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1980 Supreme(Raj) 200

RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT AT JODHPUR BENCH
C.M.Lodha, Milap Chand Jain, JJ.
Municipal Council - Appellant
Versus
M/s. Parekh Automobiles - Respondent
D.B. Civil Special Appeal No. 9, 13, 31 of 1977.
Decided On : 1-02-1980

Octroi cannot be levied on goods re-exported outside the Municipal limits for consumption and use outside the limits.

Headnote:

OCTROI - LEVY - GOODS RE-EXPORTED OUTSIDE MUNICIPAL LIMITS - NO TAX LEVIABLE - RAJASTHAN MUNICIPALITIES ACT, 1959, SECTIONS 10, 133 - RAJASTHAN MUNICIPALITIES (OCTROI) RULES, 1962, RULES 6, 9, 13.

Fact of the Case:

The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) had a depot within the Municipal limits of Jodhpur, from where petroleum products were supplied to various petrol pumps within and outside the Municipal limits. M/s Parekh Automobiles (the petitioner) had a retail outlet outside the Municipal limits, and IOC supplied petroleum products to the petitioner's outlet. The Municipal Council charged octroi on the petroleum products brought within the Municipal limits by IOC, even though they were re-exported outside the limits for consumption outside. The petitioner filed a writ petition challenging the levy of octroi on the ground that the taxable event did not take place within the octroi limits of the Municipal Council.

Finding of the Court:

The court held that no octroi was leviable on the petroleum products re-exported by IOC to the retail outlets situate outside the Municipal limits for consumption and use outside the limits. The court relied on the Supreme Court decisions in Burmah Shell Oil Storage and Distributing Co of India Ltd., Belgaum v. Belgaum Borough Municipality, Belgaum, and M/s Hiralal Thakarlal Dalal v. Broach Municipality and Ors., which held that octroi could not be levied on goods re-exported outside the Municipal limits.

Issues: 1. Whether octroi could be levied on petroleum products re-exported outside the Municipal limits for consumption and use outside the limits? 2. Whether the petitioner had locus standi to file the writ petition?

Ratio Decidendi: 1. The court held that octroi could not be levied on petroleum products re-exported outside the Municipal limits for consumption and use outside the limits, as the taxable event did not take place within the octroi limits of the Municipal Council. 2. The court held that the petitioner had locus standi to file the writ petition as it was the petitioner who had to pay the octroi on the petroleum products supplied to it by IOC, even though the Municipal Council charged the octroi from IOC.

Final Decision: The court dismissed the appeals filed by the Municipal Council and allowed the petitioner's appeal in part, directing the Municipal Council to refund the octroi paid on the petroleum products re-exported by IOC to the petitioner's outlet to IOC, which could then be recovered by the petitioner from IOC.

JUDGMENT

1. - The above three special, appeals under Section 18 of the Rajasthan High Court Ordinances 1949, arise, out of the judgment by M.L. Joshi, J. dated January 28, 1977, where by the 'learned Judge partly allowed civil writ petitions Nos. 17 and 21 of 1976, filed by M/s Parekh Automobiles and Sukh Sampat Raj respectively, against the Municipal Council, jodhpur, and restrained the Municipal Council from charging or realising octroi on the goods brought within the limits of the Municipal Council by the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., but re exported by the said Corporation outside the Municipal limits Council their refile out lets for use and consumption outside the limits of the Municipal Council|. However, the prayer of the petitioners for refund of the octroi, already paid by them was-refused. Aggrieved by the direction" issued against in the Municipal Council has preferred appeals Nos. 9 and 13 of 1977. M/s Parekh Automobiles there in after to be referred to as the petitioner) has also preferred appeal from the order of refusal by the learned single Judge to issue a direction for refund of the octroi already paid The petitioner appeal is registered at No. 31 of 1977. We propose to dispose of all the three appeals by this judgment.

2. The facts relevant for the disposal of these appeals lie within a narrow compass and are not, in dispute We, shall take up the facts in appeals Nos. 9 and of 1977, which arise out of the writ application filed by Messers Parekh Automobiles. The facts in the there writ case filed by Sukh Sampat Raj are stated be almost identical and therefore, we do not consider it necessary to narrate them separately.

3. M/s Indian Oil Corporation (which is respondent No. 2 in all the three appeals and which will be here after referred to as the "Oil Corporation") has a depot within the Municipal limit of Jodhpur, where the petroleum products are stored and the same are supplied by the Oil Corporation to Various petrol pumps situated within the limits of the Municipal Council is well as outside. The retail outside of the petitioner is situated in village Dangiawas, which is admitted outside the limits of the Municipal Council, Jodhpur, It appears that the Oil Corporation was being extended current account facilities under Section 133 of the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 1959 (which will hereinafter be referred to as "the Act") so that it my not have to pay octroi on each consignment at the time of the entry of the goods within the limits of the Municipal Council, but the account may so settled at intervals. It further appears that, as provided under Rule 13 if the Rajasthan Municipalities (Octroi) Rules, 1962 thereinafter referred to as the Rules"'), printed book of entry passes in duplicate as well as printed book of transport passes were supplied in forms N is 7 and 5 respectively to the Oil Corporation' Tax on account of the special facilities given to the Corporation, amount of, octroi duty payable by the Oil Corporation Was based on total amount of the octroi as.shown by the entry paises less total amount of the goods transported outside the Municipal limits, as shows, by the transport passes. The petitioner's case is that all of a sudden on July 25, 1975 the Municipal Council suspended the transport passes facility given to the Oil Corporation and began to charge octroi from the Oil Corporation on the petroleum products brought' within the Municipal limits even though they were re exported by it out side the Municipal limits for consumption outside the limits. The Oil Corporation in its turn therefore, started charging octroi on supplies made by it to the petitioner at Dangiawas by adding the amount of octroi in bills for the supplies made to the petitioner's retail outlet in Dangia was even though it made representation to the Government of Rajasthan that Octroi was being illegally Charged by the, Municipal Council on goods taken back outside the Municipal limits and so also consumed outside the limits






























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