in the order of the Sales  Tax Officer  amending the certificate of registration,  but  the certificate  must  be fairly construed in the light  of  the language 98 of  S. 8 and other relevant provisions of the  Act.   Before the  amendment  made  by  Act XX of 1953  s.  8(3)  read  as follows:               "8.  (3)  If the said authority  is  satisfied               that  an  application for registration  is  in               order, it shall in accordance with such  rules               as  may be made under this Act,  register  the

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             applicant  and  grant  him  a  certificate  of               registration in the prescribed form which,  in               the  case of a registered dealer  who  himself               manufactures  any goods for purposes  of  sale               shall  specify the class or classes  of  goods               which  are intended to be used by him  in  the               manufacture of such goods."               After the amendment the sub-section was to the               following effect:               "8.  (3)  If the said authority  is  satisfied               that  an  application for registration  is  in               order, it shall in accordance with such  rules               as  may be made under this Act,  register  the               applicant  and  grant  him  a  certificate  of               registration in the prescribed form which,  in               the  case of a registered dealer who  manufac-               tures  any  goods  for  purposes  of  sale  by               ’actual  delivery  in Madhya Pradesh  for  the               purpose  of  consumption in that  State  shall               specify  the raw materials which are  intended               to  be used by him in the manufacture of  such               goods." In this connection reference may be made to s. 2(j) (a) (ii) Which  states  that a selling dealer is entitled  to  deduct from  his  turnover sales to a registered  dealer  of  goods "specified  in such dealer’s certificate of registration  as being  intended  for  use by him as  raw  materials  in  the manufacture  of  any goods for sale by  actual  delivery  in Madhya  Pradesh  for  the purpose  of  consumption  in  that State".   It  is manifest that the  only  legitimate  object which the purchasing dealer seeks in having a class of  good specified  in  the  certificate  of  registration  as   "raw materials"  is to purchase the goods tax-free in  the  sense contemplated  by the Act.  By asking for such  specification the  dealer  represents  that he intends to  use  the  goods specified in the manufacture of other goods for the  purpose of  sale by actual delivery in the State of  Madhya  Pradesh for  the  purpose  of consumption in that  State.   In  this context reference should be made to declarations made by the appellant  to the Bombay dealers printed at page 88  of  the Paper Book.  In these declarations the appellant stated that it  was purchasing tobacco for use as raw materials  in  the manufacture  of goods for sale by actual delivery in  Madhya Pradesh  for  the purpose of consumption in that  State  and that  tobacco  was  so  specified  in  its  certificate   of registration.   As we have already said, the certificate  of registration granted to the .appellant must be construed  in the context of s. 8 as it stood after ,its amendment and the declarations  of the appellant made to the  Bombay  dealers. If the language of the certificate is so construed                              99 in the context of the amended s. 8 of the Act and along with the  declarations of the appellant, it is manifest that  the appellant  is  liable to pay tax on  tobacco  imported  from Bombay  dealers  for  the  relevant  periods  and  that  the requirements  of s. 4 (6) of the Act are satisfied  in  this case.   The  view  that we have taken is borne  out  by  the decision of this Court in Modi Spinning & Weaving Mills  Co. Ltd. v. Commissioner of Sales Tax Punjab, and another(1)  in which it was held that the registration certificate was only evidence  that  the  assessee was a  registered  dealer  for purposes  of certain commodities to be used  in  manufacture and  any formal defect in the registration  certificate  was not material.  We therefore hold that the technical omission of  the  Sales Tax Officer to make a specific entry  in  the

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certificate will not confer any benefit on the appellant  if there is other incontrovertible evidence in the case to show that  the appellant did purchase the goods specified in  the certificate as raw materials in the manufacture of any goods for the purpose of sale by actual delivery in Madhya Pradesh for   the  purpose  of  consumption  in  that  State.    We, therefore, hold that Mr. A. K. Sen has not been able to make good his argument on this aspect of the case. For  these reasons this appeal fails and must  be  dismissed with costs. G.C. (1) 16 S. T. C. 310. Appeal dismissed. 100