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"16. The Multi Function Device comprising of computer
printer, fax machine, photocopier and scanner - all-in-one,
with the fast technology development, is an office
[2023/RJJP/012108] (15 of 22) [STR-182/2017]
equipment, which combines the aforesaid three or four
devices and functions in one unit, and is largely used while
attached with computer, though it may be used in some
respects, as stand alone equipment, or even with or without
being attached to the computer, like fax machine, as a part
of it. The scanner, which produces digital image of the
documents canned can be used only with the aid of
computers, if the scanned image has to be transmitted to
any other destination, though such transmission can be
made possible through mobile phone also, as contended by
the learned counsels for the Revenue. With the technology
fast developing, it is now possible to do so and use Multi
Functional Device with remote sensors in the computer
system or Wi-fi. Therefore, actual and physical connection
with the computer may not be even necessary. The major
user of the Multi Functional Devices, the taxability of which
is in question before this Court, is as a computer printer
and one study in this regard produced by the learned
counsels for the Assessees by the World Book Encyclopedia,
indicates that typical page consumption analysis discloses
that of the total output, 67% is printed, 30% is copied and
3% is faxed. The Assessees before this Court also
contended that the dominant use of Multi Functional Device
in question is computer printer only, with which the
documents in the computer system is printed with the help
of the said equipment or machine. The dissection or
separation of the various parts of this machine to
decide the taxability of rate thereof, is not called for,
but if admittedly, this device can be used as computer
printer also, there appears to be no justification to
tax it in the Residuary Entry, ignoring the specific
entry relating to computer printers and its
peripherals. It is well settled legal position that the
Residuary Entry can be resorted to only if the
commodity in question cannot be brought under the
specific entries, and this proposition, is not disputed
by either side before this Court
17. That as a matter of fact, the entry is wider, which
includes not only computer printers, but computer
peripherals also. This Court finds no justification in
the contention raised by the learned counsels for the
Revenue, that the word peripherals has to be
construed narrowly to limit and include only
accessories like, mouse, webcam or keyboard, as
computer peripherals, to be taxed @ 4% under the
said entry, and not to include therein the Multi
Functional Devices"
9. The first issue that the petitioner has been canvassing
is the predominant use of the goods in question. It is the
specific plea of the petitioner before the original authority
as well as before the first appellate authority that the
image runner is predominantly a multi-function network
printer and it performs other functions like scanning, fax,
documents storage and copying. Besides the facility of
network printing, the add on features of scanning, fax,
photocopying make the goods a multi-function device.