Supreme Court
Supreme Court Seeks ED's Response On Ex-Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji's Plea To Relax Bail Conditions In Money Laundering Case
The Supreme Court today issued notice on an application filed by ex-Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji seeking relaxation of his bail conditions in the money laundering case arising out of the cash-for-jobs 'scam'.A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi passed the order, after hearing Senior Advocates Kapil Sibal and Narendra Hooda. Advocate Zoheb Hossain appeared for ED and Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan represented complainant-Y Balaji.During the hearing, Sibal...
Supreme Court Seeks ED's Response On Ex-Tamil Nadu Minister Senthil Balaji's Plea To Relax Bail Conditions In Money Laundering Case
The Supreme Court today issued notice on an application filed by ex-Tamil Nadu Minister V Senthil Balaji seeking relaxation of his bail conditions in the money laundering case arising out of the cash-for-jobs 'scam'.A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi passed the order, after hearing Senior Advocates Kapil Sibal and Narendra Hooda. Advocate Zoheb Hossain appeared for ED and Senior Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan represented complainant-Y Balaji.During the hearing, Sibal...
Can Telecom Spectrum License Be Subjected To Insolvency Proceedings? Supreme Court Reserves Judgment
The Supreme Court on Friday reserved judgment in a batch of appeals challenging the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal's decision in the insolvency proceedings of Aircel and Reliance Communications holding that spectrum can be subjected to insolvency/liquidation proceedings being an intangible asset of the Corporate Debtor.The NCLAT further held that the right to use the spectrum can only be transferred in the CIRP only after clearing the spectrum-related dues to the Government.A...
Externally Procured Parts Supplied To Customer For Assembly, But Not Used By Manufacturer, Aren't Liable To Excise Duty : Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Monday (November 10) dismissed the Revenue Department's excise duty demand against a company that had manufactured and erected a large boiler at a customer's site, holding that the full contract value could not be subjected to central excise duty. The Court clarified that parts bought out externally and supplied to the customer for assembly, but not actually used by the manufacturer, would not attract excise duty. “we arrive at the finding that the final product that...
Transfer Of Title In Immovable Property Doesn't Attract Service Tax : Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has clarified that an activity which merely involves the transfer of title in immovable property by way of sale cannot be treated as a “service” under the Finance Act, 1994. Consequently, such transactions lie outside the ambit of service tax.A bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Sandeep Mehta delivered the verdict while dismissing an appeal filed by the Commissioner of Service Tax, New Delhi against M/s Elegant Developers, a partnership firm based in Allahabad. The...
Supreme Court Issues Notice On Patanjali Foods' Rs 2.97 Crore Excise Duty Refund Appeal
The Supreme Court has recently issued notice in an appeal filed by Patanjali Foods Limited (formerly Ruchi Soya Industries Ltd.) seeking a refund of Rs 2.97 crore charged by the tax department in connection with an excise duty dispute. A Division Bench of Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Justice Atul S Chandurkar issued notice on both the main appeal and the application seeking condonation of delay. The appeal challenges the Karnataka High Court's judgment dated September 30, 2024, and...
Supreme Court Dismisses Rs 244 Crore Service Tax Plea Against Bharti Airtel Over Employee Scheme
The Supreme Court has recently dismissed a nearly Rs 244 crore service tax appeal filed by the Commissioner of Central Goods and Service Tax, Gurugram, against telecom giant Bharti Airtel Ltd. The dispute concerned the company's Airtel Employees Services Scheme (AESS), which offered free or discounted telecom services to its employees.The appeal challenged a January 27, 2025 order of the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT), Chandigarh, which had set aside the entire tax...
'Arbitrator Interpreted Contract Contrary To Railway Policies' : Supreme Court Sets Aside Award Against IRCTC
The Supreme Court on Friday (November 7) set aside the multi-crore arbitral award passed against the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (“IRCTC”), holding that the arbitrator had impermissibly "rewritten the contract" between the parties. “Rewriting a contract for the parties would be a breach of the fundamental principles of justice, entitling a Court to interfere as it would shock its conscience and would fall within the exceptional category.”, the Court observed....
Mere Use Of Word 'Arbitration' Does Not Create Arbitration Agreement Unless Parties Clearly Intend So: Supreme Court
The Supreme Court upheld the Punjab and Haryana High Court's decision refusing to refer the dispute to arbitration, observing that the mere use of the term “arbitration” in a clause is not sufficient to mandate reference to arbitration unless the parties clearly intended to resolve their disputes through arbitration. “mere use of the word 'arbitration” is not sufficient to treat the clause as an arbitration agreement when the corresponding mandatory intent to refer the disputes to arbitration...
Supreme Court To Examine If NCLAT Can Refer Matter To Third Member When Two-Member Bench Delivers Split Verdict
The Supreme Court is set to decide whether, in the case of a split verdict by the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (“NCLAT”), the reference of the case to a third member would be legally justifiable or should the matter be referred to a larger bench of three members for fresh adjudication. Observing that there is no clear procedure to address situations where a two-member bench of the NCLAT delivers a split verdict, a bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan sought the...
Income Tax Act | Supreme Court To Examine If S.12AA Registration Alone Entitles Trusts To 80G Benefits To Donors
The Supreme Court is set to examine whether the registration of a trust under Section 12AA of the Income Tax Act, 1961, which recognizes it as a charitable institution for income tax exemption purposes, is sufficient to entitle its donors to claim tax deduction benefits under Section 80G of the Act. A bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice K.V. Viswanathan has issued notice on a petition filed by the Income Tax Department challenging the Chhattisgarh High Court's ruling that once a...
Supreme Court Dismisses Customs' Appeal Seeking Rs 93 Lakh Duty On Lulu Malls' Imported Trampolines
The Supreme Court recently (October 31) dismissed an appeal filed by the Customs Department challenging the classification and valuation of imported amusement equipment, including trampolines, by Lulu International Shopping Malls Pvt Ltd.A bench of Justices Pankaj Mittal and Prasanna B Varale held that there was no error in the classification of the trampolines and other equipment under the category of gymnastics equipment. The bench observed, “we do not find any infirmity in the...