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Karnataka State Open University vs The State Of Karnataka
2025 Latest Caselaw 8754 Kant

Citation : 2025 Latest Caselaw 8754 Kant
Judgement Date : 24 September, 2025

Karnataka High Court

Karnataka State Open University vs The State Of Karnataka on 24 September, 2025

Author: S.G.Pandit
Bench: S.G.Pandit
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                                                        STRP No.37 of 2025
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                                                        STRP No.36 of 2025


                        IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU

                         DATED THIS THE 24TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025

                                           PRESENT

                             THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.G.PANDIT

                                             AND

                            THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K. V. ARAVIND

                         SALES TAX REVISION PETITION No. 37 OF 2025
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                         SALES TAX REVISION PETITION No. 36 OF 2025


                   IN STRP No.37/2025

                   BETWEEN:

                   1.    KARNATAKA STATE OPEN UNIVERSITY,
                         MUKTHA GANGOTRI,
                         MYSURU-570 006.
                         REPRESENTED BY ITS REGISTRAR
                         PROF. NAVEEN KUMAR S.K.,
                                                               ...PETITIONER
Digitally signed
by VALLI           (BY SRI T.N. KESHAVA MURTHY, ADVOCATE AND
MARIMUTHU          SRI C.S. SURYA KANTH, ADVOCATE)
Location: HIGH
COURT OF
KARNATAKA          AND:

                   1.    THE STATE OF KARNATAKA,
                         REPRESENTED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF
                         COMMERCIAL TAXES,
                         VANIJYA THERIGE KARYALAYA,
                         GANDHINAGAR,
                         BENGALURU 560 009.

                   2.    THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF
                         COMMERCIAL TAXES,
                         AUDIT AND RECOVERY 3,
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                                       STRP No.37 of 2025
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                                       STRP No.36 of 2025


     SHESHADRI BHAVAN,
     DEVAN ROAD, K.R.MOHOLLA,
     MYSORE-570024.
                                          ...RESPONDENTS

(BY SRI ADITYA VIKRAM BHAT, AGA) THIS STRP IS FILED UNDER SECTION 65(1) OF THE KARNATAKA VALUE ADDED TAX ACT, 2003 AGAINST THE JUDGMENT DATED 02.02.2024 PASSED IN STA.No.233- 238/2015 ON THE FILE OF KARNATAKA APPELLATE TRIBUNAL AT BANGALORE, PARTLY ALLOWING THE APPEAL AND SETTING ASIDE THE ORDER DATED 25.08.2014, 26.05.2014, 08.08.2014 PASSED BY JOINT COMMISSIONER OF COMMERCIAL TAXES (APPEALS) DISMISSING THE APPEAL FOR THE TAX PERIODS FROM APRIL 2009 TO MARCH 2010.

BETWEEN:

1. THE JOINT COMMISSIONER OF COMMERCIAL TAXES, (APPEALS), MYSURU DIVISION, SHESHADRI BHAVAN, DEEWANS ROAD, MYSURU-570 024.

2. THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF COMMERCIAL TAXES, (AUDIT AND RECOVERY) -3, MYSURU.

...PETITIONERS (BY SRI ADITYA VIKRAM BHAT, AGA)

AND:

1. KARNATAKA STATE OPEN UNIVERSITY MUKTHA GANGOTHRI, MYSURU.

...RESPONDENT (BY SRI T.N. KESHAVA MURTHY, ADVOCATE AND SRI C.S. SURYA KANTH, ADVOCATE)

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THIS STRP IS FILED UNDER SECTION 65(1) OF THE KARNATAKA VALUE ADDED TAX ACT, 2003 AGAINST THE JUDGMENT DATED 02.02.2024 PASSED IN STA.No.233/2015 ON THE FILE OF KARNATAKA APPELLATE TRIBUNAL AT BANGALORE, PARTLY ALLOWING THE APPEAL AND DISMISSING THE ORDER DATED 19.02.2015 PASSED BY JOINT COMMISSIONER OF COMMERCIAL TAXES (APPEALS ), MYSORE DIVISION, MYSORE DISMISSING THE APPEAL FOR THE TAX PERIODS FROM 2007-2008 TO 2012-2013.

THESE PETITIONS HAVING BEEN HEARD AND RESERVED FOR ORDERS ON 03.09.2025, THIS DAY K. V. ARAVIND J., PRONOUNCED THE FOLLOWING:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE S.G.PANDIT and HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K. V. ARAVIND

C.A.V. ORDER

(PER: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K.V. ARAVIND)

STRP No.36/2025 has been filed by the State, and STRP

No.37/2025 by the University. Both petitions arise out of the

order of the Karnataka Appellate Tribunal, Bengaluru

(hereinafter referred to as "the Tribunal") in STA Nos.233 to

238 of 2015, dated 02.02.2024, for the assessment periods

2007-08 to 2012-13.

2. As both appeals arise out of the common order of

the Karnataka Appellate Tribunal, they are heard together and

are being disposed of by this common order. Though the

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appeals are listed for admission, with the consent of learned

counsel for both parties, they were heard for final disposal.

2.1 The parties are referred to herein according to the

rank in which they appear in STRP No. 36 of 2025.

2.2 As can be found from the pleadings, the respondent

is an educational university, an autonomous body, engaged in

imparting education primarily to students in rural areas,

including those who have discontinued their studies. The

respondent also offers distance education to enable such

students to complete their education. Being engaged solely in

educational activities, without any commercial or business

intentions, the respondent is not required to be registered

under the Karnataka Value Added Tax Act, 2003 (hereinafter

referred to as "KVAT Act"), and accordingly, has not filed any

monthly returns in VAT Form-100. The petitioner-State, having

observed that the respondent is engaged in the sale of various

printed materials in addition to its educational activities and

services, conducted a re-assessment for the period 2006-07 to

2012-13.

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3. The Assessing Authority passed re-assessment

orders on 26.05.2014, 08.08.2014 and 25.08.2014 under

Section 39(1) of the KVAT Act, determining the taxable

turnover for the period in question, along with levy of interest

and penalty for non-filing of returns. The respondent preferred

an appeal under Section 62(6) of the KVAT Act before the Joint

Commissioner of Commercial Taxes (Appeals), contending that

it is engaged in imparting education to students and that the

distribution of printed materials is merely incidental to the

educational activities, without any profit motive. The First

Appellate Authority allowed the appeal filed by the respondent

for the period 2006-07, but dismissed it for the remaining

period from 2007-08 to 2012-13. In arriving at this conclusion,

the First Appellate Authority relied upon the judgment of this

Court in Manipal University vs. State of Karnataka

[(2014) 71 VST 442].

4. The respondent, being further aggrieved, preferred

an appeal under Section 63 of the KVAT Act before the

Tribunal. By the impugned order, the Tribunal set aside the

order of the First Appellate Authority to the extent of the levy

of interest and penalty, but upheld the levy of tax on the sale

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of prospectus. The State is in appeal against the deletion of

interest and penalty, whereas the respondent is in appeal

against the levy of tax.

5. The following substantial questions of law arise for

consideration in the above appeals:

In STRP No.36/2025:

(iii) Whether the Appellate Tribunal was right in holding that interest and penalty under Section 39 and Section 72, respectively, of the Karnataka Value Added Tax Act, 2003 can only be imposed if there is intent to evade tax?

(iv) Whether the Tribunal was right in concluding that interest and penalty cannot be levied in the present matter?

1) Whether or not in the facts and circumstances of the case the Petitioner University established by Statute to impart education to students is a 'dealer' and liable for registration under the KVAT Act, 2003.

2) Whether or not in the facts and circumstances of the case the petitioner University's activity of sale of Prospectus to help students, which activity is integral to its sole activity of imparting education, amounts to the Petitioner University 'carrying on business' as a 'dealer' and therefore liable to tax under the KVAT Act, 2003.

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3) Whether or not the Petitioner University could be considered as a 'dealer' and 'carrying on business' as defined under Sections 2(12) and 2(6) of the KVAT Act, 2003 in regard to sale of Prospectus to students, merely for the reason that the price charged for sale of Prospectus is higher than the cost of printing.

4) Whether or not the Hon.ble Appellate Tribunal is correct in holding that the Petitioner University is liable interest u/s 36(1) of the KVAT Act, 2003 for non-payment of tax, when it is not a 'dealer' and carrying on business and therefore outside perview of the Act.

5) Whether or not the provisions of the KVAT Act, 2003 are applicable to the petitioner University established by Statute with the sole object of imparting education to students and more so when sale of Prospectus to students is an integral part of its sole object of imparting education.

6) Whether or not the impugned Order dated 2-2-2024 passed by the Hon'ble Appellate Tribunal is otherwise in accordance with law.

6. Sri Aditya Vikram Bhat, learned Additional

Government Advocate, appearing for the petitioner-State in

STRP No.36/2025 and for the respondent in STRP No.37/2025,

has made the following submissions:

6.1 The respondent is an educational university

imparting education to students of various classes. The

respondent is also engaged in the business of printing

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prospectus and selling them for profit. The profit derived from

the sale of prospectus has a business motive and, therefore,

the respondent is required to be registered under the KVAT Act

and to file returns as mandated. The Tribunal, having held that

the sale of prospectus attracts tax, committed an error in

deleting the penalty and interest. Although the levy of interest

was set aside, the same, being compensatory in nature, is

mandatory, and therefore, remand on this issue is

unnecessary. It is further submitted that ignorance of the law

does not excuse non-compliance with statutory provisions.

6.2 In support of his submissions, learned Additional

Government Advocate relied upon the judgment of this Court in

Manipal University vs. State of Karnataka [(2014) 71 VST

442] and the judgment of the Delhi High Court in Amway

India Enterprises Private Ltd. vs. Commissioner, VAT and

Others [(2023) 7 High Court Cases (Del) 190].

7. Per contra, Sri T.N. Keshava Murthy, learned

counsel, along with Sri C.S. Suryakanth, learned counsel for the

respondent-University, made the following submissions:

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7.1 The University, being a statutory body established

to impart education, is not a dealer engaged in any trade,

commerce, manufacture, or any adventure or concern of a

commercial nature, and therefore does not fall within the

definition of "business" under Section 2(6) of the KVAT Act,

2003, or "dealer" under Section 2(12) thereof, and

consequently, is not liable for registration.

7.2 The primary activity of the University is imparting

education, which lies entirely outside the ambit and scope of

the KVAT Act. It is submitted that the imparting of education

cannot be treated as a business. The supply of prospectus is in

furtherance of the educational activity and is intended for the

convenience of students, providing details of course material,

syllabus, duration of courses, application for enrolment, fee

structure, and other relevant information.

7.3 The supply of prospectus is limited to the cost

incurred in printing, processing of applications, evaluation of

eligibility, and other associated services. The price charged for

the prospectus contains no element of profit. Learned counsel

submits that the University is not a dealer, is not engaged in

any business, and is therefore not required to be registered as

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a dealer or to file returns under the KVAT Act. It is further

submitted that the respondent-University has no profit motive

and has not derived any profit. The contention of the State that

the printing and sale of prospectus resulted in profit to the

University is without any basis. The printing and sale of

prospectus is not a continuous activity but occurs only at the

beginning of the academic session. Moreover, the State has not

taken into account other charges included in the cost of the

prospectus, such as application processing, eligibility

evaluation, registration, and admission of students, among

others.

7.4 Learned counsel further submits that the sale of

prospectus is an integral part of the University's educational

objectives, carried out without any business nexus or profit

motive. It is submitted that, in connection with the activity of

printing and sale of prospectus, the University has not earned

any profit. Learned counsel also contends that the reliance

placed by the Tribunal on the judgment of this Court in

Manipal University (supra) is misplaced and is not applicable

to the facts of the present case.

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7.5 Learned counsel for the respondent-University

further relies upon the judgment of the Rajasthan High Court in

Commercial Taxes Officer vs. Banasthali Vidyapith in SB

STRP No.205/2014, dated 06.02.2015.

8. We have considered the submissions advanced by

the learned counsels for the parties and have perused the

appeal papers, along with the findings recorded by the

authorities in the impugned orders.

8.1 We note that the respondent-University is a

statutory body established under the Karnataka State Open

University Act, 1992, with the primary object of imparting

distance education in multiple disciplines to students who are

unable to pursue studies in regular colleges. The University has

printed and supplied prospectus to such students, containing

information mainly regarding course content, syllabus, duration

of courses, application forms for enrollment, fee structure, and

other courses offered.

9. It is the case of the State that the sale of

prospectus is not incidental to the imparting of education, that

the prospectus are sold at a higher rate, and that profit is

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thereby generated. According to the State, as the activity of

printing and sale of prospectus is in the nature of business or

trade, the University is required to be registered as a dealer

under the KVAT Act and comply with its other provisions. The

respondent-University, on the other hand, contends that the

fee charged for the prospectus not only covers the cost of

printing but also includes charges for other services rendered,

such as enrollment, verification of applications, application

processing, and other incidental services.

10. We have scrutinized the documents placed on

record by both sides. Although the State contends that the

University has earned profit by charging a higher fee for the

supply of prospectus, no details have been furnished to

substantiate such contention. The mere fact that the fee for the

prospectus is relatively high cannot, by itself, be construed as

evidence of profit. In the absence of such details, this Court

finds it difficult to accept the State's contention that profit has

been made on the sale of prospectus.

11. The other issue for consideration is the requirement

of registration under the KVAT Act and compliance with its

other provisions. For the purpose of examining this issue, the

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following provisions are relevant and are extracted hereunder

for convenience:

11.1 Sections 2(6), 2(12), 2(34), 2(35), 2(36), and

Section 4 of the KVAT Act, for ready reference, are extracted as

follows:

(6) 'Business' includes:-

(a) any trade, commerce, manufacture or any adventure or concern in the nature of trade, commerce or manufacture, whether or not such trade, commerce, manufacture, adventure or concern is carried on in furtherance of gain or profit and whether or not any gain or profit accrues therefrom; and

(b) any transaction in connection with, or incidental or ancillary to, such trade, commerce, manufacture, adventure or concern.

(12) 'Dealer' means any person who carries on the business of buying, selling, supplying or distributing goods, directly or otherwise, whether for cash or for deferred payment, or for commission, remuneration or other valuable consideration, and includes-

(a) an industrial, commercial or trading undertaking of the Government, the Central Government, a State Government of any State other than the State of Karnataka, a statutory body, a local authority, company, a Hindu undivided family, an Aliyasanthana Family, a partnership firm, a society, a club or an association which carries on such business;

(b) a casual trader, a person who has, whether as principal, agent or in any other

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capacity, carries on occasional transactions of a business nature involving the buying, selling, supply or distribution of goods in the State, whether for cash or for deferred payment, or for commission, remuneration or other valuable consideration;

(c) a commission agent, a broker or del credere agent or an auctioneer or any other mercantile agent by whatever name called, who carries on the business of buying, selling , supplying or distributing goods on behalf of any principal;

(d) a non-resident dealer or an agent of a non-resident dealer, a local branch of a firm or company or association situated outside the State;

(e) a person who sells goods produced by him by manufacture or otherwise;

(f) a person engaged in the business of transfer otherwise than in pursuance of a contract of property in any goods for cash deferred payment or other valuable consideration.

(g) a person engaged in the business of transfer of property in goods (whether as goods or in some other form) involved in the execution of a works contract;

(h) a person engaged in the business of delivery of goods on hire purchase or any system of payment by installments;

(i) a person engaged in the business of transfer of the right to use any goods for any purpose (whether or not for a specified period) for cash, deferred payment or other valuable consideration; Explanations.- (1) A

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society (including a cooperative society), club or firm or an association which, whether or not in the course of business, buys, sells, supplies goods or distributes goods from or to its members for cash, or for deferred payment or for commission, remuneration or other valuable consideration, shall be deemed to be a dealer for the purposes of this Act.

(2) The Central Government or a State Government or a local authority or a statutory body which whether or not, in the course of business, buys, sells, supplies or distributes goods, directly or otherwise, for cash or deferred payment or for commission, remuneration or other valuable consideration shall be deemed to be a dealer for the purposes of this Act.

(3) In respect of the transfer of the right to use feature films, the person who transfers such right to the exhibitor and from whom the exhibitor derives the right to make such use shall be deemed to be the dealer under this clause.

(4) (a) An agriculturist who sells exclusively agricultural produce grown on land cultivated by him personally or a person who is exclusively engaged in poultry farming and sells the products of such poultry farm shall not be deemed to be a dealer within the meaning of this clause;

(b) Where the agriculturist is a company and is selling pepper, cardamom, rubber, timber, wood, raw cashew or coffee grown on land cultivated by it personally, directly or otherwise, such company, shall be deemed to be a dealer in respect of turnovers relating to sales of such produce.

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(34) 'Taxable turnover' means the turnover on which a dealer shall be liable to pay tax as determined after making such deductions from his total turnover and in such manner as may be prescribed, but shall not include the turnover of purchase or sale in the course of inter-State trade or commerce or in the course of export of the goods out of the territory of India or in the course of import of the goods into the territory of India and the value of goods transferred or despatched outside the State otherwise than by way of sale;

(35) 'Total turnover' means the aggregate turnover in all goods of a dealer at all places of business in the State, whether or not the whole or any portion of such turnover is liable to tax, including the turnover of purchase or sale in the course of inter-State trade or commerce or in the course of export of the goods out of the territory of India or in the course of import of the goods into the territory of India and the value of goods transferred or despatched outside the State otherwise than by way of sale;

(36) 'Turnover' means the aggregate amount for which goods are sold or distributed or delivered or otherwise disposed of in any of the ways referred to in clause (29) by a dealer, either directly or through another, on his own account or on account of others, whether for cash or for deferred payment or other valuable consideration, and includes the aggregate amount for which goods are purchased from a person not registered under the Act and the value of goods transferred or despatched outside the State otherwise than by way of sale, and subject to such conditions and restrictions as may be prescribed the amount for which goods are sold shall include any sums charged for anything done by the dealer in respect of the goods sold at the time of or before the delivery thereof;

4. Liability to tax and rates thereof.-

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(1) Every dealer who is or is required to be registered as specified in Sections 22 and 24, shall be liable to pay tax, on his taxable turnover.--

(a) in respect of goods mentioned in,-

(i) Second Schedule, at the rate of one per cent,

(ii) Third Schedule, at the rate of five per cent, and;

(iii) Fourth Schedule, at the rate of twenty per cent.

[(b) in respect of.-

(i) declared goods as specified in Section 14 of the Central Sales Tax Act, 1956 (Central Act 74 of 1956) at the maximum rate specified for such goods under Section 15 of the said Act;

(ii) cigarettes, cigars, gutkha and other manufactured tobacco at the rate of [twenty percent];

(iii) other goods at the rate of [fourteen and one half per cent.]."

12. Section 4 of the KVAT Act imposes a liability to pay

tax on the taxable turnover of every dealer who is, or is

required to be, registered. Section 4 is, therefore, attracted

only in respect of a registered dealer or a dealer required to be

registered. The term "dealer," as defined in Section 2(12),

means any person who carries on the business of buying,

selling, supplying, or distributing goods, directly or indirectly,

whether for cash, deferred payment, commission,

remuneration, or any other valuable consideration.

13. Section 2(6) of the KVAT Act defines "business" to

include any trade, commerce, manufacture, or any adventure

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or concern of a similar nature, whether or not such trade,

commerce, manufacture, adventure, or concern is carried on in

furtherance of gain or profit, and whether or not any gain or

profit accrues therefrom, as well as any transaction in

connection with, or incidental or ancillary to, such trade,

commerce, manufacture, adventure, or concern.

14. The moot question that arises for consideration is

whether the respondent-University is engaged in "business"

and whether the printing and sale of prospectus can be

regarded as incidental or ancillary to such business.

15. From the material placed before this Court, it is

evident that the respondent-University was established and is

engaged in the primary object of imparting education. The

prospectus contains various details regarding the nature of the

courses and services to be provided by the University to its

students. It is further noted that the respondent-University

receives grant-in-aid from the State. The printing of prospectus

is undertaken solely in furtherance of the main object of

imparting education and is, therefore, incidental. When viewed

in conjunction with the principal object of the University, the

sale of prospectus and any surplus arising therefrom cannot be

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characterized as "business." The submission of the University

that the fee charged for the prospectus covers not only the cost

of printing but also other services such as application

processing, evaluation of eligibility, registration, and admission

cannot be rejected without consideration. The State has not

placed any material to suggest otherwise. Moreover, the

printing and sale of prospectus occurs only at the

commencement of the academic year and, therefore, cannot be

regarded as an activity marked by volume, frequency,

continuity, or regularity. The sale of prospectus is an integral

part of the educational process, and it bears no characteristics

of a commercial objective that would classify it as business,

commerce, trade, or any analogous activity.

16. The appellant-State has placed extensive reliance

on the judgment of this Court in Manipal University (supra).

In the cited case, the assessee/dealer was engaged both in the

imparting of education and in the printing and sale of

prospectus. This Court, after noting that the University in that

case was registered as a dealer under the Act, observed that

the University collected substantial amounts each year from the

sale of prospectus. The volume, frequency, continuity, and

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regularity of these transactions indicated engagement in

business with a profit motive. Having regard to the accounts

placed on record, this Court held that Manipal University had

earned profits and that its activities fell within the ambit of

"business." Consequently, the University was rightly required to

be registered as a dealer, and the sale of prospectus was held

to be taxable.

17. However, in the present case, the factual situation

is distinguishable. The printing and sale of prospectus is purely

incidental to the imparting of education and is not carried out

with any intention to conduct business profit. It cannot be held

that the respondent-University, which was established with the

primary object of imparting education to school dropouts, is

engaged in business with a commercial intention. In the

absence of complete accounts, the price at which the

prospectus are sold cannot, by itself, be determinative of

whether the activities of the respondent-University constitute

business or a commercial activity.

18. It is relevant to extract the pertinent paragraphs

from Manipal University (supra), which are as follows:

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12. Section 2(12) defines 'dealer', which means any person who carries on the business of buying, selling and supplying or distributing goods, directly or otherwise, whether for cash or for deferred payment, or for commission, remuneration or other valuable consideration and it includes several other categories as mentioned in this provision. Section 2(34), defines 'taxable turnover' to mean that the turnover on which a dealer shall be liable to pay tax as determined after making such deductions from his total turnover, and in such manner as may be prescribed. 'Total turnover' is defined by Section 2(35) to mean the aggregate turnover in all goods of a dealer at all places of business in the State. Section 2(36) defined 'turnover' to mean the aggregate amount for which goods are sold or distributed or delivered or otherwise disposed of in any of the ways referred to in clause (29) by a dealer. Charging provision in the KVAT Act is Section 3, which provides that the tax shall be levied on every sale of goods in the State by a registered dealer or a dealer liable to be registered under the provisions of the Act. Section 4 provides that every dealer who is or is required to be registered shall be liable to pay tax on his taxable turnover. Section 22 of the Act speaks about liability to register. Under this provision, every dealer requires to get himself register if he is falling within the categories of dealers mentioned therein.

16. We have, as stated earlier, perused the definitions of 'business' , 'dealer', 'sale', 'taxable turnover' and 'total turnover'. The definitions of these expressions in the Act and the Value Added Tax Act of several other States are similar, in particular Tamil Nadu General Sales Tax Act and Bombay Sales Tax Act. The Supreme Court in Board of Trustees of the Port of Madras [1999] 114 STC 520 9SC0, had an occasion to deal with these definitions and other relevant provisions of the Tamil Nadu General Sales Tax Act. In this judgment, the Supreme Court also considered the expression "carrying on business" and observed that whether a person carries on business in a particular commodity must depend upon volume, frequency, continuity and regularity of transaction of purchase and sale in a class of goods and transaction must ordinarily be entered into with a profit motive, which may, however, be statutorily excluded. The question in issue before the Supreme Court was whether

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the Port trust was established by statute to "carry on business". It would be relevant to reproduce paragraphs 13 and 14 of the report for our purpose. Paras-13 and 14 of the report read thus :

"13. Now the definition of "business" in Section 2(d) and in most of the sales tax statutes is an inclusive definition and includes "trade or business or manufacture, etc.". This itself shows that the Legislature has recognized that the word "business" is wider than the words "trade, commerce or manufacture, etc.". The word "business"

though extensively used is a word of indefinite import, in taxing statutes, it is normally used in the sense of an occupation, a profession- which occupies time, attention and labour of a person, normally with a profit-motive and there must be a course of dealings, either actually continued or contemplated to be continued with a profit-motive and not for sport or pleasure, (State of Andhra Pradesh v. H. Abdul Bakshi and Bros. [1964] 15 STC 644 (SC); AIR 1965 SC 531). Even if such profit- motive is statutorily excluded from the definition of "business" yet the person could be doing "business".

14. The word "carrying on business" requires something more than merely selling or buying, etc. Whether a person "carries on business" in a particular commodity must depend upon the volume, frequency, continuity and regularity of transactions of purchase and sale in a class of goods and the transactions must ordinarily be entered into with a profit-motive. [Board of Revenue v. A.M. Ansari [1976] 38 STC 577 (SC); (1976) 3 SCC 512]. Such profit-motive may, however, be statutorily excluded from the definition of "business" but still the person may be "carrying on business". (emphasis supplied).

17. The Supreme Court in Sai Publication Fund [2002] 258 ITR 70 (SC) also considered the definitions of words 'business, dealer and

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sale'. The question raised in the said case was whether the Trust-Sai Publication Fund, which had been set up by some devotees of Sai Baba of Shirdi for spreading his message, could be held to be a dealer, in respect of sale books, booklets, pamphlets, photos, stickers and other publications containing message of Sai Baba and the turnover on such publication could be assessed to sale tax under the Bombay Sales tax Act. The following observations made by the Supreme Court in this case in paragraph-11 are relevant for our purpose, which read thus (page 295 in 126 STC) :

"No doubt, the definition of "business" given in section 2(5A) of the Act even without profit- motive is wide enough to include any trade, commerce or manufacture or any adventure or concern in the nature of trade, commerce or manufacture and any transaction in connection with or incidental or ancillary to the commencement or closure of such trade, commerce, manufacture, adventure or concern. If the main activity is not business, then any transaction incidental or ancillary would not normally amount to "business"

unless an independent intention to carry on "business" in the incidental or ancillary activity is established. In such cases the onus of proof of an independent intention to carry on "business" connected with or incidental or ancillary sales will rest on the department. Thus, if the main activity of a person is not trade, commerce, etc., ordinarily incidental or ancillary activity may not come within the meaning of "business. To put it differently, the inclusion of incidental or ancillary activity in the definition of "business" pre-supposes the existence of trade, commerce, etc., The definition of "dealer" contained in Section 2(11) of the Act clearly indicates that in order to hold a person to be a "dealer", he must "carry on business" and then only he may also be deemed to be carrying on business in respect of transaction incidental or ancillary thereto. We have stated above that a main

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and dominant activity of the Trust in furtherance of its object is to spread message." (emphasis supplied).

18. In that case (Sai Publication Fund [2002] 126 STC 288 (SC)); [2002] 258 ITR 70 (SC)), the object of the assessee-trust was to spread message of Sai Baba of Shirdi and it was not in dispute that the books and the literature containing message of Sai Baba were distributed by the trust to the devotees of the trust "at cost price". In view of the facts before the Supreme Court, it was observed that it cannot be said that the trust carried on the business of selling and supplying goods so as to fall within the meaning of dealer under Section 2(11) of the Bombay Sales Tax Act.

19. The Supreme court in A.M.Ansari [1976] 38 STC 577 (SC); (1976) 3 SCC 512 also had an occasion to deal with the very same words/phrases. The observations made by the Supreme Court in the said report are relevant for our purpose which read thus (page 585 in 38 STC):

"...whether a person carries on business in a particular commodity must depend upon the volume, frequency, continuity and regularity of transactions of purchase and sale in a class of goods and the transactions must ordinarily be entered into with a profit-motive. The court further went on to observe that when a subsidiary product is turned out in the factory of the assessee regularly and continuously and it is being sold from time to time, an intention to carry on business in such product may be reasonably attributed to the assessee. As the consideration of profit-motive cannot be regarded as an essential constituent of the term 'business' in view of the amendment introduced in the definition of the term 'dealer' in 1966, what we are left to consider is whether the other ingredients of the term "business", viz., volume, frequency, continuity and regularity of transactions of sale and

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purchase are satisfied in the instant cases..."

(emphasis supplied).

21. It is well-settled that if the main activity is not business, then the connected, incidental or ancillary activities of sales would not normally amount to business unless an independent intention to conduct business in these connected, incidental or ancillary activities is established by the revenue. (See Board of Trustees of the Port of Madras [1999] 114 STC 520 (SC)). In such cases the onus of proof of an independent intention to "carry on `business" connected with or incidental or ancillary sales would rests on the department. It is therefore necessary to find out whether the department has shifted the burden or that they have established an independent intention to conduct business in the connected, incidental or ancillary activity of sale of prospectus with application form.

19. The Coordinate Bench of this Court in Manipal

University (supra), after prescribing the test as set out in

paragraph 21 and examining the facts, observed that the

University collected substantial amounts from the sale of

prospectus, with volume, frequency, continuity, and regularity

of transactions. The Court further held that the University had

earned profits with a commercial motive, and that its activities,

therefore, fell within the ambit of "business." Consequently, by

virtue of such commercial activity, the University was required

to register as a dealer under the KVAT Act.

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20. If the facts of the present case are tested against

the principles laid down in Manipal University (supra), it is

evident that the respondent-University is not registered as a

dealer. The finding of profit by the Assessing Authority has no

reference to the books of accounts maintained by the

University. The Assessing Authority, relying solely on the cost

of the prospectus, concluded the existence of a profit motive

and the commercial nature of the activity. No contrary material

has been placed on record to disprove the University's

contention that the cost of the prospectus includes charges for

other services, namely printing, processing of applications,

evaluation of eligibility, registration, and admission of students.

21. The finding of the Assessing Authority, the First

Appellate Authority, as well as the Tribunal, that the sale of

prospectus attracts tax under the KVAT Act, is without any

basis and is founded on mere presumption. Both the Tribunal

and the First Appellate Authority committed an error in holding,

based on Manipal University (supra), that the sale of

prospectus is taxable under the KVAT Act, without a proper

examination of the principles laid down by this Court in that

judgment.

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22. The reliance placed on the judgment of the Delhi

High Court in Amway India Enterprises Private Ltd.

(supra), to contend that a person claiming exemption must

establish that the products squarely fall within the category of

exempted goods, is not applicable to the facts of the present

case. The Coordinate Bench of this Court in Manipal

University (supra), at paragraph 21, categorically held that if

the main activity is not business, then the connected,

incidental, or ancillary activities, such as sales, would not

ordinarily amount to business unless the revenue establishes

an independent intention to carry on business in such

connected, incidental, or ancillary activities. In such cases, the

onus to prove an independent intention to carry on business in

connection with, or incidental to, the sales rests upon the

Department. It is, therefore, necessary to ascertain whether

the Department has shifted this burden or has established an

independent intention to conduct business through the

connected, incidental, or ancillary activity of selling prospectus

with application forms.

23. In light of the above observations of the Coordinate

Bench, we hold that the Revenue-State has failed to establish

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that the University had an independent intention to conduct

business through these connected, incidental, or ancillary

activities. Consequently, the burden always remained on the

Revenue to prove that the University carried on business in

such activities. This burden has not been discharged by the

appellant-State, which relies solely on the contention that the

prospectus were sold at a higher price. The mere sale of

prospectus at a higher price, without considering the

University's explanation that the fee charged is composite in

nature, cannot satisfy the requirement set out in paragraph 21

of Manipal University (supra).

24. Once we hold that the respondent-University is not

a dealer and is not required to be registered as a dealer under

the KVAT Act, it necessarily follows that the University is not

required to file returns and has no taxable turnover. In that

event, the issue regarding interest and penalty becomes wholly

academic.

25. The substantial questions of law raised in STRP No.

37 of 2025 are answered in favour of the appellant-University

and against the respondent-State. In view of the answers

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rendered in STRP No. 37 of 2025, the substantial questions of

law raised in STRP No. 36 of 2025 are rendered academic.

26. Accordingly, both Sales Tax Revision Petitions are

disposed of.

27. The order of the Karnataka Appellate Tribunal,

Bengaluru, in STA Nos.233 to 238 of 2015, dated 02.02.2024,

for the assessment periods 2007-08 to 2012-13, the re-

assessment orders dated 26.05.2014, 08.08.2014, and

25.08.2014, along with the consequential demand and recovery

notices, are hereby set aside.

No order as to costs.

Sd/-

(S.G.PANDIT) JUDGE

Sd/-

(K. V. ARAVIND) JUDGE

DDU

 
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