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2017 (4) TMI 507 - HC - VAT and Sales TaxClassification of liquor dealers - imposition of different rates of tax on different dealers - violative of Article 14 and 19 of the Constitution - Held that:- There is no longer any scope for the petitioners to contend that the State Legislature had no competence to provide for the levy of additional sales tax. The nature and identity of the additional sales tax imposed by the 1970 Act have not been in any way altered by the impugned Act. As already pointed out what has been done by the impugned Act is only to provide for a different mode of computation of the additional sales tax by linking the rate of levy to the taxable turnover instead of to the amount of tax assessed under the Act of 1959. The constitutional validity of the levy of additional tax is not in any manner affected by the said change brought about in the mode of levy and computation as a result of the amendments effected by the impugned Act. The Legislature with the sole intention of capturing substantial value addition taking place on liquor consumed in the premises of a Boarding House and Lodge, has brought this class of dealer under the net of tax, but Bar and Restaurants located in rural area which do not have the advantage of catering to the class of customers of economic superiority are exempted. Thus, the impugned notification dated 28.02.2014 which exempts liquor sold by dealers holding licence in Form No.CL-9 operating in rural areas in comparison with liquor sold by a person operating a Boarding House and Lodge in a rural area holding licence in Form No.CL-7 would form separate class of dealers. The State Legislature in its economic wisdom of taxation having chosen to provide for levy of tax on liquor sold by certain licence holders, considering the potential for tax collection on the huge value addition while exempting others whose sale price is regulated by the MRP indicated on the label of the container cannot be construed as discriminatory. The classification of dealers based on value addition criteria for the purpose of tax levy and exempting the dealers based on area criteria cannot be held to be discriminatory. - Decided against the petitioners.
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