2015 (5) TMI 804 - ANDHRA PRADESH HIGH COURT

Levy of purchase tax u/s 4 - agriculture product processors i.e. (1) rice millers, or (2) dhal millers, or (3) soyabean oil millers, or (4) cotton millers - whether in the nature of levy on farmers - Held that:- Notwithstanding the goods being "taxable goods", there may be circumstances by reason of which the particular sale transaction does not attract tax under the Act. Section 4(4) provides for such a situation and makes the purchase of such goods taxable in the hands of the purchasing VAT dealer, on his purchase turnover, in any of the circumstances referred to clauses (i) to (iii). For instance, branch transfer or stock transfer of goods by a VAT dealer to his consignee/agent is not taxable under the Act. Such transactions attract the ingredients of clause (ii) of Section 4(4). Therefore the input of such goods are subjected to tax under Section 4(4) of the Act.

The tax levied under Section 4(4) is not on the sale of goods by a farmer/agriculturist, but on the VAT dealer who purchases goods (agricultural produce) from the farmer. The contention that a farmer or an agriculturist is being subjected to tax is not tenable, as tax is levied not on him but on the VAT dealer who purchases goods from him. It is not every purchase of taxable goods from an agriculturist/farmer, but only such goods which fall within the ambit of clauses (i) to (iii) of Section 4(4), and its proviso, which attracts levy of tax at the stage of its purchase. The contention that a farmer/agriculturist is indirectly being subjected to tax does not, therefore, merit acceptance.

When taxable goods are sold by a person, who is not a dealer under the Act, then VAT is not payable on the sale of such goods. Where a farmer grows raw cotton, paddy, raw dhal and soyabean seed in his land, and sells these agricultural produce to others, he is not liable to pay tax, on the sale of such goods, as he is not a dealer under Section 2(10) of the Act. Purchase of such agricultural produce by a VAT dealer is in circumstances in which no tax is payable by the seller. In such circumstances tax, at 4%/5% of the purchase price of such goods, is liable to be paid by the VAT dealer who purchases the aforesaid goods i.e., agricultural produce. This liability of a VAT dealer to pay purchase tax would, however, arise only if any one of the conditions, mentioned in clauses (i) to (iii) of Section 4(4), are satisfied.

If the allegations in the show-cause notice, accepted as true, show that the dealer had committed wilful evasion of tax, and the findings recorded in the assessment order establish that the assessee had wilfully evaded tax, it would suffice to extend the period of limitation in terms of Section 21(5) of the Act notwithstanding that the show-cause notice does not explicitly refer to Section 21(5) and does not specifically use the words wilful evasion of tax.

Purchase tax is levied on goods which are used as inputs for other goods which are exempt from tax, or for goods which have been transferred on consignment or to branches of the VAT dealer outside the State otherwise than by way of sale. While the provisions of the Act must, in view of Article 286(3) of the Constitution of India, be complaint with Sections 14 and 15 of the CST Act, it is not clear as to how denial of input-tax credit, or computation of input-tax credit in accordance with Rule 20 of the Rules, in the present cases is contrary to the mandate of Sections 14 and 15 of the CST Act. - In any event the question, whether computation of input-tax credit in terms of Rule 20 is in violation of Sections 14 and 15 of the CST Act, must be answered on the facts and circumstances of each case. It is for the assessee to satisfy the assessing authority that computation of the eligible input-tax credit, in terms of Rule 20, is in violation of Sections 14 and 15 of the CST Act. - Matter remanded back - Decided in favour of assessee.