{"id":39617,"date":"1992-08-04T00:00:00","date_gmt":"1992-08-03T18:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/darshan-lal-mehra-and-23-others-vs-union-of-india-and-others-on-4-august-1992"},"modified":"2017-12-28T13:34:48","modified_gmt":"2017-12-28T08:04:48","slug":"darshan-lal-mehra-and-23-others-vs-union-of-india-and-others-on-4-august-1992","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/darshan-lal-mehra-and-23-others-vs-union-of-india-and-others-on-4-august-1992","title":{"rendered":"Darshan Lal Mehra And 23 Others vs Union Of India And Others on 4 August, 1992"},"content":{"rendered":"
Supreme Court of India<\/div>\n
Darshan Lal Mehra And 23 Others vs Union Of India And Others on 4 August, 1992<\/div>\n
Equivalent citations: 1992 AIR 1848, \t\t 1992 SCR (3) 704<\/div>\n
Author: K Singh<\/div>\n
Bench: Kuldip Singh (J)<\/div>\n
           PETITIONER:\nDARSHAN LAL MEHRA AND 23 OTHERS\n\n\tVs.\n\nRESPONDENT:\nUNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS\n\nDATE OF JUDGMENT04\/08\/1992\n\nBENCH:\nKULDIP SINGH (J)\nBENCH:\nKULDIP SINGH (J)\nRAMASWAMY, K.\n\nCITATION:\n 1992 AIR 1848\t\t  1992 SCR  (3) 704\n 1992 SCC  (4)\t28\t  JT 1992 (4)\t417\n 1992 SCALE  (2)113\n\n\nACT:\n     U.P.  Nagar  Mahapalika Adhiniyam,\t 1959-Sections\t172,\n2(77)-Theatre tax under Lucknow Nagar Mahapalika Theatre Tax\nRules, 1965-Fixing rate of tax on the basis of annual rental\nvalue of cinemas-Whether  arbitrary or violative of  Article\n14 of the Constitution of India, 1950.\n\n\n\nHEADNOTE:\n     The  proposal of the Nagar Mahapalika, Lucknow to\tlevy\ntheatre\t tax,  @ Rs. 5 per cinema show held  in\t a  building\nassessed on annual rental value of Rs. 10,000 or more and  @\nRs. 3 per cinema show held in a building assessed on  annual\nrental\tvalue  of less than Rs. 10,000 was accepted  by\t the\nState Government by following the procedure laid-down  under\nthe U.P. Nagar Mahapalika Adhiniyam, 1959.\n     The  Lucknow Nagar Mahapalika Theatre Tax\tRules,\t1965\nwere framed and enforced with effect from December 15,\t1965\nand the theatre tax was levied with effect from June 1,1967.\n     The  rate\tof tax was increased from time to  time\t and\nfinally by a notification dated October 30, 1979 the theatre\ntax  was enhanced to Rs.25 per show on all  class-I  cinemas\nwith annual rental value more than Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 20 per\nshow on all class II cinemas with annual rental value of Rs.\n10,000 or less.\n     The theatre tax imposed by Nagar Mahapalika,  Allahabad\nwas  challenged before the High Court under Article  226  of\nthe Constitution of India.  A Single Judge of the High Court\ndismissed the writ petition.  Appeal against the judgment of\nthe  Single Judge was dismissed by a Division  Bench,  which\nwas  reported as Niranjan Lal Bhargava Trust,  Allahabad  v.\nState of U.P. & others, (1972) All. L.J. 279.\n     Petitioner\t No.6 challenged the initial  imposition  of\ntheatre\t tax  by filing a civil suit in the court  of  Civil\nJudge,\twhich  was dismissed.  A Single\t Judge of  the\tHigh\nCourt, following the judgment in Niranjan Lal Bhargava\n\t\t\t\t\t\t       705\nTrust case, dismissed the second appeal filed by him.\n     About 20 days after the dismissal of the regular second\nappeal\tby  the High Court, the petitioners  filed  a  Write\nPetition  No.3512\/76  in  the  High  Court  challenging\t the\nimposition  of\ttheatre\t tax.  The said\t petition  is  still\npending before the High Court.\n     The  petitioners - the cinema owners\/lessees  in  these\nWrit petitions under Article 32 of the Constitution of India\nchallenged the imposition of theatre tax by the\t Respondent-\nNagar Mahapalika, Lucknow, contending that Section 172(2) of\nthe   Act  was\tunconstitutional  because  the\t legislature\nabdicate   its\t function  by\tdelegating   the   essential\nlegislative  powers upon  the Nagar palikas to levy  all  or\nany  of\t the  taxes  enumerated in  the\t Section;  that\t the\nclassification\tof  cinemas on the basis  of  annual  rental\nvalue  for  the\t purpose  of fixing  the  rate\tof  tax\t was\narbitrary  and\tas such was violative of Article 14  of\t the\nConstitution  of India; and that the classification  had  no\nnexus with the objects sought to be achieved.\n     Dismissing\t  the\twrit   petitions   of\tthe   cinema\nowners\/lessesse, this Court,\n     HELD : 1.01. The taxes under Section 172(2) of the U.P.\nNagar  Mahapalika  Adhiniyam,  1959 can\t be  levied  by\t the\nMahapalikas only for implementing those purposes and for  no\nother  purpose.\t  The Mahapalikas have\tto  provide  special\ncivic  amenities  at the places where  cinemas\/theatres\t are\nsituated.   So long as the tax has a reasonable relation  to\nthe  purposes  of  the Act the same cannot  be\theld  to  be\narbitrary.  The rate of tax to be levied and the persons  or\nthe class of persons liable to pay the same is determined by\ninviting  objections,  which  are  finally  considered\t and\ndecided by the State Government. [709 F-H]\n     1.02.  The\t tax  is  levied  in  accordance  with\t the\nstatutory rules framed by the State Government and the\tsaid\nrules  are laid before each House of the  State\t Legislature\nfor  not  less\tthan  14  days\tand  are  subject  to\tsuch\nmodifications as the legislature may make during the session\nthey are so laid. [710A]\n     Gopal Narain v. State of Uttar Pradesh and Anr.,<\/a> [1964]\n4  S.C.R.  869\tand The Western India  Theatres\t Limited  v.\nMunicipal  Corporation of the City of Poona,<\/a> [1959] Supp.  2\nS.C.R. 71, followed.\n     1.03.  The annual rental value under the  Act  indicate\nthe extent of the\n\t\t\t\t\t\t       706\naccommodation,\tits  quality, the locality in  which  it  is\nsituated and other factors which relate to the enjoyment  of\nthe  building.\tThe  theatre   tax is levied  as  a  tax  on\namusement and entertainment. The amusement in a building  is\naffected   by  all  those  factors  which  are\ttaken\tinto\nconsideration  while fixing the annual rental value  of\t the\nbuilding. Higher rental value in relation to a cinema  house\nshows that it has better accommodation, better situation and\nbetter\tfacilities  for\t amusement  and\t entertainment.\t The\nhigher annual value is indicative of a better quality cinema\nhouse,\tas  compared to a cinema house, which has  a  lesser\nannual\trental\tvalue.\tThere  is  nothing  unreasonable  or\nimproper  in classifying the cinema houses on the  basis  of\nannual rental value. [710H-711B]\n     The  Western  Indian Theatres Ltd.\t v.  The  Cantonment\nBoard,\tPoona  Cantonment,,<\/a>  [1959]  Supp  (2)\tS.C.  R.  63\nfollowed.\n     Niranjan Lal Bhargave Trust, Allahabad v. State of U.P.\nand others, (1972) All L.J. 279, approved.\n\n\n\nJUDGMENT:\n<\/pre>\n
     ORIGINAL  JURISDICTION  :\tWrit Petition  (Civil)\tNos.
\n2426-2449 of 1980.\n<\/p>\n
     (Under Article 32 of the Constitution of India).
\n     M.S. Ganesh for the petitioners.\n<\/p>\n
     Darshan  Lal  Misra,  Ms.\tA.  Subhashini,\t Ms.  Shobha
\nDikshit and P.K. Pillai for the Respondents.\n<\/p>\n
     The Judgment of the  Court was delivered by
\n     KULDIP SINGH. J. The imposition of “theatre tax” by the
\nNagar Mahapalika, Lucknow has been challenged by the  cinema
\nowners\/lessees\tin these petitions under Article 32  of\t the
\nConstitution of India.\n<\/p>\n
     Section  172  and 2(77) of the  U.P.  Nagar  Mahapalika
\nAdhiniyam 1959 (the Act) are reproduced hereunder :
\n\t Section 172 : Taxes to be imposed under this Act.
\n\t (1) For the purposes of this Act and subject to the
\n\t provisions  thereof  and  of  Article\t285  of\t the
\n\t Constitution of India, the Mahapalika shall  impose
\n\t the following taxes, namely :\n<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t       707<\/span><\/p>\n
\t (a) property taxes,\n<\/p>\n
\t (b) ……………\n<\/p>\n
\t (c) ……………\n<\/p>\n
\t (2)  In  addition to the taxes\t specified  in\tsub-
\n\t section (1), the Mahapalika may for the purposes of
\n\t this  Act  and subject to  the\t provisions  thereof
\n\t impose any of the following taxes, namely\n<\/p>\n
\t (a)  a tax on trades, callings and professions\t and
\n\t holding of public or private appointments;\n<\/p>\n
\t (b) ……………\n<\/p>\n
\t (c) ……………\n<\/p>\n
\t (d) ……………\n<\/p>\n
\t (d) ……………\n<\/p>\n
\t (e) ……………\n<\/p>\n
\t (f) ……………\n<\/p>\n
\t (g) ……………\n<\/p>\n
\t (h) ……………\n<\/p>\n
\t (i) a theatre tax; and\n<\/p>\n
\t (j)  any other tax which the State Legislature\t has
\n\t the power under the Constitution of India to impose
\n\t in the State.\n<\/p>\n
\t (3)  The  mahapalika taxes shall  be  assessed\t and
\n\t levied\t in accordance with the provisions  of\tthis
\n\t Act and the Rules and bye-laws framed thereunder.
\n\t (4)  Nothing  in this section shall  authorise\t the
\n\t imposition  of any tax which the State\t Legislature
\n\t has  no  power\t to impose in the  State  under\t the
\n\t Constitution of India.\n<\/p>\n
\t Section  2 : In this Act unless there be  something
\n\t requgnant to the subject or context-\n<\/p>\n
\t (77)  “theatre\t tax” means a tax  on  amusement  or
\n\t entertainments.\n<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t       708<\/span><\/p>\n
     Sub-Section (1) of Section 199 of the Act requires\t the
\nNagar  Mahapalika to make a preliminary proposal  specifying
\nthe  tax which it desires to impose under section 172(2)  of
\nthe Act, the persons or class of persons to be made  liable,
\nthe amount or rate levyable for each such person or class of
\npersons\t and  any  other information  which  the  Government
\nrequires. It further requires the executive committee of the
\nNagar Mahapalika to draft the rules in the respect which are
\nfinally\t to  be framed by the State  Government.  The  draft
\nrules  are published in the prescribed manner to enable\t the
\naffected  public to file objections. Section 200 of the\t Act
\nmakes  it obligatory for  the Nagar Mahapalika\tto  consider
\nthe objections so received and to re-publish the draft rules
\nin  case  any  change is made therein as a  result  of\tsuch
\nconsideration.\tAfter  considering all\tthe  objections\t the
\ndraft  rules are finalised by the Nagar Mahapalika  and\t are
\nforwarded to the State Government along with the objections.
\nSection\t 201  of the Act empowers the  State  Government  to
\nreject,\t modify\t or  to accept\tthe  proposed  rules.  Under
\nSection\t 202  of  the Act it is only  after  the  rules\t are
\nfinalised by the State Government that the Nagar  Mahapalika
\ncan pass a special resolution imposing the tax from the date
\nto be specified. Under section 203 the special resolution is
\nsent  to  the  Government  and the tax\tis  imposed  on\t the
\npublication  of\t the resolution in the\tGovernment  gazette.
\nSection\t 540(4)\t  of the Act provides that  all\t rules\tmade
\nunder the Act shall be laid for not less than 14 days before
\neach House of the State Legislature as soon as they are made
\nand   shall  be\t subject  to  such  modifications   as\t the
\nlegislature may make during the session they are to laid.\n<\/p>\n
     The  proposal of the Nagar Mahapalika, Lucknow to\tlevy
\ntheatre\t tax,  @ Rs.5 per cinema show held  in\ta   building
\nassessed on annual rental value of Rs. 10,000 or more and  @
\nRs. 3 per cinema show held in a building assessed of  annual
\nrental\tvalue of less than Rs. 10,000, was accepted  by\t the
\nState Government by following the procedure laid-down  under
\nthe  act.  The\trules called The  Lucknow  Nagar  Mahapalika
\nTheatre Tax Rules were framed and enforced with effect\tfrom
\nDecember  15,  1965 and thereafter the tax was\tlevied\twith
\neffect from June 1, 1967. The rate of tax was increased from
\ntime to time and finally by a notification dated October 30,
\n1979 published in the U.P. Government Gazette dated  October
\n31, 1979 the theatre tax was enhanced to Rs. 25 per show  on
\nall  class-I- Cinemas with annual rental value of more\tthan
\nRs. 10,000 and Rs. 20 per show on all class II cinemas\twith
\nannual rental value of Rs. 10,000 or less.\n<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t       709<\/span><\/p>\n
     At\t this stage we may notice the fact that the  theatre
\ntax imposed by Nagar Mahapalika Allahabad was challenged  by
\nthe cinema exhibitors before the Allahabad High Court by way
\nof a writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution  of
\nIndia. The grounds of attack were substantially the same  as
\nbefore\tus in these petitions A learned Single Judge of\t the
\nHigh  Court dismissed the writ petition. Appeal against\t the
\njudgment  of  the learned Single Judge was  dismissed  by  a
\nDivision Bench consisting of R.S. Pathak and H. Swarup,\t JJ.
\nThe  judgment  rendered by the Division Bench  of  the\tHigh
\nCourt is reported as Niranjan Lal Bhargava Trust,  Allahabad
\nv. State of U.P. & others, (1972) All L.J. 279.\n<\/p>\n
     Gulu Thadani, petitioner No.6 before us challenged\t the
\ninitial imposition of theatre tax by filing a civil suit  in
\nthe  court of Civil Judge, Lucknow which was  dismissed.  He
\ncontested  the suit up to the High Court. A  learned  Single
\nJudge of the High Court, following the judgment in  Niranjan
\nLal  Bhargava Trust case, dismissed the second appeal  filed
\nby Gulu Thadani on November 27, 1976. On December 17,  1976,
\nabout  20  days after the dismissal of\tthe  regular  second
\nappeal by the High Court, the petitioners before us filed  a
\nwrit  petition\tNo.3512\/76  in\tthe  Allahabad\tHigh   Court
\n(Lucknow Bench) challenging the imposition of theatre tax on
\nvarious\t grounds. The said petition is still pending  before
\nthe High Court.\n<\/p>\n
     The  learned counsel for the petitioners has  contended
\nthat  Section 172(2) of the Act is unconstitutional  because
\nthe legislature has abdicated its function by delegating the
\nessential legislative powers upon the Nagar Palikas to\tlevy
\nall or any of the taxes enumerated in the Section. According
\nto him the said power is unguided and uncanalised. We do not
\nagree  with the learned counsel. Section 172(2) of  the\t Act
\nauthorises  the\t Mahapalikas to impose the  taxes  mentioned
\ntherein, “for the purposes of this Act”. The obligations and
\nfunctions cast upon the Mahapalikas are laid down in various
\nprovisions of the Act. The taxes under Section 172(2) of the
\nAct,  therefore,  can be levied by he Mahapalikas  only\t for
\nimplementing  those purposes and for  no other propose.\t The
\nMahapalikas  have to provide special civic amenities at\t the
\nplaces\twhere cinemas\/theatres are situated. So long as\t the
\ntax has a reasonable relation to the purposes of the Act the
\nsame  cannot be held to be arbitrary. The rate of tax to  be
\nlevied and the persons or the class of persons liable to pay
\nthe  same  is determined by inviting  objections  which\t are
\nfinally\t considered  and decided by  the  State\t Government.
\nThere is no force in the argument that the legislature has
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t       710<\/span>
\nabdicated its function to the Mahapalikas. The tax is levied
\nin  accordance with the statutory rules framed by the  State
\nGovernment and the said rules are laid before each House  of
\nthe  State  Legislature for not less than 14  days  and\t are
\nsubject\t to such modifications as the legislature  may\tmake
\nduring the session they are so laid. The view we have taken,
\nwe  are supported by the judgments of this Court,  in  Gopal
\nNarain\tv. State of Uttar Pradesh and Anr.,<\/a> [1964] 4  S.C.R.
\n869  and  The Western India Theatres  Limited  v.  Municipal
\nCorporation of the<\/a> city of Poona, [1959] Supp. 2 S.C.R.\t 71.
\nWe  , therefore reject the contention raised by the  learned
\ncounsel for the petitioners.\n<\/p>\n
     The second contention raised by the learned counsel for
\nthe petitioner is that the classification of cinemas on\t the
\nbasis  of annual rental value for the purpose of fixing\t the
\nrate of tax is arbitrary and as such is violative of Article
\n14  of\tthe  Constitution of India.  According\tto  him\t the
\nclassification\thas no nexus with the objects sought  to  be
\nachieved.  We  do not agree. In The Western  India  Theatres
\nLtd. v. The Cantonment Board, Poona, Cantonment,<\/a> [1959] Supp
\n2   S.C.R.   63\t  the  Cantonment   Board,   Poona   imposed
\nentertainment tax on cinemas. Rs. 10 per show was levied  on
\nthe two cinemas of Western India Theaters Ltd. and Rs. 5 per
\nshow  in other cases. The argument raised before this  court
\nto the effect that the Cantonment Board had singled-out\t the
\ntwo  cinema houses for discriminatory treatment by  imposing
\nhigher rate of tax, was answered as under :
\n\t “It may not be unreasonable or improper if a higher
\n\t tax is imposed on the show given by a cinema  house
\n\t which\tcontains large seating accommodation and  is
\n\t situate in fashionable or busy localities where the
\n\t number\t of  visitors is more numerous and  in\tmore
\n\t affluent  circumstances  than the tax that  may  be
\n\t imposed  on shows given in a smaller  cinema  house
\n\t containing  less accommodation and situate in\tsome
\n\t localities where the visitors are less numerous  or
\n\t financially in less affluent circumstances, for the
\n\t two  cannot, in those circumstances, be said to  be
\n\t similarly situate”.\n<\/p>\n
     The  annual  rental value under the  Act  indicate\t the
\nextent\tof the accommodation, its quality, the\tlocality  in
\nwhich  it is situated and other factors which relate to\t the
\nenjoyment of the building. The theatre tax is
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t       711<\/span>
\nlevied\tas  a  tax  on\tamusement  and\tentertainment.\t The
\namusement  in  a building is affected by all  those  factors
\nwhich  are taken into consideration while fixing the  annual
\nrental\tvalue  of  the\tbuilding.  Higher  rental  value  in
\nrelation  to  a\t cinema\t house\tshows  that  it\t has  better
\naccommodation,\tbetter situation and better  facilities\t for
\namusement  and\tentertainment. The higher  annual  value  is
\nindicative of a better quality cinema house as compared to a
\ncinema house which has a lesser annual rental value. We are,
\ntherefore, of the view that there is nothing unreasonable or
\nimproper  in classifying the cinema houses on the  basis  of
\nannual rental value. The learned counsel for the petitioners
\nhas not raised any other point before us.\n<\/p>\n
     The  writ\tpetitions  are\tdismissed  with\t costs.\t  We
\nquantify the costs as Rs. 1000 to be paid by each petitioner.\n<\/p>\n
V.P.R.\t\t\t\t\t Petitions dismissed.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t       712<\/span>\n\n\n\n<\/pre>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Supreme Court of India Darshan Lal Mehra And 23 Others vs Union Of India And Others on 4 August, 1992 Equivalent citations: 1992 AIR 1848, 1992 SCR (3) 704 Author: K Singh Bench: Kuldip Singh (J) PETITIONER: DARSHAN LAL MEHRA AND 23 OTHERS Vs. RESPONDENT: UNION OF INDIA AND OTHERS DATE OF JUDGMENT04\/08\/1992 BENCH: KULDIP […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39617","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-supreme-court-of-india"],"yoast_head":"\nDarshan Lal Mehra And 23 Others vs Union Of India And Others on 4 August, 1992 - Free Judgements of Supreme Court & High Court | Legal India<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/darshan-lal-mehra-and-23-others-vs-union-of-india-and-others-on-4-august-1992\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Darshan Lal Mehra And 23 Others vs Union Of India And Others on 4 August, 1992 - 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