Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment

Judgment:

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			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
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			'favorof' => null,
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			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
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			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
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			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
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$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
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		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
		'observations' => null,
		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
		'link' => null,
		'circuit' => null
	)
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
)
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ORDER

Puttaswamy, J.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
	'desc' => array(
		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
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			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
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$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
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		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
	'desc' => array(
		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
			'casesref' => '',
			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
		'observations' => null,
		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
		'link' => null,
		'circuit' => null
	)
)
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
)
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2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner :

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
	'desc' => array(
		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
			'casesref' => '',
			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
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		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
		'observations' => null,
		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
		'link' => null,
		'circuit' => null
	)
)
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	(int) 0 => '375538',
	(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
)
$url = 'https://sooperkanoon.com/case/amp/375538/keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
$ctype = ' High Court'
$content = array(
	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
)
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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
	'desc' => array(
		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
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			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
	'desc' => array(
		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
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		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
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		'circuit' => null
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below :

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
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			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
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	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
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$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
		'observations' => null,
		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
		'link' => null,
		'circuit' => null
	)
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
)
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------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.'

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
	'desc' => array(
		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
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			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
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$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
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		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
			'casesref' => '',
			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
		'observations' => null,
		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
		'link' => null,
		'circuit' => null
	)
)
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
)
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3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
	'desc' => array(
		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
			'casesref' => '',
			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
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	)
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$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
		'observations' => null,
		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
		'link' => null,
		'circuit' => null
	)
)
$casename_url = 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
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	(int) 0 => '375538',
	(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
)
$url = 'https://sooperkanoon.com/case/amp/375538/keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
$ctype = ' High Court'
$content = array(
	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
)
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4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
	'desc' => array(
		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
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			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
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		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
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		'circuit' => null
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
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			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
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	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
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$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
		'observations' => null,
		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
		'link' => null,
		'circuit' => null
	)
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
)
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7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
	'desc' => array(
		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
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			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
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$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
			'casesref' => '',
			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
		'observations' => null,
		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
		'link' => null,
		'circuit' => null
	)
)
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
)
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10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
	'desc' => array(
		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
			'casesref' => '',
			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
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			'circuit' => null
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	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
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$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
)
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'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.'

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
	'desc' => array(
		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
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			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
		'observations' => null,
		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
		'link' => null,
		'circuit' => null
	)
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
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			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
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			'circuit' => null
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$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
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		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
		'observations' => null,
		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
		'link' => null,
		'circuit' => null
	)
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
)
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13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
	'desc' => array(
		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
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			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
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$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus :

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
			'casesref' => '',
			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
		'observations' => null,
		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
		'link' => null,
		'circuit' => null
	)
)
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
)
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'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.'

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
	'desc' => array(
		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
			'casesref' => '',
			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
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	)
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$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
		'observations' => null,
		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
		'link' => null,
		'circuit' => null
	)
)
$casename_url = 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
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	(int) 0 => '375538',
	(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
)
$url = 'https://sooperkanoon.com/case/amp/375538/keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
$ctype = ' High Court'
$content = array(
	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
)
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16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
	'desc' => array(
		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
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			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus :

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
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		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
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		'circuit' => null
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.'

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
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	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
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		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
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$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
		'observations' => null,
		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
		'link' => null,
		'circuit' => null
	)
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
)
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17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
	'desc' => array(
		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
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			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
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$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder :

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
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			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
			'casesref' => '',
			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
		'observations' => null,
		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
		'link' => null,
		'circuit' => null
	)
)
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
)
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Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200
Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167
[main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 109

(The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402)

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
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			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
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			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
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			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
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	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
		'observations' => null,
		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
		'link' => null,
		'circuit' => null
	)
)
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	(int) 0 => '375538',
	(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
)
$url = 'https://sooperkanoon.com/case/amp/375538/keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
$ctype = ' High Court'
$content = array(
	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
)
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'(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay)

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
	'desc' => array(
		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
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			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
	'desc' => array(
		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
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		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
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		'circuit' => null
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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(2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....'

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
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		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
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$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
		'observations' => null,
		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
		'link' => null,
		'circuit' => null
	)
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
)
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View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473
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Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200
Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167
[main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 109

(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795)

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
	'desc' => array(
		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
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			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
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$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
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		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
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		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
			'casesref' => '',
			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
		'observations' => null,
		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
		'link' => null,
		'circuit' => null
	)
)
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
)
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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
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			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
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			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
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	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
		'observations' => null,
		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
		'link' => null,
		'circuit' => null
	)
)
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	(int) 0 => '375538',
	(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
)
$url = 'https://sooperkanoon.com/case/amp/375538/keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
$ctype = ' High Court'
$content = array(
	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
	'desc' => array(
		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
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			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
	'desc' => array(
		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
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		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
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		'circuit' => null
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
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			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
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	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
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$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
		'observations' => null,
		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
		'link' => null,
		'circuit' => null
	)
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
	'desc' => array(
		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
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			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
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$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
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 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
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		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
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23. Writ petitions dismissed.

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	'title_for_layout' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | ',
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		'Judgement' => array(
			'id' => '375538',
			'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
			'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
			'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
			'authreffered' => '',
			'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
			'caseanalysis' => null,
			'casesref' => '',
			'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
			'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
			'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
			'court' => 'Karnataka',
			'court_type' => 'HC',
			'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
			'deposition' => '',
			'favorof' => null,
			'findings' => null,
			'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
			'judgement' => 'ORDER<p style="text-align: justify;">Puttaswamy, J.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;">(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p style="text-align: justify;">'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;">',
			'observations' => null,
			'overruledby' => null,
			'prhistory' => '',
			'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
			'ratiodecidendi' => '',
			'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
			'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
			'link' => null,
			'circuit' => null
		)
	),
	'casename_url' => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial',
	'args' => array(
		(int) 0 => '375538',
		(int) 1 => 'keshawa-trading-company-vs-commissioner-commercial'
	)
)
$title_for_layout = 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors Vs Commissioner of Commercial Taxes Bangalore - Citation 375538 - Court Judgment | '
$desc = array(
	'Judgement' => array(
		'id' => '375538',
		'acts' => '<a href="/act/62040/karnataka-sales-tax-act-1957-complete-act">Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)',
		'appealno' => 'Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670',
		'appellant' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors.',
		'authreffered' => '',
		'casename' => 'Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'casenote' => ' - INDIAN REGISTRATION ACT, 1908
Sections 17 & 495: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Pali Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- KARNATAKA STAMP ACT, 1957.[K.A. No. 34/1957]. Section 34: Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon. -- TRANSFER OF PROPERTY ACT, 1882 [C.A. No. 4/1882]. Section 5; Partition  Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition.
HINDU LAW-- Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Held, Mere separate living is no proof of partition in joint family properties. Admission that Plaintiff is living separately should be of precise fact. A statement that plaintiff was residing in a separate house does not necessarily mean to say or necessarily lead to only interference of the family having been partitioned. Statement that plaintiff was living a separate house cannot be construed as an admission, for holding that it proved the factum of partition. 
  Partition: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon.

INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT,1872[C.A.No.1/1872]    Section 61: [D.V. Shylendra Kumar, J] Partition  Palu Patti  Though Palu Patti  regarding earlier partition is not attracted by the provisions of the Registration Act, it is not admissible for want of sufficient stamp duty under Section 34 of the Karnataka Stamp Act. Statutory provisions excludes admissibility of document and also affects transfer of interest under document. Such an embargo cannot be got over by leading oral evidence to contrary. Under the provisions of the Evidence Act, documentary evidence excludes oral evidence Document having not been sought to be sustained by making good the deficit duty and paying the penalty cannot be admitted in evidence and cannot be relied upon -  1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. 7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason :8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier.',
		'caseanalysis' => null,
		'casesref' => '',
		'citingcases' => ' 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Sl. No.    Name of the assessee      Date of order     Time for
                                                        initiation
                                                        u/s <a href='javascript:fnOpenGlobalPopUp('/ba/disp.asp','85086','1');'>22-A</a>
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
   1.      M/s. Saraswathi Trading      4-11-74          3-11-78.
           Co., Koppal. 
                    *                      *                * 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

',
		'counselplain' => 'K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.',
		'counseldef' => 'S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.',
		'court' => 'Karnataka',
		'court_type' => 'HC',
		'decidedon' => '1985-06-11',
		'deposition' => '',
		'favorof' => null,
		'findings' => null,
		'judge' => 'K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.',
		'judgement' => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.</p><p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. </p><p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. </p><p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : </p><p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 </p><p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. </p><p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : </p><p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' </p><p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. </p><p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. </p><p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. </p><p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. </p><p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. </p><p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. </p><p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. </p><p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : </p><p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' </p><p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. </p><p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. </p><p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : </p><p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' </p><p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. </p><p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : </p><p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' </p><p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. </p><p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : </p><p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' </p><p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) </p><p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) </p><p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... </p><p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' </p><p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) </p><p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. </p><p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' </p><p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). </p><p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. </p><p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. </p><p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. </p><p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. </p><p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. </p><p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p></p><p>',
		'observations' => null,
		'overruledby' => null,
		'prhistory' => '',
		'pubs' => '[1986]62STC102(Kar)',
		'ratiodecidendi' => '',
		'respondent' => 'Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore',
		'sub' => 'Sales Tax',
		'link' => null,
		'circuit' => null
	)
)
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	(int) 0 => 'ORDER<p>Puttaswamy, J.',
	(int) 1 => '<p>1. Whether the suo motu revisional power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the <a>Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957</a> (Karnataka Act 25 of 1957) ('the Act') has been exercised or initiated within a period of four years from the date of the order or not as required by section 22-A(2) of the Act and therefore barred by time or not is the short and interesting question that arises for determination in these cases. In order to appreciate the same, it is necessary in the first instance to notice the facts of the case in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981 in some details as illustrative only and the other cases in general. ',
	(int) 2 => '<p>2-1. Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. - For the assessment year 1970-71 the purchase turnovers of paddy effected by the petitioner amounting to Rs. 12,69,286.25 and Rs. 29,93,521.26 was brought to tax under the Act by the Commercial Tax Officer, Gangavathi 'CTO', in his assessment orders made on 29th September, 1973, and 30th April, 1974. Against the said orders of the CTO the petitioner filed appeals under section 20 of the Act before the Deputy Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), Bellary ('DC'), inter alia contending that the paddy converted into rice had not undergone manufacturing process and his purchase turnovers were not exigible to tax under section 6 of the Act. On 14th March, 1975, the DC following a Division Bench ruling of this Court in State v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1975] 35 STC 360 which had been challenged by the State in an appeal before the Supreme Court and pending, allowed the same. On 24th March, 1981, the Supreme Court allowed the said appeal filed by the State and has reversed the decision of this Court, since reported as State of Karnataka v. B. Raghurama Shetty [1981] 47 STC 369. ',
	(int) 3 => '<p>2-2. On 18th March, 1977, the DC forwarded the records of his office in the appeal filed by the petitioner to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore ('Commissioner'), 'for needful action', which was received by him on 23rd March, 1977. On receipt of the records in the above appeal and the connected cases, the office prepared a note thereon as hereunder and submitted the same to the Commissioner : ',
	(int) 4 => '<p>'File No. RVN 118/77-78 ',
	(int) 5 => '<p> Sub : Revision of cases in which conversion of paddy into rice - whether amounts to manufacture. ',
	(int) 6 => '<p> The DCCT, Bellary, has sent the following cases and has suggested to revise the orders. The point in these cases is that whether conversion of paddy into rice amounts to manufacture or not. The order date and the date within which section 22-A can be exercised are indicated below : ',
	(int) 7 => '<p> ------------------------------------------------------------------------Sl. No. Name of the assessee Date of order Time forinitiationu/s 22-A------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. M/s. Saraswathi Trading 4-11-74 3-11-78.Co., Koppal. * * * ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3. The above cases may lie over till the Supreme Court's decision in B. R. Shetty's case is receive as we cannot initiate action under section 22-A for the present.' ',
	(int) 8 => '<p>M/s. Saraswathi Trading Company, Koppal, Sl. No. 1 in the 'note' is the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. On an examination of the said note and the records, the Commissioner on 8th July, 1977, approved the proposal made at para 3 of the note. On the Supreme Court reversing the decision of this Court, the Commissioner has issued show cause notice No. SMR 10 and 11 of 1981-82 dated 27th May, 1981, to the petitioner under section 22-A of the Act proposing to revise the order of the DC and restore the order of the CTO, the validity of which is challenged by it in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981 before this Court under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 9 => '<p>2-3. In all other cases also except for the periods, the turnover amounts, the date of the orders, the forwarding and receipt of records being naturally different, the facts are similar to the facts in Writ Petition No. 16098 of 1981. The differences in the other cases are not material for the determination of the question that arises in these cases. ',
	(int) 10 => '<p>3. All the petitioners have challenged the respective show cause notices received by them on the ground that the proceedings to revise the appellate orders had not been exercised or initiated by the Commissioner within a period of four years from the date of the order and, therefore, they are wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 11 => '<p>4. In jurisdiction of the show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 13992 of 1981, the Commissioner who is the sole respondent in the case has filed his return. Without disputing the correctness of the facts stated by the petitioner in that writ petition, the respondent has urged that he had exercised his power or had initiated the proceedings within a period of four years from the date of the order and the impugned show cause notice was within his jurisdiction and power and was not barred by time. ',
	(int) 12 => '<p>5. Sri K. Srinivasan, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioners in all the cases except in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri K. R. Prasad, the learned Advocate, has appeared for the petitioner in Writ Petition No. 21641 of 1981. Sri S. Rajendra Babu, the learned Government Advocate, has appeared for the respondent in all the cases. ',
	(int) 13 => '<p>6. In Mohamed Samiullah v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes : ILR1985KAR481 a Full Bench of this Court has upheld the validity of section 22-A of the Act and also the power of the Commissioner to revise the appellate orders of the appellate authorities subordinate to him. In S. Subba Rao v. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes in Mysore, Bangalore [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries v. State of Karnataka : ILR1985KAR1322 this Court has also ruled that when the Commissioner calls for records for examination under section 22-A of the Act, he exercises the power of revision conferred by that section and the proceedings to revise need not be completed within a period of four years from such initiation or the date of the order sought to be revised. We are of the view that the contentions urged by Sri Srinivasan contrary to what this Court has already held in Busunur Industries' case : ILR1985KAR1322 cannot be upheld for the very reasons stated in that case. We, therefore, reject them. ',
	(int) 14 => '<p>7. Sri Srinivasan has urged that there was no exercise or initiation of suo motu revisional proceedings by the Commissioner under section 22-A(2) of the Act within a period of four years from the date of the appellate order of the DC and the notice issued, even on the principles enunciated by this Court in Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, were clearly barred by time and were wholly without jurisdiction and illegal. ',
	(int) 15 => '<p>8. Sri Babu in refuting the contention of Sri Srinivasan has urged that terms 'shall be exercisable' or 'initiation' were comprehensive enough to include cases where the Commissioner had received the records by any process, examines them, applies his mind; as in the present cases; and the period of limitation had to be computed from such date only and so construed the impugned notices were in time. ',
	(int) 16 => '<p>9. We first consider it necessary to record our finding on the fact situations and then deal with the legal contention that arises for determination. ',
	(int) 17 => '<p>10. After the appellate authority made its orders that authority itself, for reasons that are not material, forwarded its records to the Commissioner 'for needful action'. There is no dispute that the Commissioner did not call for the records at any time. But, the Commissioner understood the records received by him as received for purpose of exercising the power of revision conferred on him under section 22-A of the Act and on such examination directed the matters be pursued after the disposal of the appeal filed by the State before the Supreme Court in Raghurama Shetty's case on that decision, the Commissioner did not issue show cause notices till the period of four years from the date of the order had elapsed and has issued such notices on the disposal of the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case before the Supreme Court. It is in these circumstances, the Commissioner issued notices later. In his show cause notice issued to the petitioner in Writ Petition Nos. 16098 of 1981, the Commissioner has stated that the same was not barred by time for the following reason : ',
	(int) 18 => '<p>'8. In your case the records have been received for examination in this office on 23-3-1977 which date is well within the period of limitation and, therefore, action under section 22-A in your case is not barred by limitation.' ',
	(int) 19 => '<p>11. In other cases also, the Commissioner specifying the necessary particulars has stated this very reason. An examination of the records produced by the learned Government Advocate amply bare out the correctness of these facts. ',
	(int) 20 => '<p>12. Section 22-A(1) of the Act empowers the Commissioner to call for the records and examine them. When the records are received by him on the very authority suo motu submitting them; as in the present cases, it is somewhat odd to hold that the Commissioner must formally call them and then only examine them for purposes of section 22-A of the Act. The power to call for records is conferred on the Commissioner to secure records and examine them and not for any other purpose. When the records are before the Commissioner, as in the present cases, section 22-A cannot be construed as disabling the Commissioner to examine them and initiate appropriate action under that section. Section 22-A clearly enables the Commissioner to examine the records and initiate appropriate action thereon. We are, therefore, of the view that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him, though he had not called for them, examine them and initiate further proceedings under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 21 => '<p>13. In Subba Rao's [1967] 19 STC 257 and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, this Court was dealing with cases where the Commissioner had called for records exercising the power conferred on him by section 22-A or the earlier corresponding provision of the Act. On those facts, this Court ruled that the initiation commences with the very act of calling for records. Every one of the observations made in those cases, which are not in conflict with what we have expressed earlier have to be understood as enabling the Commissioner to exercise his powers under section 22-A, even in a case where he had not called for the records for initiating action under that section, as in the present cases. We are of the view, that this power is available to him even in a case where the DC or any other subordinate authority submits the records to initiate action under Section 22-A. As to how he receives the records does not make any difference for the exercise of the power under section 22-A of the Act. ',
	(int) 22 => '<p>14. What emerges from the above discussion is that it was open to the Commissioner to examine the records received by him though he had not called for them and exercise the power of revision conferred on him by section 22-A of the Act. But, this conclusion does not necessarily answer the question of limitation, which we now proceed to examine, which turns on the construction of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 23 => '<p>15. In Mohamed Samiullah's case : ILR1985KAR481 to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(1) of the Act, the Full Bench has referred to some of the rules of construction bearing on the same and to the Full Bench ruling of this Court in C. Arunachalam v. Commissioner of Income-tax : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) that has explained some of them. In ascertaining the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2), we must necessarily have regard to them and the progressive rule of construction of statues felicitously expressed by Lord Denning in Seaford Court Estates Limited v. Asher [1949] 2 All ER 155 approved by the Supreme Court in State of Karnataka v. Hansa Corporation : [1981]1SCR823 and K. P. Varghese v. Income-tax Officer, Ernakulam : [1981]131ITR597(SC) . In Arunachalam's case : [1985]151ITR172(KAR) , the Full Bench has ruled thus : ',
	(int) 24 => '<p>'So far as the fiscal statues are concerned, we must remember one more principle. The provisions in a fiscal statute are not to be so construed as to furnish a chance of escape and a means of evasion. In case of doubt, the fiscal statue should be construed in favour of and beneficial to the subject.' ',
	(int) 25 => '<p>16. Bearing this and the principles enunciated in the above cases, we propose to ascertain the true scope and ambit of section 22-A(2) of the Act. ',
	(int) 26 => '<p>17. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that is material reads thus : ',
	(int) 27 => '<p>'The power under sub-section (1) shall be exercisable only within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised was passed.' ',
	(int) 28 => '<p>17. This power conferred by section 22-A(1) of the Act is exercisable within a period of four years from the date of the order sought to be revised. Section 22-A(2) of the Act that fixes the period of limitation employs the term 'exercisable' which is a very comprehensive term. We need hardly say that the meaning we attach to that term should not be a narrow, rigid and pedantic but one that achieves the purposes and object of the Act. ',
	(int) 29 => '<p>18. The term 'exercisable' derived from the word 'exercise' is defined as (i) 'capable of being exercised, employed or enforced' and (ii) 'capable of being exercised' in the Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 401, and Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795, respectively. These very dictionaries and Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition, Vol. 15A, define the term 'exercise' as hereunder : ',
	(int) 30 => '<p>'5. d. To perform or practice acts of (justice, cruelty, oppression, duplicity, etc.). e. To discharge, fulfil (functions); to exert, wield, possess (dominion, jurisdiction, etc.).' ',
	(int) 31 => '<p> (The Oxford English Dictionary, Vol. III, page 402) ',
	(int) 32 => '<p> '(1) exercise : la : the act of bringing into play or realizing in action : Exertion, use (avoid accidents by the - of foresight) (the violent ...; of royal authority - T. B. Macaulay) ',
	(int) 33 => '<p> b : the discharge of an official function or professional occupation ( - of his judicial duties) ...... ',
	(int) 34 => '<p> (2) Exercise : 1b : to carry on (an occupation) or carry out the functions of (an office) .....' ',
	(int) 35 => '<p>(Webster's Third New International Dictionary - Unabridged, Vol. 1, page 795) ',
	(int) 36 => '<p>'To exercise discretion is to choose between doing and not doing a thing, the doing of which cannot be demanded as an absolute right of the party asking it to be done. The proposition for the exercise of judicial discretion is always based on a given state of facts and addresses itself to the favour of the judge. It is not based on the right of the party seeking to have the thing done, founded in the law applicable to the facts involved, but is always an appeal ex gratia.' : Alden v. Hinton 6 DC 217, 223. ',
	(int) 37 => '<p> ''Exercise' is put to action .....' ',
	(int) 38 => '<p> (vide : Words and Phrases - Permanent Edition - Vol. 15A, page 356). ',
	(int) 39 => '<p> On these meanings that are apposite in the context, the term 'exercisable' must, at any rate, mean taking action or doing something, if not doing something with which aspect, we are not concerned in these cases. On these meanings, the application of mind by the Commissioner and his decision to await the decision of the Supreme Court, clearly falls within the meaning of the term 'exercisable' or 'initiation' used in the two cases of this Court noticed earlier. If the Commissioner had thus initiated action within four years as ruled in Subba Rao's and Busunur Industries : ILR1985KAR1322 cases, it is undoubtedly open to him to complete the same even after the expiry of four years. ',
	(int) 40 => '<p>19. When the Commissioner examined the records and decided to await the decision of the Supreme Court, we cannot say that he committed a blunder or an illegality. All that one could reasonably contend is that he should have at least issued show cause notices and then awaited the decision of the Supreme Court or pursued the matter after the Supreme Court rendered its decision in Raghurama Shetty's case : [1981]3SCR280 . So long as the appeal filed by the State in Raghurama Shetty's case was pending before the Supreme Court, the Commissioner could not have done anything in the matter. At the highest, the issue of a notice for purpose of saving limitation, even if insisted, was only a formality and not a matter of substance. Section 22-A(2) of the Act does not insist on a formal and technical compliance. On the foregoing we are of the view that there was a proper and substantial compliance of section 22-A(2) of the Act. For all these reasons, we see no merit in this contention of Sri Srinivasan and we reject the same. ',
	(int) 41 => '<p>20. We have earlier found that the DC allowed the appeals of the petitioners following the ruling of this Court in Raghurama Shetty's case [1975] 35 STC 360 which has been reversed by the Supreme Court on 24th March, 1981. In the impugned notices, the Commissioner exercising his suo motu power of revision proposes to bring the assessment orders in conformity with the ruling of the Supreme Court, which is blinding on all courts and authorities. Any attempt by this Court in exercise of its extraordinary jurisdiction to interfere with such a course of action, far from advancing the cause of justice, would definitely defeat the cause of justice and will not be in accord with the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court in Shenoy and Company v. Commercial Tax Officer, Circle-II, Bangalore : [1985]155ITR178(SC) . Even assuming that there is any merit in the contention of the petitioners on the question of limitation, then also these are not fit cases in which this Court should exercise its extraordinary jurisdiction in their favour under article 226 of the Constitution. ',
	(int) 42 => '<p>21. In the light of our above discussion, we hold that these writ petitions are liable to be dismissed. We, therefore, dismiss these writ petitions and discharge the rule. But, in the circumstances of the cases, we direct the parties to bear their own costs. ',
	(int) 43 => '<p>22. Let this order be communicated to the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Karnataka, Bangalore, within 10 days from this day. ',
	(int) 44 => '<p>23. Writ petitions dismissed.<p>',
	(int) 45 => '<p>'
)
$paragraphAfter = (int) 1
$cnt = (int) 46
$i = (int) 45
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Subject	Sales Tax
Court	Karnataka High Court
Decided On	Jun-11-1985
Case Number	Writ Petition Nos. 13992, 15389, 16068, 16089, 16090, 16098, 16416, 16434, 16435, 16533, 16621, 1670
Judge	K.S. Puttaswamy and ;S.R. Rajasekhara Murthy, JJ.
Reported in	[1986]62STC102(Kar)
Acts	Karnataka Sales Tax Act, 1957 - Sections 6, 20, 22A, 22A(1) and 22A(2)
Appellant	Keshawa Trading Company and ors.
Respondent	Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore
Appellant Advocate	K. Srinivasan and ;K.R. Prasad, Advs.
Respondent Advocate	S. Rajendra Babu, Government Adv.

Keshawa Trading Company and ors. Vs. Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, Bangalore - Court Judgment