TESTEELS LTD. v. UNION OF INDIA

Citation: [1989] 1 S.C.R. 502

Court: Supreme Court of India

Bench: G.L. OZA, K.N. SAIKIA

Case summary

If that be so, there could arise no question of granting cash assistance to different exports under the original scheme and the prevalent amended scheme at the same time....

Judgment text

The Judgment of the Court was delivered by K. N. SAIKIA, J. This appeal by special leave is from the judgment of the High Court of Gujarat in Special Civil Application No. • 1294 of 1977 under Article 226 of the Constitution of India. The Government of India Ministry of Foreign Trade announced through public notice No. 196-ITC(PN)/69 dated 8th December, 1969 a scheme for registration of contracts involving deliveries extending over a period of not less than 12 months for cash assistance, hereinafter referred to as 'the scheme'. The Government decided to extend the scope of the scheme as was announced by letter No.

12 (22/67- EAC) dated 4th February, 1970, hereinafter referred to as 'the 1970 scheme', stating inter-alia, in paragraph 3 that the registered exporter of export products under a contract involving deliveries extending over a period of not less than 12 months, registered by the banks in terms of paragraph 3 of the public notice dated 8th December, 1969 will be eligible for claiming cash assistance at the same percentage as was prevailing on the date of the Firm contract so registered provided that the bank attested invoice which is normally produced for the purpose of claiming cash assistance, bears a further attestation from the negotiating bank to the effect that exports effected in this invoice is against a contract registered with them giving the Registration number and date. If during the currency of the registered contract the rate of TE~TEELS ~m:' v. u:o. I. [SAIKI~, J. J .

505 ' cash assistance is·{educed by Government, th~ higher rate of cash assistance existing on the date of the Firm contract would be admissible on exports under the said contract. If, on the other hand. there is an increase in the rate of cash assistance percentage during the currency of the registered contract, exports made during the contract would not normally be eligible for the benefit of the increased rate; in speci'! J . cases where the operation of this rule is likely to affect an exporter adversely, Government would be prepared to cousider the matter on merits. It was also stated in paragraph 5 that the reiistered exporter would be entitled to claim cash assistance as and when the exports are made against the registered contracts and the application would be submitted to the disbursing authority in accordance with the i)olicy and procedure announced from time to time by that Ministry. By letter No. U(4)72-EAC dated 20th April, 1972 on the subject of. Amendment No.

53 the cash assistance scheme on export of engineering goods was modified to the effect that a~ additional cash assistance of 5% of the f. o. b. value will be allowed on all exP:<>rts made to North.. American and. South American countries and t~ New Zealand and these facilities of normal cash assistance and additional cash assistance will be allowed on exports effected during the period from 1. 4. 1972 to · 30. 9. 72, the later date being included. By letter No. 12(13)n3-EAC dated 16th June, 1973 referring to Amendment No. 59 it was announced that cash assistance on transmission towers will be . made admissible on exports thereof made during the period from 1st October 1974 upto and including 31st March, 1973 at the rate of 25% of the f. o. b. value. The appellant is a company registered or deemed to be registered under the Companies Act, 1956 for exporting Line Towers ' Galvanised; Mild Steel Towers,· hereinafter called 'Transmission· Towers', (Item No. A. 27.

1)° by entering into rontracts With the National Electricity Board of the State of Malaysia, a public utility service ot Malaysian Governm olicy Volume-II April 1972- March 1973, "Import Policy for Registered Exporters, Registration of Export Contracts," contained in paragraph 56-64 thereof. Secondly, the learned counsel submits that cash assistance scheme of 1969 as well as that of February 1970 were based on the Government's policy of • long term assistance to ,exporters and it was with that end in view that the scheme of registration of contracts with the banks was introduced. Relying on paragraph 3 of the 1970 scheme, he emphasises that it was the date of the Firm contract which was to be reckoned and not the date of export of the products. Relying on paragraph 6 of the scheme he submits that it envisaged contracts involving deliveries extending over·z period. of not less than 12 months and contracts for export were -} to be registered by the banks in the manner prescribed.

As regard the Government's policy of assisting the exports for the purpose of augmenting foreign exchange earnings of the country he submits that the deprivation of cash assistance to the exporter who registered their contrac! s would defeat the very purpose of the scheme. Mr. C. V. Subba Rao learned counsel for the respondents demurs j submitting that it could not be said that once the contracts were registered cash assistance would be available irrespective of the date of the exports. We are inclined to agree with this submission. P~agraph 10 of the scheme dated 4th February, 1970 reads: ... "Cash assistance is sometimes announced upto a specified date. Exports effected after the specified date even though the contract has been got registered in terms of the provi- ' sion of this letter will not be eligible for cash assistance.

" This paragraph made it quite clear that exports effected after the ~ specified date would not be eligible for cash assistance, Consistently ~ with this paragraph in the subsequent schemes the periods were prescribed. The amended scheme dated 20th April 1972 prescribed the period from 1. 4. 1972 to 30. 9. 1972 and the amended scheme dated 16th June 1973 applicable to this case, prescribed the period from 1st October, 1972 upto and including 31st March, 1973. In other words, exports of Transmission Towers made after the prescribed period would not be eligible to assistance under the prevalent scheme. The word 'amendment' would imply that the scheme of 1969 stood amended. If that be so, there could arise no question of granting cash assistance to different exports under the original scheme and the prevalent amended scheme at the same time. In reply Mr. Dholakia submits that at different stages the respondents gave different reasons for refusing to pay cash assistance to the appellants.

However, in view of the unequivocal language of paragraph 10 of the 1970 scheme and clear prescription of the different periods during the subsequent amended schemes and the admitted • facts that the export in respect of these two contracts were made only after July 1974, we see no reason to allow the appellant's claim. Whether the Government's policy was conductive to maximisation of exports and foreign exchange earning is entirely a different matter. In the result we find no merits in this appeal and it is accordingly 4 rejected, leaving the parties to bear their owncosts. G. N. Appeal dismissed.