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judge bench of SC approves ratio of 2 - judge bench decision in Raheja
Development on works contract; States do have competence to levy
sales tax on sale of goods in an agreement of sale of flat which also
has component of deemed sale of goods; Building contracts are species of
'works contract'; "Dominant nature test" has no application in
composite contracts; Traditional decisions holding
that substance of contract must be seen, have lost significance where
transactions are of nature contemplated in Article 366(29-A); Even if
dominant intention of contract is not to transfer property in goods
but provide services or ultimate transaction is
transfer of immovable property, then also States can levy sales tax on
materials used in such works contract; Taxing sale of goods element in
'works contract' under Article 366(29-A)(b) read with Entry 54 List II
is permissible even after incorporation of
goods, provided tax is directed to value of goods and does not purport
to tax transfer of immovable property; If at time of construction and
until the construction was completed, there was no contract for
construction of building with flat purchaser, goods
used in the construction cannot be deemed to have been sold by the
builder, since at that time there is no purchaser; SC however clarifies
that activity of construction undertaken by the developer would be works
contract only from the stage the developer enters
into a contract with the flat purchaser; Constitutional validity of
Explanation (b)(ii) to Sec. 2(24) in MVAT upheld; SC reads down Rule
58(1A) on valuation to the extent tax is directed to the value of goods
at the time of incorporation and does not purport
to tax the transfer of immovable property; No merit in challenge to
constitutional validity of provisions of Explanation (b)(ii) to Sec.
2(24) of MVAT Act, amended retrospectively : SC