In the absence of any definition provided under the Income Tax Act, it would be admissible to find out the scope of this expression by resorting to its meaning in common parlance as understood by common persons or its natural and grammatical manner. Law Lexicon, the Encyclopedia Law Dictionary (1997 Edition), provides the following meaning :-
“Industrial Undertaking –
To be an industrial undertaking, the work of manufacture or production should be carried on in one or more factories by person or authority including Government.”
Likewise,Wharton .s Law Lexicon (Dictionary)(15 th Edition) defines this expression as –
“any undertaking pertaining to a scheduled industry carried on in one or more factories by any company but does not include-
(i) An ancillary industrial undertaking as defined in clause (aa) of section 3 of the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951; and (ii) a small scale industrial undertaking as defined in clause (j) of the aforesaid section 3. [Sick Industrial Companies (Special Provision) Act, 1985 (1 of 1986), section 3(1)(f)] Means any undertaking pertaining to a scheduled industry and includes an undertaking engaged in any other industry, or in any trade, business or service which may be regulated by Parliament by law. [Central Industrial Security Force Act, 1968 (50 of 1968) section 2(1)(b)]. Means any undertaking pertaining to a scheduled industry carried on in one or more factories by any person or authority including Government. [Industrial (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951 (65 of 1951), section 3(d)].”