STATE OF M.P. Vs RAKESH KOHLI
Bench: R.M. LODHA,H.L. GOKHALE
Case number: C.A. No.-000684-000684 / 2004
Diary number: 26603 / 2003
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REPORTABLE
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 684 OF 2004
State of M.P. …. Appellant
Versus
Rakesh Kohli & Anr. ….Respondents
WITH
CIVIL APPEAL NO. 1270 OF 2004
JUDGMENT
R.M. Lodha, J.
The only point for consideration here is, whether or not
the Division Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court was justified
in declaring Clause (d), Article 45 of Schedule 1-A of the Indian
Stamp Act, 1899 (for short, ‘1899 Act’) which was brought in by the
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Indian Stamp (Madhya Pradesh Amendment) Act, 2002 (for short,
‘M.P. 2002 Act’) as unconstitutional being violative of Article 14 of
the Constitution of India.
2. The above point arises in this way. Two writ petitions
came to be filed before the Madhya Pradesh High Court. In both writ
petitions initially it was prayed that Clauses (f) and (f-1), Article 48,
Schedule 1-A brought in the 1899 Act by Section 3 of the Indian
Stamp (Madhya Pradesh Amendment) Act, 1997 (for short, ‘M.P.
1997 Act’) be declared ultra vires. During the pendency of these
petitions, the 1899 Act as applicable to Madhya Pradesh was further
amended by the M.P. 2002 Act. The respondents, referred to as writ
petitioners, amended their writ petitions and prayed that Clause (d),
Article 45 of Schedule 1-A of the 1899 Act as substituted by M.P.
2002 Act be declared ultra vires. The writ petitioners set up the case
that original Article 48 of the 1899 Act, Schedule 1-A prescribed
stamp duty payable at Rs. 10/- if attorney was appointed for a single
transaction. By M.P. 1997 Act, Article 48 Clause (f) was substituted
by Clauses (f) and (f-1). Clause (f-1) provided that where power of
attorney was executed without consideration in favour of person who
is not his or her spouse or children or mother or father and
authorizes him to sell or transfer any immovable property, the stamp
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duty would be leviable as if the transaction is conveyance under
Article 23. Explanation II inserted by M.P. 1997 Act provided that
where under Clauses (f) and (f-1), duty had been paid on the power
of attorney and a conveyance relating to that property was executed
in pursuance of power of attorney between the executant of the
power of attorney and the person in whose favour it was executed,
the duty on conveyance should be the duty calculated on the market
value of the property reduced by duty paid on the power of attorney.
By M.P. 2002 Act, stamp duty relating to power of attorney has been
prescribed in Article 45 of Schedule 1-A. Clause (d) thereof
prescribes stamp duty at two per cent on the market value of the
property which is subject matter of power of attorney when power of
attorney is given without consideration to a person other than father,
mother, wife or husband, son or daughter, brother or sister in relation
to the executant and authorizing such person to sell immovable
property situated in Madhya Pradesh. The writ petitioners pleaded,
inter alia, that the distinction between an agent who was a blood
relation and who was an outsider carved out in Article 45, Clause (d)
was legally impermissible. The provision violates Article 14 of the
Constitution as it has sought to create unreasonable classification.
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3. The State of Madhya Pradesh stoutly defended the
challenge to the above provisions and stated before the High Court
that the matter of rate of stamp duty was solely in the domain of
State Legislature and none of the provisions of the Constitution was
offended by the above provisions.
4. The Division Bench of the High Court has accepted the
constitutional challenge to Clause (d), Article 45 of Schedule 1-A
brought in the 1899 Act by M.P. 2002 Act and held that the said
provision was violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India. The
Division Bench gave the following reasoning:
“11. As far as clauses (d) is concerned, it lays a postulate that postulate [sic] that when the power of authority is given without consideration to a person other than the father, mother, wife or husband, son or daughter, brother or sister in relation to the executant and authorizing such person to sell immovable property, 2% on the market value of the property is to be collected. Submission of Mr. Agrawal is that this clause is absolutely unreasonable and smacks of arbitrariness, as there is no rationale to include the category of persons who have been included and to leave out to all other persons. Mr. S.K. Yadav, learned Government Advocate submitted that near relatives can constitute a class by itself and all others can fit into a different category and, therefore, the said provision does not offend the concept of classification, as there is intelligible differentia. On a first blush the aforesaid submission of the learned counsel for the State appears to be quite attractive, but on a deeper probe it is not what it is. In the guise of the classification something has been stated in the said provision. One can give certain examples. One may not have kith or kin and intact [sic] even that case to deprive him to execute the power of attorney for selling the property, unless 2% is paid on the market value is arbitrary. The provisions may pass the test of classification but it would not
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pass the requirement of the second limb of Article 14 of the Constitution which ostracises arbitrariness, unreasonable and irrationality. The State may have a laudable purpose but the laudable purpose alone cannot sustain the provision. The matter would been [sic] different had it included a rider that it is executed in favour of any other for consideration or some other purposes is not the situation. In view of the same, we are of the considered opinion, the aforesaid provision is defiant of Article 14 of the Constitution. Accordingly, we have no hesitation to declare the same as violative of Article 14 of the Constitution.”
5. Ms. Vibha Datta Makhija, learned counsel for the
appellant — State of Madhya Pradesh – submitted that the High
Court was in error in declaring Clause (d), Article 45, Schedule 1-A
as violative of Article 14 of the Constitution of India. She would
submit that the test of challenge to a legislative provision was
completely different from that of an administrative action. A
legislative provision cannot be struck down as being arbitrary,
irrational or unreasonable. She further submitted that the
classification made in Clause (d) of Article 45, Schedule 1-A had
intelligible differentia with a direct nexus to the object of the 1899
Act. The object of the 1899 Act is to collect proper stamp duty on an
instrument or conveyance on which such duty is payable. This is to
protect the State revenue. The legislative wisdom took into
consideration that genuine power of attorney documents would be
executed by the executants without consideration mostly in favour of
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kith and kin to complete sale transactions on behalf of the
executants. The said category attracts lower stamp duty than power
of attorney executed in favour of third parties/strangers since such
power of attorney document would be for extraneous reasons.
6. Learned counsel for the State of M.P. also submitted that
the wisdom of the Legislature in protecting the revenue and carving
out genuine classes from others had been well recognized. The
court cannot sit in judgment over their wisdom. She relied upon
decisions of this Court in Balaji v. Income Tax Officer, Special
Investigation Circle, Akola and others1; State of A.P. and others v.
Mcdowell and Co. and others2; Ramesh Chand Bansal and Others v.
District Magistrate/Collector Ghaziabad and others3; Veena
Hasmukh Jain and another v. State of Maharashtra and others4;
Hanuman Vitamin Foods Private Limited and others v. State of
Maharashtra and another5; Karnataka Bank Limited v. State of
1 AIR 1962 SC 123
2 (1996) 3 SCC 709
3 (1999) 5 SCC 62
4 (1999) 5 SCC 725
5 (2000) 6 SCC 345
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Andhra Pradesh and others6; Government of Andhra Pradesh and
others v. P. Laxmi Devi (Smt.)7; Union of India v. R. Gandhi,
President; Madras Bar Association8 and Suraj Lamp and Industries
Private Limited v. State of Haryana and another9.
7. The respondents despite service have not chosen to
appear.
8. The definition of ‘conveyance’ is contained in Section
2(10) of the 1899 Act which reads as under:
“S.2. Definitions.—In this Act, unless there is something repugnant in the subject or context,--
(10) "Conveyance" includes a conveyance on sale and every instrument by which property, whether movable or immovable, is transferred inter vivos and which is not otherwise specifically provided for by Schedule I.
9. Section 2(21) defines ‘power of attorney’. It reads as
follows :
6 (2008) 2 SCC 254
7 (2008) 4 SCC 720
8 (2010) 11 SCC 1
9 (2012) 1 SCC 656
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“S. 2(21) “Power-of-attorney” includes any instrument (not chargeable with a fee under the law relating to court-fees for the time being in force) empowering a specified person to act for and in the name of the person executing it;”
10. The 1899 Act has been amended from time to time by
the Madhya Pradesh State Legislature insofar as its application to
the State of Madhya Pradesh is concerned. The stamp duty on
power of attorney was originally prescribed in Article 48, Schedule -
1-A of the 1899 Act. Clause (f) in original Article 48, Schedule 1-A
read as under:
“SCHEDULE-1A Stamp Duty on Instruments
(See section 3)
Description of Instruments Proper Stamp Duty (1) (2)
48.Power of Attorney, as defined by Section 2(21), not being a Proxy [No. 52].
(f) when giving for consideration The same duty as Conveyance and authorizing the attorney to (No. 23) for a market value sell any immovable property; equal to the amount of the
consideration.”
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11. Section 3 of the M.P. 1997 Act brought in amendment in
the 1899 Act, inter alia, as under :
“In Schedule 1-A of the Principal Act, in Article 48,--
(i)For clause (f), the following clauses shall be substituted, namely:-
(f) when given for consideration and authorizing the attorney to sell or transfer any immovable property.
The same duty as a conveyance under Article 23 on the market value of the property
(f-1) when given without consideration in favour of persons who are not his or her spouse or Children, or mother or father and authorizing the attorney to sell or transfer any immovable property
The same duty as a conveyance under Article 23 on the market value of the property
(ii)the existing explanation shall be renumbered as explanation I thereof and after explanation I as so renumbered, the following explanation shall be inserted, namely :-
“Explanation II:--Where under clause (f) and (f-1) duty has been paid on the power of attorney and a conveyance relating to that property is executed in pursuance of power of attorney between the executant of power of attorney and the person in whose favour it is executed, the duty on conveyance shall be the duty calculated on the market value of the property reduced by duty paid on the power of attorney”.
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The Objects and Reasons for the above amendment were to check
the tendency to execute power of attorney authorising the attorney to
sell or transfer immovable property in place of a conveyance deed
and to increase the revenue of the Government in the State of
Madhya Pradesh.
12. Article 48 in the 1899 Act as amended by M.P. 1997 Act
was substituted by M.P. 2002 Act. The new provision, Article 45 in
respect of power of attorney in Schedule 1-A which was brought in
by M.P. 2002 Act reads as follows :
“SCHEDULE-1A Stamp Duty on Instruments
(See section 3)
Description of Instrument Proper Stamp Duty (1) (2)
45. Power of attorney [as defined by
section 2(21)] not being a proxy:-
(a)when authorizing one person or more to act in single transaction, including a power of attorney executed for procuring the registration of one or more documents in relation to a single transaction or for admitting execution of one or more such documents;
Fifty rupees.
(b)when authorizing one person to act in more than one transaction or
One hundred rupees.
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generally; or not more than ten persons to act jointly or severally in more than one transaction or generally;
(c)when given for consideration and authorizing the agent to sell any immovable property.
The same duty as a conveyance (No. 22) on the
(d)when given without consideration to a person other than the father, mother, wife or husband, son or daughter, brother or sister in relation to the executant and authorizing such person to sell immovable property situated in Madhya Pradesh.
Two percent on the market value of the property which
(e)In any other case; Fifty rupees for each person authorized
Explanation-I.—For the purpose of this article, more persons than one when belonging to the same firm shall be deemed to be one person.
Explanation-II.—The term ‘registration’ includes every operation incidental to registration under the Registration Act, 1908 (16 of 1908).”
13. In our opinion, the High Court was clearly in error in
declaring Clause (d), Article 45 of Schedule 1-A of the 1899 Act
which as brought in by the M.P. 2002 Act as violative of Article 14 of
the Constitution of India. It is very difficult to approve the reasoning
of the High Court that the provision may pass the test of
classification but it would not pass the requirement of the second
limb of Article 14 of the Constitution which ostracises arbitrariness, 11
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unreasonable and irrationality. The High Court failed to keep in mind
the well defined limitations in consideration of the constitutional
validity of a statute enacted by Parliament or a State Legislature.
The statute enacted by Parliament or a State Legislature cannot be
declared unconstitutional lightly. The court must be able to hold
beyond any iota of doubt that the violation of the constitutional
provisions was so glaring that the legislative provision under
challenge cannot stand. Sans flagrant violation of the constitutional
provisions, the law made by Parliament or a State Legislature is
not declared bad.
14. This Court has repeatedly stated that legislative
enactment can be struck down by Court only on two grounds,
namely (i), that the appropriate Legislature does not have
competency to make the law and (ii), that it does not take away or
abridge any of the fundamental rights enumerated in Part – III of the
Constitution or any other constitutional provisions.
15. In Mcdowell and Co.2 while dealing with the challenge to
an enactment based on Article 14, this Court stated in paragraph 43
(at pg. 737) of the Report as follows :
“……..A law made by Parliament or the legislature can be struck down by courts on two grounds and two grounds alone, viz., (1) lack of legislative competence and (2) violation of any
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of the fundamental rights guaranteed in Part III of the Constitution or of any other constitutional provision. There is no third ground………. …….. if an enactment is challenged as violative of Article 14, it can be struck down only if it is found that it is violative of the equality clause/equal protection clause enshrined therein. Similarly, if an enactment is challenged as violative of any of the fundamental rights guaranteed by clauses (a) to (g) of Article 19(1), it can be struck down only if it is found not saved by any of the clauses (2) to (6) of Article 19 and so on. No enactment can be struck down by just saying that it is arbitrary or unreasonable . Some or other constitutional infirmity has to be found before invalidating an Act. An enactment cannot be struck down on the ground that court thinks it unjustified. Parliament and the legislatures, composed as they are of the representatives of the people, are supposed to know and be aware of the needs of the people and what is good and bad for them. The court cannot sit in judgment over their wisdom…….”
(Emphasis supplied)
Then dealing with the decision of this Court in State of T.N. and
others v. Ananthi Ammal and others10, a three-Judge Bench in
Mcdowell and Co.2 observed in paragraphs 43 and 44 [at pg. 739)
of the Report as under :
“……Now, coming to the decision in Ananthi Ammal, we are of the opinion that it does not lay down a different proposition. It was an appeal from the decision of the Madras High Court striking down the Tamil Nadu Acquisition of Land for Harijan Welfare Schemes Act, 1978 as violative of Articles 14, 19 and 300-A of the Constitution. On a review of the provisions of the Act, this Court found that it provided a procedure which was substantially unfair to the owners of the land as compared to the procedure prescribed by the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, insofar as Section 11 of the Act provided for payment of
10 (1995) 1 SCC 519
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compensation in instalments if it exceeded rupees two thousand. After noticing the several features of the Act including the one mentioned above, this Court observed: (SCC p. 526, para 7)
“7. When a statute is impugned under Article 14 what the court has to decide is whether the statute is so arbitrary or unreasonable that it must be struck down. At best, a statute upon a similar subject which derives its authority from another source can be referred to, if its provisions have been held to be reasonable or have stood the test of time, only for the purpose of indicating what may be said to be reasonable in the context. We proceed to examine the provisions of the said Act upon this basis.”
44. It is this paragraph which is strongly relied upon by Shri Nariman. We are, however, of the opinion that the observations in the said paragraph must be understood in the totality of the decision. The use of the word ‘arbitrary’ in para 7 was used in the sense of being discriminatory, as the reading of the very paragraph in its entirety discloses. The provisions of the Tamil Nadu Act were contrasted with the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act and ultimately it was found that Section 11 insofar as it provided for payment of compensation in instalments was invalid. The ground of invalidation is clearly one of discrimination. It must be remembered that an Act which is discriminatory is liable to be labelled as arbitrary. It is in this sense that the expression ‘arbitrary’ was used in para 7.”
16. The High Court has not given any reason as to why the
provision contained in clause (d) was arbitrary, unreasonable or
irrational. The basis of such conclusion is not discernible from the
judgment. The High Court has not held that the provision was
discriminatory. When the provision enacted by the State Legislature
has not been found to be discriminatory, we are afraid that such
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enactment could not have been struck down on the ground that it
was arbitrary or irrational.
17. That stamp duty is a tax and hardship is not relevant in
interpreting fiscal statutes are well known principles. In Bengal
Immunity Co. Ltd. v. State of Bihar and others11, a seven-Judge
Bench speaking through majority in paragraph 43 (at pg. 685) of the
Report while dealing with hardship in the statutes stated as follows :
“……….If there is any real hardship of the kind referred to, there is Parliament which is expressly invested with the power of lifting the ban under cl. (2) either wholly or to the extent it thinks fit to do. Why should the Court be called upon to discard the cardinal rule of interpretation for mitigating a hardship, which after all may be entirely fanciful, when the Constitution itself has expressly provided for another authority more competent to evaluate the correct position to do the needful?”
18. In Commissioner of Income Tax, Madras v. R.SV. Sr.
Arunachalam Chettiar12, a three-Judge Bench of this Court, inter
alia, observed in paragraph 13 (at pgs. 1220-21) of the Report,
“equity is out of place in tax law; a particular income is either
exigible to tax under the taxing statute or it is not.”
11 AIR 1955 SC 661
12 AIR 1965 SC 1216
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19. In the Income Tax Officer, Tuticorin v. T.S. Devinatha
Nadar etc.13, this Court in paragraph 30 (at pg. 635) of the Report
observed as follows :
“30. From the foregoing decisions it is clear that the consideration whether a levy is just or unjust, whether it is equitable or not, a consideration which appears to have greatly weighed with the majority, is wholly irrelevant in considering the validity of a levy. The courts have repeatedly observed that there is no equity in a tax. The observations of Lord Hatherley, L.C. in (1869) 4 Ch. A 735. “In fact we must look to the general scope and purview of the statute, and at the remedy sought to be applied, and consider what was the former state of the law, and what it was that the legislature contemplated,” were made while construing, a non-taxing statute. The said rule has only a limited application in the interpretation of a taxing statute. Further, as observed by that learned Judge in that very case the question in each case is “whether the legislature had sufficiently expressed its intention” on the point in issue.”
The court highlighted that the court could not concern itself with the
intention of the Legislature when the language expressing such
intention was plain and unambiguous.
20 . In P. Laxmi Devi (Smt.)7, a two-Judge Bench of this Court
was concerned with a judgment of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.
The High Court had declared Section 47-A of the 1899 Act as
amended by A.P. Act 8 of 1998 that required a party to deposit 50%
deficit stamp duty as a condition precedent for a reference to a
13 AIR 1968 SC 623
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Collector under Section 47-A unconstitutional. The Court said in P.
Laxmi Devi (Smt.)7 as follows :
“19. It is well settled that stamp duty is a tax, and hardship is not relevant in construing taxing statutes which are to be construed strictly. As often said, there is no equity in a tax vide CIT v. V.MR.P. Firm Muar. If the words used in a taxing statute are clear, one cannot try to find out the intention and the object of the statute. Hence the High Court fell in error in trying to go by the supposed object and intendment of the Stamp Act, and by seeking to find out the hardship which will be caused to a party by the impugned amendment of 1998.
20. xxx xxx xxx
21. It has been held by a Constitution Bench of this Court in ITO v. T.S. Devinatha Nadar (vide AIR paras 23 to 28) that where the language of a taxing provision is plain, the court cannot concern itself with the intention of the legislature. Hence, in our opinion the High Court erred in its approach of trying to find out the intention of the legislature in enacting the impugned amendment to the Stamp Act.”
While dealing with the aspect as to how and when the power of the
court to declare the statute unconstitutional can be exercised, this
Court referred to the earlier decision of this Court in Rt. Rev. Msgr.
Mark Netto v. State of Kerala and others14 and held in para 46 (at
pg. 740) of the Report as under :
“46. In our opinion, there is one and only one ground for declaring an Act of the legislature (or a provision in the Act) to be invalid, and that is if it clearly violates some provision of the Constitution in so evident a manner as to leave no manner of doubt. This violation can, of course, be in different ways e.g. if
14 (1979) 1 SCC 23
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a State Legislature makes a law which only Parliament can make under List I to the Seventh Schedule, in which case it will violate Article 246(1) of the Constitution, or the law violates some specific provision of the Constitution (other than the directive principles). But before declaring the statute to be unconstitutional, the court must be absolutely sure that there can be no manner of doubt that it violates a provision of the Constitution. If two views are possible, one making the statute constitutional and the other making it unconstitutional, the former view must always be preferred. Also, the court must make every effort to uphold the constitutional validity of a statute, even if that requires giving a strained construction or narrowing down its scope vide Rt. Rev. Msgr. Mark Netto v. State of Kerala SCC para 6 : AIR para 6. Also, it is none of the concern of the court whether the legislation in its opinion is wise or unwise.”
Then in paras 56 and 57 (at pg. 744), the Court stated as follows:
“56. In our opinion adjudication must be done within the system of historically validated restraints and conscious minimisation of the judges' personal preferences. The court must not invalidate a statute lightly, for, as observed above, invalidation of a statute made by the legislature elected by the people is a grave step. As observed by this Court in State of Bihar v. Kameshwar Singh: (AIR p. 274, para 52)
“52. … The legislature is the best judge of what is good for the community, by whose suffrage it comes into existence.…”
57. In our opinion, the court should, therefore, ordinarily defer to the wisdom of the legislature unless it enacts a law about which there can be no manner of doubt about its unconstitutionality.”
21. The Constitution Bench of this Court in Mohd. Hanif
Quareshi and others v. State of Bihar15, while dealing with the 15 18
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meaning, scope and effect of Article 14, reiterated what was already
explained in earlier decisions that to pass the test of permissible
classification, two conditions must be fulfilled, namely, (i) the
classification must be founded on an intelligible differentia which
distinguishes persons or things that are grouped together from
others left out of the group and (ii) such differentia must have rational
relation to the object sought to be achieved by the statute in
question. The Court further stated that classification might be
founded on different basis, namely, geographical, or according to
objects or occupations or the like and what is necessary is that there
must be a nexus between the basis of classification and the object
of the Act under consideration.
22. In Mohd. Hanif Quareshi15, the Constitution Bench further
observed that there was always a presumption in favour of
constitutionality of an enactment and the burden is upon him, who
attacks it, to show that there has been a clear violation of the
constitutional principles. It stated in paragraph 15 (at pgs. 740-741)
of the Report as under :
“……..The courts, it is accepted, must presume that the legislature understands and correctly appreciates the needs of its own people, that its laws are directed to problems made
AIR 1958 SC 731
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manifest by experience and that its discriminations are based on adequate grounds. It must be borne in mind that the legislature is free to recognise degrees of harm and may confine its restrictions to those cases where the need is deemed to be the clearest and finally that in order to sustain the presumption of constitutionality the Court may take into consideration matters of common knowledge, matters of common report, the history of the times and may assume every state of facts which can be conceived existing at the time of legislation………”
23. The above legal position has been reiterated by a
Constitution Bench of this Court in Mahant Moti Das v. S.P. Sahi16.
24. In Hamdard Dawakhana and another v. The Union of
India and others17, inter alia, while referring to the earlier two
decisions, namely, Bengal Immunity Company Ltd.11 and Mahant
Moti Das16 , it was observed in paragraph 8 (at pg. 559) of the
Report as follows:
“8. Therefore, when the constitutionality of an enactment is challenged on the ground of violation of any of the articles in Part III of the Constitution, the ascertainment of its true nature and character becomes necessary i.e. its subject-matter, the area in which it is intended to operate, its purport and intent have to be determined. In order to do so it is legitimate to take into consideration all the factors such as history of the legislation, the purpose thereof, the surrounding circumstances and conditions, the mischief which it intended to suppress, the remedy for the disease which the legislature resolved to cure and the true reason for the remedy.”
16 AIR 1959 SC 942
17 AIR 1960 SC 554
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25. In Hamdard Dawakhana17, the Court also followed the
statement of law in Mahant Moti Das16 and the two earlier decisions,
namely, Charanjit Lal Chowdhury v. Union of India and others18 and
The State of Bombay and another v. F.N. Balsara19 and reiterated
the principle that presumption was always in favour of
constitutionality of an enactment.
26. In one of the recent cases in Karnataka Bank Limited6,
while referring to some of the above decisions, in para 19 (at pgs.
262-263) of the Report, this Court held as under :
“19. The rules that guide the constitutional courts in discharging their solemn duty to declare laws passed by a legislature unconstitutional are well known. There is always a presumption in favour of constitutionality, and a law will not be declared unconstitutional unless the case is so clear as to be free from doubt; “to doubt the constitutionality of a law is to resolve it in favour of its validity”. Where the validity of a statute is questioned and there are two interpretations, one of which would make the law valid and the other void, the former must be preferred and the validity of law upheld. In pronouncing on the constitutional validity of a statute, the court is not concerned with the wisdom or unwisdom, the justice or injustice of the law. If that which is passed into law is within the scope of the power conferred on a legislature and violates no restrictions on that power, the law must be upheld whatever a court may think of it. (See State of Bombay v. F.N. Balsara.)”
18 AIR 1951 SC 41
19 AIR 1951 SC 318
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27. A well-known principle that in the field of taxation, the
Legislature enjoys a greater latitude for classification, has been
noted by this Court in long line of cases. Some of these decisions
are : M/s. Steelworth Limited v. State of Assam20; Gopal Narain v.
State of Uttar Pradesh and another.21; Ganga Sugar Corporation
Limited v. State of Uttar Pradesh and others22; R.K. Garg v. Union of
India and others23 and State of W.B. and another v. E.I.T.A. India
Limited and others24.
28. In R.K. Garg23, the Constitution Bench of this Court
stated that laws relating to economic activities should be viewed
with greater latitude than laws touching civil rights such as freedom
of speech, religion, etc.
29. While dealing with constitutional validity of a taxation
law enacted by Parliament or State Legislature, the court must have
regard to the following principles: (i), there is always presumption in
20 1962 Supp (2) SCR 589
21 AIR 1964 SC 370
22 (1980) 1 SCC 223
23 (1981) 4 SCC 675
24 (2003) 5 SCC 239
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favour of constitutionality of a law made by Parliament or a State
Legislature (ii), no enactment can be struck down by just saying that
it is arbitrary or unreasonable or irrational but some constitutional
infirmity has to be found (iii), the court is not concerned with the
wisdom or unwisdom, the justice or injustice of the law as the
Parliament and State Legislatures are supposed to be alive to the
needs of the people whom they represent and they are the best
judge of the community by whose suffrage they come into existence
(iv), hardship is not relevant in pronouncing on the constitutional
validity of a fiscal statute or economic law and (v), in the field of
taxation, the Legislature enjoys greater latitude for classification.
30. Had the High Court kept in view the above well-known
and important principles in law, it would not have declared Clause
(d), Article 45 of Schedule 1-A as violative of Article 14 of the
Constitution being arbitrary, unreasonable and irrational while
holding that the provision may pass test of classification. By creating
two categories, namely, an agent who is a blood relation, i.e. father,
mother, wife or husband, son or daughter, brother or sister and an
agent other than the kith and kin, without consideration, the
Legislature has sought to curb inappropriate mode of transfer of
immovable properties. Ordinarily, where executant himself is 23
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unable, for any reason, to execute the document, he would appoint
his kith and kin as his power of attorney to complete the transaction
on his behalf. If one does not have any kith or kin who he can
appoint as power of attorney, he may execute the conveyance
himself. The legislative idea behind Clause (d), Article 45 of
Schedule 1-A is to curb tendency of transferring immovable
properties through power of attorney and inappropriate
documentation. By making a provision like this, the State
Government has sought to collect stamp duty on such indirect and
inappropriate mode of transfer by providing that power of attorney
given to a person other than kith or kin, without consideration,
authorizing such person to sell immovable property situated in
Madhya Pradesh will attract stamp duty at two per cent on the
market value of the property which is subject matter of power of
attorney. In effect, by bringing in this law, the Madhya Pradesh
State Legislature has sought to levy stamp duty on such ostensible
document, the real intention of which is the transfer of immovable
property. The classification, thus, cannot be said to be without any
rationale. It has a direct nexus to the object of the 1899 Act. The
conclusion of the High Court, therefore, that the impugned provision
is arbitrary, unreasonable and irrational is unsustainable.
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31. Consequently, these appeals are allowed and the
judgment of the Madhya Pradesh High Court passed on September
15, 2003 is set aside. Writ petitions filed by the present respondents
before the High Court stand dismissed. No order as to costs.
…………………….J. (R.M. Lodha)
…………………….J. (H.L. Gokhale)
NEW DELHI. MAY 11, 2012.
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