19 February 1969
Supreme Court
Download

NEW SAVAN SUGAR & GUR REFINING CO. LTD. Vs COMMISSIONER OF INCOME-TAX, CALCUTTA

Case number: Appeal (civil) 1593 of 1968


1

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 1 of 11  

PETITIONER: NEW SAVAN SUGAR & GUR REFINING CO.  LTD.

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: COMMISSIONER OF INCOME-TAX, CALCUTTA

DATE OF JUDGMENT: 19/02/1969

BENCH: RAMASWAMI, V. BENCH: RAMASWAMI, V. SHAH, J.C. GROVER, A.N.

CITATION:  1969 AIR 1062            1969 SCR  (3) 761  1969 SCC  (1) 621  CITATOR INFO :  D          1988 SC 460  (12)

ACT: Income-tax Act (11 of 1922), ss. 10(2)(vi-a) and (vi-b)  and 12(3) and (4)-Scope of s. 10-If cls. (vi-a) and (vi-b) of s. 10(2) could be read by implication into s. 12.

HEADNOTE: The  assessee-company, carrying on the business of  crushing sugar cane and gur refining, apprehending loss, entered into a  lease  with  another  company.   Under  cl.  (7)  of  the indentures  the  consideration  of the  lease.  was  royalty payable  on the manufacture of sugar and molasses  and  was, subject  to a minimum payment of Rs. 65,000 per annum.   The lease  was. for a term of 5 years commencing from  1st  June 1945  with  an option to continue for a further  term  of  5 years and thereafter with two further options of 5 years  on the  same terms and conditions subject to payment of  higher rates of royalty.  Clauses 2 to 5 provided that the existing machinery which was owned by the lessor could not be removed and  that the lessee would be entitled to set up  additional machinery  without interference from the lessor and that  on the termination of the lease the lessee would be entitled to remove  the same without causing any damage to the  property demised.   The effect of cls. 11 to 14 was that  the  lessor would  have  no concern with the production of  the  factory which  was  the principal part of  the  business  previously carried on by the lessor.  In assessment proceedings for the assessment  year  1955-56, the assessee contended  that  the lease  was a lease of a commercial asset and  therefore  the income arising from it should be assessed under s. 10 of the Income-tax  Act,  1922, and hence, the  assessee  should  be allowed  depreciation and development rebate  in  accordance with cls. (vi-a) and (vi-b) of s. 10(2).  The department and the  High Court rejected the assessee’s contention and  held that  the  income was liable to be assessed under s.  12  as ’income   from  other  sources’  and  that   no   additional depreciation and development rebate could be allowed. In  appeal  to this Court it was contended that  :  (1)  the income of the assessee was liable to be assessed under s. 10

2

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 2 of 11  

of  the Income-tax Act and, not under s. 12; and  (2)  Since the  benefit  under cl. (vi) of s. 10(2) is allowed  to  the assessee  under s. 12(3), the assessee should be held to  be entitled  to additional depreciation and development  rebate under  cls.  (vi-a) and (vi-b) even if  the  assessment  was under  s.  12,  on the ground that  those  two  clauses  are ancillary  to  cl.  (vi) and should be taken  to  have  been included in s. 12(3) along with cl. (vi). HELD  :  (1)  The  income  of  the  assessee  could  not  be characterised’  as income from the activity of the  assessee carrying  on any business and’ was therefore, liable  to  be assessed under s. 12 and not under s. 10 of the,  income-tax Act. [769 F-G] The  primary condition for the application of s. 10 is  that the  tax is payable by an assessee under the  head  ’profits and gains of business’ in respect of business carried on  by him.  When an assessee does not carry on business at all, s. 10  cannot  be applicable and the income  that  he  receives cannot bear the character of profits of business. [769 D-E] 762 In  the present case, a scrutiny of all the clauses  of  the indenture of lease, shows that the intention of the assessee was  to  go out of the business altogether, so  far  as  the factory  and machinery were concerned with effect  from  1st June 1945, to part with the entire machinery of the  factory and the premises with the purpose of earning rental  income, and  to  use  the income arising from  the  royalty  in  its capacity as owner of the factory.  It was not the  intention of  the  assessee to treat the factory and  machinery  as  a commercial  concern or asset during the subsistence  of  the lease.   The  provision  for  payment  of  minimum   royalty indicates  that the assessee had no direct interest  in  the production of the factory.  The royalty was not paid for the production  in  the  factory.  There  was  no  direct  nexus between the income of the assessee and the production of the factory.   The production was only a measure of the  royalty to  be paid and had nothing to do with the character of  the payment  as a receipt from business or from  other  sources. [769 C-D, E-F] Commissioner  of  Excess  Profit Tax, Bombay  City  v.  Shri Lakshmi  Silk  Mills Ltd. 20 I.T.R. 451  (S.C.)  and  Narain Swadeshi  Weaving Mills v. Commissioner of  Excess  Profits Tax, 26 I.T.R. 765 (S.C.), distinguished. (2)Clause  (vi-a), which was inserted in the Act in  1949, gives  additional depreciation allowance over and above  the initial  allowance which was previously available under  cl. (vi) in respect of buildings newly erected and new machinery and plant but not furniture installed after 31st March 1948. The  additional  allowance is confined to not  more  than  5 successive  assessments falling within the period  from  1st April  1949  and  31st  March 1959.   It  is  deductible  in determining  the  written  down value,  unlike  the  initial allowance  granted  under  cl.  (vi).   Clause  (vi-b)   was inserted  by the Finance Act, 1955.  It  grants  development rebate  in respect of machinery and plant provided that  the machinery or plant is new and has been installed after  31st March 1954, and provided further that it is used wholly  for the  purpose of the assessee’s business and the  particulars prescribed for the purpose of cl. (vi) have been  furnished. Clauses  (Vi-a) and (vi-b) thus introduce a new  scheme  and cannot  be  treated  as  an integral part  of  cl.  (vi)  by implication.   Further, it is not permissible for the  Court to  read the-clauses by implication into s. 12(3)  and  (4), because,  the  clauses were not  specifically  engrafted  by Parliament into s.  12  while amending s. 10(2).  [771  E-H;

3

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 3 of 11  

772 A-B] Kumar Kamalaranjan Roy v. Secretary of State,  L.R. 66 I.A. 110, referred to.

JUDGMENT: CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION: Civil Appeal No. 1593 of 1968. Appeal from the judgment and order dated, September 20, 1963 of  the Calcutta High Court in Income-tax Reference’ No.  23 of 1960. Sachin  Chaudhari, T. A. Ramachandran and D. N.  Gupta,  for the appellant. D.Narsaraju,  R.  N. Sachthey and B. D. Sharma,  for  the respondent. The Judgment of the Court was delivered by Ramaswami, J This appeal is brought by certificate from  the judgment  of the Calcutta High Court dated  20th  September, 1963 in Income Tax Reference No. 23 of 1960.                             763 The  appellant (hereinafter referred to as the assessee  was carrying  on  the business of crushing  sugar-cane  and  gur refining.   M/s.   Andrew  Yule & Co.  were  acting  as  the managing  agents  of the assessee.  In a  letter  dated  5th February,  1946  addressed  to  the  share-holders  of   the assessee  the  managing  agents referred,  to  the  alarming increase  of Government interference in the affairs  of  the sugar  industry  in Bihar and the increase of wages  of  the workers,  as  well as the levy of a cess of  Government  and deterioration  in the cane crops.  In view of this state  of affairs,   the  managing  agents  apprehended  a  loss   and suggested  that  the company’s affairs should be  put  on  a "less discouraging basis" by accepting the offer of a  lease of  the  company  as a running  concern  from  the  Standard Refinery  &  Distillery Ltd.  At an  extra-ordinary  general meeting of the share-holders of the assessee company held on 5th March, 1946 it was decided to authorise the directors to enter  into  a  lease  with the  said  Standard  Refinery  & Distillery  Ltd.   By an indenture of 15th March,  1948  the lease was executed to come into effect retrospectively  from 1st June, 1945.  The term of the lease was originally for  5 years  commencing from 1st June 1945 with an option  to  the lessee to continue for further five years and thereafter two further  options to the lessee, each for five years, on  the same  terms  and conditions, but subject to the  payment  of higher rates of royalties and also subject to the option  on the part of the assessee company to terminate the lease by a resolution  of  the shareholders of the company to  be  held before 30th November in any year after the first two  years. This option of termination of the lease was not exercised by the  assessee  company.  The consideration of the  lease  as described  in clause 7 of the indenture was royalty  payable on  the manufacture of sugar and molasses.  The  royalty  on sugar was to be at the rate of Rs. 75 per hundred maunds  of sugar  manufactured  for the first and second term  of  five years, at the rate of Rs. 82.50 per hundred maunds of  sugar manufactured  for the third five year period and at  Rs.  90 for  the fourth five year period.  The royalty  on  molasses was  to  be calculated at 3 pies per maund on  all  molasses sold during each year of the original period or the  renewed period  of  the lease.  The computation of the  royalty  was subject to a minimum payment of Rs. 65,000 per annum. For the assessment year 1955-56 the relevant accounting year of the assessee ended on 31st May, 1954.  In the  assessment proceedings  for 1955-56 the assessee’s main contention  was that  the lease granted under the indenture of  15th  March,

4

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 4 of 11  

1948  was  a lease of a commercial asset and  therefore  the income arising from the lease should be assessed under S. 10 of  the  Income Tax Act and the assessee should  be  allowed depreciation  and  development  rebate  in  accordance  with clause  (vi-a)  and  clause (vi-b)  of  sub-section  (2)  of section 10 of the Income 764 Tax  Act.  The Income Tax Officer assessed the income  under S.  12  of  the Act as being income under  the  head  "other sources"  and  held  that  no  additional  depreciation   or development  rebate  could  be allowed  as  claimed  by  the assessee.   According to the assessee, the,  income  derived from the lease of the sugar factory was income from business because  the factory was leased as a going concern  and  the rent  of the building, machinery, plant and spare parts  was fixed at a certain rate per maund of sugar produced, and  at a  certain rate per maund of molasses sold.  On appeal,  the Appellate Assistant Commissioner found that it was a  simple lease of the building and machinery in a sugar factory,  and as such the method of payment based on production could  not affect the character and nature of the income derived  under the  said lease.  In further appeal the  Appellate  Tribunal came  to  the conclusion that on the facts stated  the  case fell  under  section 12 and not under section  10  and  that since sub-section (3) of section 12 did not include  clauses (vi-a)  and (vi-b) of section 10(2) the claim of  additional depreciation and development rebate could not be  allowed. At  the  instance  of the assessee  the  Appellate  Tribunal stated  a case to the High Court on the following  questions of  law  under  section 66(1) of the Income  Tax  Act,  1922 (hereinafter referred to as the Act) :               "(1)   Whether  on  the  facts  and   in   the               circumstances  of the case, the income of  the               assessee  company  was liable to  be  assessed               under section 12 of the Indian Income Tax  Act               and not under section 10 of the said Act ?               (2)Whether   on   the   facts   and   in   the               circumstances   of   the   case,    additional               depreciation  and  development rebate  can  be               allowed as a deduction ?"               The  High Court answered both  the,  questions               against  the assessee holding that the  income               was liable to be assessed under section 12 and               that    no   additional    depreciation    and               development rebate could be allowed.               Section 10 of the Act stood as follows at  the               material time               "10.  (1)  The  tax shall  be  payable  by  an               assessee under the head ’profit sand gains  of               business,  profession or vocation’ in  respect               of  the  profit  or  gain  of  any   business,               profession or vocation carried on by him.               (2)Such  profits  or gains shall  be  computed               after making the following allowances, namely               (vi)in   respect  of  depreciation   of   such               buildings, machinery, plant or furniture being               the   property   of  the   assessee,   a   sum               equivalent, where the assets are ships               765               other  than ships ordinarily plying on  inland               waters,  to  such percentage on  the  original               cost  thereof  to the assessee as may  in  any               case  or class of cases be prescribed  and  in               any  other  case, to such  percentage  on  the               written down value thereof as may in any  case

5

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 5 of 11  

             or class of cases be prescribed :               and  where  the  buildings  have  been   newly               erected, of the machinery or plant being  new,               not  being machinery or plant entitled to  the               development  rebate under, clause (vi-b),  has               been  installed, after the 31st day of  March,               1945,  a further sum (which shall however  not               be deductible in determining the written  down               value  for  the purposes of  this  clause)  in               respect   of   the   year   of   erection   or               installation equivalent--               (a)   in the case of buildings the erection of               which  is begun and completed between the  1st               day  of April 1946 and the 31st day  of  March               1956  (both  days inclusive), to  fifteen  per               cent of the cost thereof to the assessee;               (b)   in  the case of other buildings, to  ten               per cent of the cost thereof to the. assessee;               (c)   in  the case of machinery or  plant,  to               twenty  per  cent of the cost thereof  to  the               assessee;               Provided that-               765               (c)the aggregate of all allowances in  respect               of  depreciation  made under this  clause  and               clause  (vi-a)  or  under  any  Act   repealed               hereby,  or under the Indian Income  Tax  Act,               1886  (II of 1886), shall, in no case,  exceed               the  original  cost  to the  assessee  of  the               buildings,  machinery, plant or furniture,  as               the case may be;               (vi-a) in respect of depreciation of buildings               newly erected, or of machinery or plant  being               new  which has been installed, after the  31st               day of March, 1948, a further sum (which shall               be deductible in determining the written  down               value)  equal to the amount  admissible  under               clause (vi) (exclusive of the extra  allowance               for  double or multiple shift working  of  the               machinery    or   plant   and   the    initial               depreciation  allowance admissible under  that               clause  for the first year of erection of  the               building or the installation of the  machinery               or  Plant)  in not more than  five  successive               assessments  for  the  financial  years   next               following the previous year               Sup/69-14               766               in  which such buildings are erected and  such               machinery  and  plant  installed  and  falling               within the period commencing on the 1st day of               April  1949  and  ending on the  31st  day               of March, 1959;               (vi-b) in respect of machinery or plant  being               new,  which has been installed after the  31st               day  of March, 1954, and which is wholly  used               for the purposes of the business carried on by               the  assessee,  a sum by  way  of  development               rebate in respect of the year of  installation               equivalent  to  twenty-five per  cent  of  the               actual cost of such machinery or plant to  the               assessee;               Provided  that no allowance under this  clause               shall   be   made   unless   the   particulars               prescribed for the purpose of clause (vi) have

6

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 6 of 11  

             been  furnished by the assessee in respect  of               such machinery or plant;               Section 12 was to the following effect               12.  (1).   The  tax shall be  payable  by  an               assessee  under  the head ’Income  from  other               sources’  in  respect of income,  profits  and               gains  of every kind which may be included  in               his total income (if not included under any of               the preceding heads).               (2)Such  income,  profits and gains  shall  be               computed   after  making  allowance  for   any               expenditure  (not  being  in  the  nature   of               capital  expenditure) incurred solely for  the               purpose  of  making or  earning  such  income,               profits or gains.               (3)Where  an assessee lets on hire  machinery,               plant or furniture belonging to him, he  shall               be  entitled to allowances in accordance  with               the provisions of clauses (iv), (v), (vi)  and               (vii) of sub-section (2) of section 10.               (4)Where  an assessee lets on hire  machinery,               plant  or furniture belonging to him and  also               buildings, and the letting of the buildings is               inseparable  from  the  letting  of  the  said               machinery,  plant  or furniture, he  shall  be               entitled to allowances in accordance with the               767               provisions  of  clauses (iv),  (v),  (vi)  and               (vii)  of  subsection  (2) of  section  10  in               respect of such buildings".               The  main contention of the assessee was  that               the  lease  as contemplated in  the  indenture               dated  15th  March,  1948 was  a  lease  of  a               commercial  asset, and, therefore, the  income               arising  from  the lease  should  be  assessed               under  section 10(1) of the Act and not  under               section  12(1).   In  order  to  examine   the               validity  of this argument it is necessary  to               set out the relevant clauses of the  indenture               of  lease.  Clause ( 1) of the lease  provided               that  the lease was for a term of  five  years               commencing  from 1st June 1945 with an  option               to  continue for a further term of five  years               and  thereafter  two further options  of  five               years  in  each  case on the  same  terms  and               conditions subject to higher payment of  rates               of royalties.               Clause 2:               The  lessee shall be entitled to run the  said               sugar factory and all other machinery  annexed               to  the  same  and  use  all  the  tools   and               implements,  buildings and premises,  offices,               and  erections  and  utensils  and  all  other               things  which  are  now in or  upon  the  said               premises  and which may be added from time  to               time thereto provided always that the  lessees               shall not at any time remove the plant  and/or               machinery  etc.  hereby demised  or  any  part               thereof  from the said premises elsewhere  for               the  purpose  of  or in  connection  with  the               lessees’ other interests.               Clause 3 :               The  lessees shall at the time of taking  over               possession of the factory from the lessors  be               entitled free of payment to the goods  already

7

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 7 of 11  

             manufactured   during  the  current   crushing               season,  i.e.  1945-46 or in  the  process  of               manufacture    and/or    to    be    hereafter               manufactured  by the lessees and  the  lessees               shall  have  absolute discretion to  sell  and               deal  with  the same in such  manner  as  they               think fit and proper.               Clause 5:               The  lessees shall also be entitled to  erect,               construct and maintain any other machinery  as               the  lessees  may think fit and  proper.   All               machinery  brought  in  and  erected  by   the               lessees would remain the lessees’ property and               after the termination of the lease the lessees               shall be entitled to remove the same  provided               always that the lessees shall forthwith repair               and make good all damage caused to the demised               premises  by such removal  of  the  lessees’               machinery.               768               Clause 7               Clause 7 provides for the payment of  royalty.               The royalty on sugar was to be computed at the               rate of Rupees Seventy-five per 100 maunds  of               sugar manufactured for the first five years as               well  as next five years then at the  rate  of               Rupees  eighty  two and annas  eight  per  100               maunds  of  sugar manufactured for  the  third               five  years and Rs. 90/- for the  fourth  five               years.   The royalty on molasses was  computed               at  three pies per maund on all molasses  sold               during each year of the original lease  period               and  any  renewals  thereof  subject  to   the               payment of a minimum royalty of Rs.  6,500/per               annum.               Clause 8 :               This clause provides that the lessee shall  in               addition   to   the   royalty   reserved    be               responsible  for all the running  expenses  of               the  factory including salaries and wages  and               all factory staff and labour and shall pay all               sugar  excise duty etc. excepting  the  ground               rents  payable to the landlords and  taxes  on               income  chargeable  to the lessors  and  shall               fully reimburse the lessors in respect of such               expenses  which have already been incurred  by               the  lessors since the first day of One  thou-               sand nine hundred and forty five and  property               tax.               Clause 17 :               (a)The lessors will keep the demised  premises               insured  to the full value thereof  and  shall               pay  all expenses which will be  incurred  for               insuring the demised premises.               (b)The  lessors  shall  pay  all  expenses  of               running  the lessors’ company  e.g.  Directors               fees,  Audit fees, Ground rents etc.  but  not               the  running  expenses  of  the  factory   and               premises hereby demised and shall also pay for               all the expenditure for additions, alterations               breakdown  and/or renewals and replacement  of               capital   nature  (i.e.  dubitable  to   block               account) to buildings and machineries etc. and               other similar expenses of a capital nature  on               the demised premises.

8

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 8 of 11  

It appears from clauses 2 and 5 that the existing  machinery which was. owned by the lessor could not be removed and that the lessee would be entitled to set up additional  machinery without  interference  from  the  lessor  and  that  on  the termination  of  the lease the lessee would be  entitled  to remove  the same without causing any damage to the  property demised.  Clause 3 con- 769 templates that if during the period 1945-46 the lessors sell the commodity manufactured the price thereof should go back, to  the  lessee.  Mr. Choudhury referred to clause  6  which entitled  the  lessee to use the railway siding  during  the period of the lease.  But the right of use of railway siding by  the  lessee  under  this clause cannot  in  any  way  be construed  as the exercise of control over the  business  of the  assessee.   The provision for minimum  royalty  of  Rs. 65,000/- per annum indicates that the assessee had no direct interest  in the production of the factory.  The  cumulative effect of clauses 11, 12, 13 and 14 is that the lessor  will have no concern with the production of the factory which  is the principal part of the business, previously carried on by the  lessor.   The  provisions in clause  17  are  that  the lessors shall keep the demised premises insured to the  full value  and to repair and replace the machines which  are  of capital  nature.   On a scrutiny of all the clauses  of  the indenture of lease, our conclusion is that the intention  of the  assessee was to part with the entire machinery  of  the factory and the premises with the obvious purpose of earning rental income.  It was not the intention of the assessee  to treat the factory and machinery etc. as a commercial concern during the subsistence of the lease.  The primary  condition for  the application of S. 10 of the Act is that the tax  is payable by an assessee under the head "profits and gains  of business" in respect of business carried on by him.  When an assessee  does  not carry on business at all,  section  10 cannot be applicable and the income that he receives  cannot bear  the  character  of profits of business.   As  we  have already shown there is no direct nexus between the income of the assessee and the production of the factory.  The royalty payable  to the assessee was not paid under clause 7 of  the indenture  of lease for the production in the factory.   The production was only a measure of the royalty to be paid and, in any event, the measure of payment had nothing to do  with the  character of the payment as a receipt from business  or from other sources.  It follows that in the circumstances of this case the income of the assessee cannot be characterised as income from the activity of the assessee carrying on  any business.   The  High Court was therefore right  in  holding that  the income of the assessee was liable to  be  assessed under section 12 and not under section 1 0 of the Act. On behalf of the assessee reference was made to the decision of  this Court in Commissioner of Excess Profit Tax,  Bombay City  v.  Shri  Lakshmi  Silk Mills  Ltd.(1)  in  which  the respondent  company  which  was formed for  the  purpose  of manufacturing  silk cloth installed a plant for  dying  silk yarn as a part of its business during the relevant  charging accounting  period.   Owing to the difficulty  in  obtaining silk yam on account of the war it (1)  20 I.T.R. 451. 770 could not make use of this plant which had remained idle for some  time.   In  August, 1943, the plant  was  let  out  to another  company  on  a monthly rent.   The  question  arose whether  the income received by the, respondent  company  in the  chargeable accounting period by way of rent was  income

9

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 9 of 11  

from  business and assessable to excess profit tax.  It  was held  by this Court that a part of the assets did not  cease to  be commercial assets of that business merely because  it was temporarily put to a different use or let out to another and accordingly the income from the assets would be  profits of  the  business irrespective of the manner  in  which  the assets  were  exploited  by the  company.   But  this  Court clearly  indicated that no general principle could  be  laid down  which would be applicable to all cases and  that  each case  must be decided on its own circumstances according  to ordinary  commonsense  principles.  The  material  facts  of Lakshmi  Silk  Mills Ltd. (1) are that only a  part  of  the machinery was Let out on lease and the rest of the machinery was  worked  by  the  assessee.   The  letting  out  of  the machinery was for a short period of five months.  There  was also  no letting out of the premises of the factory  by  the assessee.   The ratio of the decision in Lakshmi Silk  Mills Ltd.(1)  is  therefore not applicable to the  present  case. Reference was made on behalf of the assessee to the decision in  Narain Swadeshi Weaving Mills v. Commissioner of  Excess Profits  Tax(2)  in which the assessee firm  carrying  on  a manufacturing  business consisted of three partners,  N  and his two sons R & G. In April, 1940, a public limited company was incorporated with the object of taking over the business of the assessee firm.  This company was  director-controlled and  the  directors were N, his three sons R, G &  S  and  a brother-in-law of G. The company purchased only the building and  leasehold rights from the assessee firm but  took  over from it on lease at an annual rent the plant and  machinery. The  assessee firm did not thereafter  manufacture  anything and  it  bad accordingly no further  trading  or  commercial activity.   In the circumstances, it was held  that  letting out  of the plant and the machinery by the assessee  to  the company  could not fall within the definition of  "business" under section 2(5) and as the assessee firm had, no business during the relevant period to which the Act applied, section 10A   could  not  be  invoked  by  the  Excess  Profit   Tax Authorities.   It  was however pointed out  that  whether  a particular  activity  amounts  to  any  trade,  commerce  or manufacture  or  any  adventure  in  the  nature  of  trade, commerce,- or manufacture is always a difficult question  to answer and no general principle ran be laid down which would be applicable to all cases and each case must be decided  in the setting and background ’of its own facts.  It is evident that  the material facts in- the present case  are  somewhat different from those of Narain Swadeshi (1) 20 I.T.R. 451. (2) 26 I.T.R. 765. 771 Weaving Mills’ case(1) for there is no out-right sale of the building  of  the factory but only a lease  of  the  factory premises  together with the machinery for a long  period  of years. For the reasons already expressed our conclusion is that the intention of the assessee was not to treat the factory  etc. as a commercial asset during the subsistence of the  lease. In other words, the intention of the assessee was to go  out of  the  business altogether so far as the factory  and  the machinery was concerned with effect from 1st June, 1945  and the intention was to use the income arising from the royalty in  its  capacity as the owner of the  factory.  it  follows therefore  that the first question was rightly  answered  by the High Court in favour of the Commissioner of Income Tax. As regards the second question the argument was stressed  by Mr.  Choudhury  that clauses (vi-a) and  (vi-b)  of  section

10

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 10 of 11  

10(2) are ancillary to clause (vi) and should be taken to be included within clause. (vi) as mentioned in sub-section (3) of  section 12.  It appears that clause (vi-a) was  inserted by  section  11 of the Taxation Laws  (Extension  to  Merged States and Amendment Act, 1949).  Clause (vi-b) was inserted by s. 8 of the Finance Act, 1955 with effect from 1st April, 1955.   At the time of making the amendment under  the  said Acts, no amendment was made to section 12(3) of the Act.  It was argued by Mr. Choudhury that although this was not  done specifically  it  followed by  implication  that  additional depreciation   allowance  in  respect  of  new  assets   and development  rebate  would  cornsern  within  the  ambit  of section  12(3).   It appears to us that clauses  (vi-a)  and (vi-b)  are not ancillary to clause (vi) because the  scheme of clauses (vi-a) and (vi-b) is somewhat different.   Clause (vi-a)   which  was  inserted  in  1949   gives   additional depreciation allowance over and above the initial  allowance which was formerly available under ’the second paragraph  of clause  (vi) in respect of buildings newly erected  and  new machinery  and plant but not furniture installed  after  the 31st  March,  1948.   The additional  allowance  under  this clause  is  confined  to  not  more  than  five   successive assessments  falling within the period from 1st  April  1949 and  31st  March 1959.  Further it is deductible  in  deter- mining the written down value, unlike the initial  allowance granted  under the second paragraph of clause (vi).   Clause (vi-b)  was  inserted by the Finance Act, 1955.   It  grants development  rebate  in  respect  of  machinery  and   plant provided  that  the machinery or plant is new and  has  been installed  after the 31st March, 1954; and provided  further that  it  is used wholly for the purpose of  the  assessee’s business  and the particulars prescribed for the purpose  of clause  (vi)  have  been furnished.   It  is  manifest  that clauses (vi-a) and (vi-b) introduce a new scheme (1)26 I.T.R. 765. 772 and cannot be treated as an integral part of clause (vi)  by implication.  Apart from this consideration it appears to us that  these  clauses  were  not  specifically  engrafted  by Parliament in section 12(3) and section 12(4) while amending section  10(2) of the Act.  It is therefore not  permissible for  the Court to read these same clauses by implication  in section 12(3) and section 12(4) of the Act.  The duty of the Court is to interpret the words that Parliament has used, it cannot supply the gap disclosed in an Act or to make up  the deficiencies.   "If",  said  Lord  Brougham,  in  Gwynne  v. Burnell,(1) "we depart from the plain and obvious meaning on account  of such views (as those pressed in argument on  43. Geo.  3,  c. 99) we do not in truth construe  the  Act,  but alter it.  We add words to it or vary the words in which its provisions  are  couched.   We supply  a  defect  which  the legislature  could easily have supplied, and are making  the law,  not interpreting it" (Cf.  Kumar Kamalaranian  Roy  v. Secretary of State(2).  Accordingly, we are of opinion  that the assessee is not entitled to additional depreciation  and development  rebate  and  the second  question  was  rightly answered by the High Court in the negative. For  these  reasons we hold that the judgment  of  the  High Court dated 20th September, 1963 is correct and this  appeal must be dismissed with costs. V.P.S.                 Appeal dismissed. (1) (1840) 7 Cl. & F. 572, 696.        (2) 66 I.A. 110, 773

11

http://JUDIS.NIC.IN SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Page 11 of 11