SC confirms 4% VAT on ‘Bitumen Emulsion’ [Read Judgment]

Bitumen emulsion falls under residuary entry of Value Added Tax Act; Supreme Court upholds Allahabad HC order.

The two judge bench of Supreme Court of India today dismissed revenue’s appeal against Allahabad High Court order allowing 4% Tax for ‘Bitumen Emulsion’ under Serial no. 22 Part A of Schedule II to the Value Added Tax (VAT) Act.

The respondent manufactures ‘bitumen emulsion’ filed an application before the Commissioner, Commercial Taxes, Lucknow, U.P. under Section 59 of the VAT Act seeking a clarification about the rate of tax applicable to the sales of bitumen emulsion. The Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, vide order dated 23.1.1999 opined that bitumen emulsion is an unclassified commodity and, therefore, is excisable to tax at the rate of 12.5% as it would fall under the residuary Entry.

While upholding the Allahabad High Court order, the bench comprising of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice P C Pant observed that, “a reading of the aforesaid definitions and the scientific text clearly reveal that bitumen in its original form is solid but melts when heated, for it is used in molten stage. There is no difficulty to appreciate that bitumen emulsion comes into existence when bitumen is treated with emulsifiers and other chemicals to attain a liquid form”.

The learned counsel for Revenue Pawan Shree Agarwal submitted that, the word “bitumen” must be conferred a narrow meaning for the reason that the legislature has not thought it appropriate to use the prefix or suffix like “all”, in all forms or of all kinds. It may be immediately clarified that bitumen is a generic expression which would include different types of bitumen.

While rejecting the revenue’s contentions, the observed that, “the nature and composition of the product or the good and the particular entity in the classification table is important. Matching of the good with the Entry or Entries in the Schedules is tested on the basis of identity of the goods in question with the Entry or the contesting entries and by applying the common parlance test, i.e., whether the goods as understood in commercial or business parlance are identical or similar to the description of the Entry. Where such similarity in popular sense of meaning exists, the generic entity would be construed as including the goods in question. Sometimes on certain circumstances the end use test, i.e., use of the good and its comparison with the Entry is applied”.

“The Entry in question uses the word “bitumen” without any further stipulation or qualification. Therefore, it would, in our opinion, include any product which shares the composition identity, and in common and commercial parlance is treated as bitumen and can be used as bitumen. When we apply the three tests, namely, identity, common parlance and end use to the goods and the Entry in question, bitumen emulsion would be covered by the Entry bitumen. It is worthy to note that bitumen emulsion matches the Entry as it is only one of the varieties of bitumen. Bitumen emulsion is processed bitumen, but the process has not changed its composition, commercial identity or its use. Bitumen emulsion is regarded and performs the same function as bitumen. As a result of processing, neither the primary character nor the composition is lost. Emulsification only eases and provides proficiency to the use of application of bitumen. Hence, in popular and commercial sense, bitumen emulsion is nothing but bitumen, which is in liquid form and is user friendly”.

It is perceivable that the legislature has used the word “bitumen” and treated it as a separate entity. As we notice, it has not indicated that this was done with the intention and purpose to exclude some type or variety of bitumen. All bitumen products, which share and have common composition and commercial entity, and meet the popular parlance test, is, therefore, meant to be covered by the said Entry. In the instant case, even the end use test is satisfied. There is nothing in the Entry to suggest and show that the Entry is required to be given a restrictive and a narrow meaning, the bench said.

Justice Dipak Misra and Justice P C Pant also noted that, there is a fallacy in the argument raised by the Revenue that bitumen per se would only include its solid hard form which melts at high temperature and not bitumen emulsion. The two varieties and types carry the same composition, do not differ in character and have the same commercial identity i.e. bitumen. That apart, the use or end use test is also satisfied.

Read the full text of the Judgment below.

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