Judgment

VENKATARAMA AIYAR, J. : The petitioner is a joint Hindu family firm carrying on business at Berhampur in the State of Orissa, and registered as a dealer under the provisions of the Orissa Sales Tax Act. 1947 hereinafter referred to as the Act. Its business consists in the purchases of castor seeds, turmeric, gingili and other commodities locally, and selling them to dealers outside the State. The Sales Tax Officer, Berhampur, included in the taxable turnover of the petitioner the purchase of goods made by it inside the State but sold, as aforesaid, to dealers outside the State and imposed a tax of Rs. 27,161-13-0 on account of such sales during the sixteen quarters commencing from April 1, 1952, and ending with March 31, 1956. In the present application filed under Art. 32, the petitioner challenges the validity of the tax on the ground that the purchases in question were made in the course of inter-State trade, and that a tax thereon was in contravention of Art 286(2).

2. The impugned tax has been levied under S. 5 of the Act, which, omitting what is not relevant, runs as follows:-

5. (1) The tax payable by a dealer under this Act shall be levied at the rate of one quarter o