In Brief
The Supreme Court held that charitable education institutions registered under the Maharashtra Public Trusts Act, 1950 and Societies Registration Act, 1860 are not entitled to exemption from electricity duty under the Maharashtra Electricity Duty Act, 2016. Although the earlier 1958 Act explicitly exempted such institutions, the 2016 Act deliberately omitted this provision. The new law limits exemption only to educational institutions run by local bodies. The Court applied strict literal interpretation of exemption provisions in tax statutes, holding that where statutory language is clear and unambiguous, courts cannot extend exemptions beyond what is explicitly stated. The High Court judgment allowing the exemption was set aside and the appeals allowed.
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