Commissioner
of Sales Tax Vs. Northern Railway Catering Department, U.P [1994] INSC 376 (14 July 1994)
Kuldip
Singh (J) Kuldip Singh (J) Yogeshwar Dayal (J)
CITATION:
1995 AIR 93 1994 SCC (5) 358 JT 1994 (5) 73 1994 SCALE (3)260
ACT:
HEAD NOTE:
The Judgement
of the Court was delivered by KULDIP SINGH, J.-This Court in Northern India
Caterers (india) Ltd. v. Lt. Governor of Delhi1
held that service of meals whether in a hotel or resturant does not constitute
a sale of good for the purpose of levy of sales tax. Following the law laid
down by this Court in Northern India Caters' case1 the Allahabad High Court by
its order dated 13-12-1979 disposed of Sales Tax Revision Nos.
838,837,532 and 533 of 1979 by holding that the catering done by the Northern
Railway stations was not 359 exigible to sales tax. This Court had meanwhile by
its order dated 21-12-1979, clarified the judgment in Northern
India Caterers' case2 to the following effect:
"Indeed,
we have no hesitation in saying that where food is supplied in an eating house
or restaurant, and it is established upon the facts that the substance of the
transaction, evidenced by its dominant object is a sale of food and the
rendering of service is merely incidental, the transaction would undoubtedly be
exigible to sales tax. In every case it will be for the, taxing authority to
ascertain the facts when making an assessment under the relevant sales tax law
and to determine upon these facts whether a sale of the food supplied is
intended."
2. The
Commissioner of Sales Tax, U.P., Lucknow, thereafter filed Miscellaneous Application Nos. 9, 10, 11 and 12 of
1980 before the Allahabad High Court for review of the order dated 13-12-1979. The High Court dismissed the applications on the
ground that the same were not maintainable. These appeals by way of special
leave are against the order of the High Court.
3. It
is not necessary for us to go into the question as to whether the High Court
was justified in dismissing the review applications filed by the appellant.
Apart from the clarification dated 21-12-1979 given by this Court the legal
position has been altogether changed by the Constitution (46th) Amendment Act,
1982 which came into force with effect from 3-2-1983.
4. We,
therefore, set aside the impugned order of the High Court dated 19-3-1982,
allow the review applications filed by the Commissioner of Sales Tax, U.P., Lucknow
before the High Court and set aside the order dated 13-12-1979 passed by the
High Court in sales tax revisions. We remand the case to the Sales Tax Officer
concerned who will hold the assessment proceedings afresh in accordance with
law. The appeals are allowed in the above terms. No costs.
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