Case Law (SC) -- If in any statutory rule or statutory notification two expressions are used - one in general words and the other in special terms - under the rules of interpretation, it has to be understood that the special terms were not meant to be included in the general expression; alternatively, it can be said that where a statute contains both a general provision as well as a specific provision, the latter must prevail.
"Trite to say, the Legislature may not have intended two entries for the selfsame commodity, one under the exempted category and the other under the taxable entry. Therefore, maize starch has to be either covered by Taxation Entry No.61 or Exemption Entry No.8. For the purpose of ascertaining which of the two is the applicable entry, we need not labour much having regard to the language in which the two entries are expressed. Taxation Entry No.61 provides a more specific description and maize starch undoubtedly being a ‘kind of starch’ would, therefore, be comprehended in it. This is more so because what is covered by Exemption Entry No.8 is maize, which is a product of millet. The position would have been otherwise if Exemption Entry No.8 or any other entry in Schedule III carried the description of product of maize instead of ‘product of millet’.
24. Law is well settled that if in any statutory rule or statutory notification two expressions are used - one in general words and the other in special terms - under the rules of interpretation, it has to be understood that the special terms were not meant to be included in the general expression; alternatively, it can be said that where a statute contains both a general provision as well as a specific provision, the latter must prevail.
25. What emerges from the above discussion is that Taxation Entry No.61 is relatable to ‘starch’ of any kind whereas Exemption Entry No.8 relates to products of ‘millet’.
26. Looking at the specific (Taxation Entry No.61) in contradistinction with the general (Exemption Entry No.8), there can be no manner of doubt that maize starch would be covered by the taxation entry and not by the exemption entry."
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