Tax Management India. Com
Law and Practice  :  Digital eBook
Research is most exciting & rewarding
  TMI - Tax Management India. Com
Follow us:
  Facebook   Twitter   Linkedin   Telegram

TMI Blog

Home

1997 (1) TMI 298

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

..... ve uses other than for medicinal purposes as per the condensed chemical Dictionary by Gestener G. Hawley; that even according to one of the documents submitted by the appellants Uses of urea is cosmetology use of urea in cosmetic preparation moisturising cream was indicated; that the primary function of the product was that of cosmetic and that is ingredients have only subsidiary therapeutic or prophylactic value, and hence would still be classifiable as a cosmetic preparation as per Chapter Note 2 to Chapter 33 CETA. For the same reason, Commissioner (Appeals) also did not accept the affidavits produced by appellants from skin specialists, also observing that they were identically worded and stereotyped. Commissioner (Appeals) also pointed out that the Deptt. Chemical Examiner had on a test of the sample of the product opined that similar preparations are known to find use for the care of skin, by their function in preventing drying and flaking of the skin. The Commissioner (Appeals) also observed that even assuming that the product will equally merit classification under Heading 30.03 CETA, Rule 3(c) of Rules for interpretation of the Tariff will come into play, which lays down .....

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

..... product. The Calcutta High Court judgment in the case of G.D. Pharmaceuticals v. UOI [1992 (60) E.L.T. 205 (Cal.)] was cited to argue that the essential character of the product has to be looked into to classify it as a drug or as a cosmetic. 3. Shri S.V. Singh ld. DR presented the department s case and submitted that the Supreme Court judgment in BPL case 9 supra is distinguishable from the present case. There the product was Selenium sulfide lotion VSP containing selenium sulfide as the one active ingredient, sold under brand name selsun. The label on the product indicated that it is medicament for treatment for dandruff, and also that it is to be applied as per doctor s direction. The Condensed Chemical Dictionary of G.G. Hawley refers to selenium sulfide as a medicine for such treatment. That was also a case where the product selsun was all along being classified as medicament by department which sought to change it to classify as product as cosmetic. Here the above aspects are absent, the product in question is only a moisturiser which gives cosmetic effect to skin the ingredients of which are used in cosmetic preparations as found by Commissioner (Appeals). The percentage o .....

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

..... Medicaments (including veterinary medicaments) 3003.10 Patent or proprietary medicaments, other than those medicaments which are exclusively Ayurvedic, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathic or Bio-chemic. 7. Chapter Note 2(ii) to Chapter 30 says that `Patent or proprietary medicaments means any drug or medicinal preparation, in whatever form, for use in the internal or external treatment of, or for the prevention of ailments in human beings or animals, which bears either on itself or on its container or both, a name which is not specified in a monograph, in a Pharmacopoeia, Formulary or other publications, namely :- (a) The Indian Pharmacopoeia; (b) The International Pharmacopoeia; (c) The National Formulary of India; (d) The British Pharmacopoeia; (e) The British Pharmaceutical Codex; (f) The British Veterinary Codex; (g) The United States Pharmacopoeia; (h) The National Formulary of the U.S.A.; (i) The Dental Formulary of the U.S.A.; and (j) The State Pharmacopoeia of the U.S.S.R.; or which is a brand name, that is, a name or a registered trade mark under the Trade and Merchandise Marks Act, 1958 (43 of 1958), or any other mark such as a .....

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

..... the purpose repelling insects. The Supreme Court observed that we cannot ignore the above broad classification while considering the character of the product in question. 10. The product in question here is called Moisturex and comprises the following constituents : Urea I.P. 10% Propylene Glycol I.P. 10% Lactic Acid I.P. 10% Liquid Paraffin I.P. 10% Cream Base. The container indicates as follows :- Indications : Ichthyosis Vulgaris, Fissure foot, Dry Scaly Skin conditions. 11. According to the Atalas of Clinical Dermatology by Anthony du Vivier, Physician in charge, the skin department, King s College Hospital, London, (one of the various authorities cited and relied upon by appellants) Ichthyosis Vulgaris is a common disorder that results in widspread scaling of the skin. The condition is thought to be a failure of the normal separation of the epidermal cells from each other as they reach the surface of the skin. Fissures occur on the root due to excessive dryness of the surface of the foot. Dry skin conditions occur due to excessive loss of moisture from the skin like eczema. 12. It is further stated that the product literature is given for use by medical .....

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

..... saying they are identically worded. It cannot be said in this case that all the 3 Affidavits are identically worded. The affidavits serve the purpose of showing that the product has properties which would differentiate it from ordinary moisturising cream. The Commissioner (Appeals) has referred to Hawley s Condensed Chemical Dictionary to say that urea finds other uses including in cosmetics. He has also found from a paper furnished by the appellants, `Uses of Urea in Cosmetology as indicating use of urea in cosmetic preparation like moisturising cream. However, it has to be borne in mind that the ingredients of the product having other uses will not make the product not a medicament if it satisfies the definition thereof. There is evidence to show that urea is contained in the product in therapeutic quantity. Further, in the paper `uses of urea in cosmetology it is stated. For cosmetic purposes, concentrations of 4 to 10% urea are considered sufficient to induce the desired effects. It must be borne in mind that urea is quite difficult to incorporate into cosmetically acceptable PREPARATIONS . In the same paper there is a Table `Indicetions for use in dermatology wherein it i .....

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

→ Full Text of the Document

X X   X X   Extracts   X X   X X

 

 

 

 

Quick Updates:Latest Updates