SERVICE TAX

Goods In Transit Without Documents, Can Survey Business Premises To Find Correctness Of Transaction: Allahabad High Court
The Allahabad High Court has held that if the goods in transit are not accompanied by proper documentation, including e-way bill, the authorities can survey the business premises of the assesee to determine the correctness of the transaction. However, it was held that if the e-way bill was produced before passing of seizure order under Section 129 of the Goods and Service Tax Act, 2017, then contravention of the Act or Rules thereunder could not be claimed by the Department. While...

No Service Tax Payable On Laying Down Water Supply Pipelines For Govt.: CESTAT
The Kolkata Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has held that the assessee is not liable to pay service tax for the activity undertaken by them for laying down the pipelines for government/government undertakings for supply of water from KWA in Thiruvananthapuram City. The bench of Ashok Jindal (Judicial Member) and K. Anpazhakan (Technical Member) has observed that the construction of canals/pipelines/conduits to support irrigation, water supply, or sewerage...

CESTAT Quashes SCN Issued Against Fruit Seller Not Engaged In Any Service Tax Leviable Activity
The Mumbai Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has quashed the show cause notice issued against fruit sellers who are not engaged in any service tax-leviable activity.The bench of Suvendu Kumar Pati (Judicial Member) and Anil G. Shakkarwar (Technical Member) has observed that the show cause notice did not establish that the appellant was providing any service. The show cause notice was sent to some address in Navi Mumbai, whereas the appellant is conducting his...

Order Under S. 73 GST Can't Be Passed Against Company In Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process: Allahabad High Court
The Allahabad High Court has held that order Section 73 of the Goods and Service Tax Act, 2017 cannot be passed a company which is under the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process (CIRP) under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016. Section 73 of the Goods and Service Tax Act, 2017 empowers a proper officer to initiate proceedings if he is satisfied that any tax has not been paid or short paid or erroneously refunded, or where input tax credit has been wrongly availed or utilised...

BOI Entitled Service Tax Refund Paid On Commission Charges For Credit Facility: CESTAT
The Chennai Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has held that Bank of India is eligible for refund of service tax paid on commission charges for granting credit facility subject to verification.The bench of Sulekha Beevi C.S. (Judicial Member) and Vasa Seshagiri Rao (Technical Member) has observed that the appellant bank has satisfied all the conditions for treating the service as an export of service, but there is a need to verify whether the service tax paid...

Trading In Securities Is Not A Service, No Service Tax Payable: CESTAT
The Chennai Bench of Customs, Excise and Service Tax appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has held that the no service tax payable on trading in securities is not a service.The bench of Sulekha Beevi.C.S. (Judicial Member) and Vasa Seshagiri Rao (Technical Member) has observed that by making an investment, the appellant does not do any activity for another for consideration. The specific exclusion from the definition of'service' is given to transactions involving 'transfer of title in goods or immovable...

No Service Tax Payable On Banking Services Rendered By PNB To RBI: CESTAT
The Chandigarh Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has held that no service tax is payable on banking services rendered by Punjab National Bank (PNB) to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).The bench of S. S. Garg (Judicial Member) and P. Anjani Kumar (Technical Member) has observed that the appellant bank is working as an agent of RBI in the discharge of sovereign functions; therefore, whatever exemption is applicable to RBI, that should also be applicable to the...

University Income From Rentals, Not Exempted From Service Tax: Karnataka High Court
The Karnataka High Court has held that the university is liable to pay service tax on the income earned from the rentals of buildings leased or licensed for banking facilities.The bench of Justice Krishna S. Dixit and Justice Ramachandra D. Huddar has observed that when the university rents out its property for running a bank, the profit motive is abundant. It is not the case of the university that the banking services are agreed to be provided on a 'no profit, no loss basis' by prescribing a...

No Service Tax Payable On Construction Services Provided To Educational Institutions Prior To 30.06.2012: CESTAT
The Chennai Bench of Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has held that service tax is not payable on the construction services provided to educational institutions for the disputed period, which is prior to 30.06.2012.The bench of Sulekha Beevi.C.S. (Judicial Member) and Vasa Seshagiri Rao (Technical Member) have observed that when the building is solely used for educational purposes, the levy of service tax is not attracted. We, therefore, find that the building having...

CESTAT Quashes Service Tax Demand On Insurance Auxiliary Service And Short Account Of Insurance Premium Income
The Delhi Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has quashed the service tax demand on insurance auxiliary services and short accounts of insurance premium income.The bench of Justice Dilip Gupta (President) and Hemambika R. Priya (Technical Member) has observed that the CENVAT credit of the group health insurance policy for the employees cannot be denied to the assessee, Oriental Insurance Company.The appellant/assessee is a company incorporated under the...

No Service Tax Payable By CIPLA On Manufacturing And Exporting Of Pharmaceutical Products: CESTAT
The Delhi Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has held that no service tax is payable by Cipla on the manufacturing and export of pharmaceutical products.The bench of Binu Tamta (Judicial Member) and Hemambika R. Priya (Technical Member) has observed that the respondent-assessee is a holder of a letter of approval issued by the Development Commissioner for the manufacture of pharmaceutical products within the Special Economic Zone, Pithampur, Indore. The...

Co-Owners Holding Immovable Property To Be Treated As Independent Service Provider For Service Tax Exemption: CESTAT
The Ahmedabad Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has held that co-owners holding immovable property should be treated as independent service providers for the purpose of availing service tax exemption.The bench of Ramesh Nair (Judicial Member) and C.L. Mahar (Technical Member) has observed the decision in the case of Sarojben Khushalchand versus Commissioner of Service Tax, in which it was held that the rent received by individuals owning property jointly...
