Tax Monthly Digest: December 2024

SUPREME COURT Subsequent Purchaser Of Imported Vehicle Cannot Be Asked To Pay Customs Duty; Liability On Importer : Supreme Court Case Title: Nalin Choksey v. The Commissioner Of Customs, Kochi The Supreme Court ruled that the 'subsequent purchaser' of an imported motor car cannot be called an 'importer' to attract the liability under the Customs Act, 1962 to pay customs duty on the import of the vehicle. The bench comprising Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice N Kotiswar Singh...

Charitable Society Looking After Socio-Economic And Welfare Matters Of Ex-Servicemen, Their Families Can Levy Service Tax: Kerala HC

The Kerala High Court stated that services by charitable society who look after socio-economic and welfare matters of ex-serviceman and their families is liable to service tax. The Division Bench of Justices A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and Easwaran S. observed that “for an association like the assessee, the embarking on a transaction that is designed to earn income for its members, would have to be seen as a commercial venture and the assessee who embarks on such a venture, a ...

Phrase "Where It Is Possible To Do" U/S 73(4B) Of Finance Act Doesn't Make Timeline To Determine Service Tax Dues 'Suggestive': Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court has held that the usage of expression "where it is possible to do so" doesn't make the timeline stipulated under Section 73(4B) of the Finance Act, 1994 to determine service tax dues 'suggestive' in nature. A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma observed, “...Section 73(4B) was framed and introduced in the Finance Act to ensure effective administration of taxation. While there cannot be denying that the taxation...

Tax Weekly Round-Up [23rd December - 29th December 2024]

HIGH COURTS Bombay HC ITO Acted On Complete Change Of Opinion On Same Material With Intent To Review Assessment Order Passed By Him: Bombay HC Quashes Reopening Case Title: Imperial Consultants and Securities vs. Deputy CIT Case no.: Writ Petition No. 1783 of 2022 While setting aside the reassessment proceedings, the Bombay High Court held that 'change of opinion' or 'review of already completed assessment', is not permitted to AO. While holding so, the Division Bench of...

Tax Law : Important Judgments By Supreme Court In 2024

As the year 2024 nears its end, LiveLaw brings to you a summary of important Supreme Court judgments of the year rendered in connection with Tax Law. The same are as follows:1. Hiring Of Motor Vehicle Or Cranes Is Not 'Sale Of Goods' If Control Over Equipment Is Retained By Contractor, VAT Can't Be Levied: Supreme CourtCase: M/s. K.P. Mozika v Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. & Ors. [2024 LiveLaw (SC) 26]In this case, a bench of Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice Rajesh Bindal held that...

Income From Capital Gains On Certain Assets Which Are Excluded U/S 10(38) Of IT Act Must Be Included While Computing Book Profits: Delhi HC

The Delhi High Court held that proviso to Sec 10(38) cannot be read in reverse to mean that if gains are not included as book profits u/s 115JB, the same are liable to be included as income for purposes of assessment to tax under the normal provisions.Even though, the gains are required to be excluded from income chargeable to tax u/s 10(38), added the Court. As per Section 10(38) of Income tax Act, in computing the total income of a previous year of any person, any income arising from the...

Application For Revocation Of Cancellation Of GST Registration Rejected Just Because Taxpayer Did Not Respond To SCN: Delhi HC Revives Application

The Delhi High Court held that the application for revocation of cancellation of GST registration could not have been dismissed, when apart from using the phrase “any supporting documents” and “others”, no further reason was assigned as to why the said application was dismissed.The High Court held so, while observing that the solitary reason which has weighed upon the respondent to reject that application was a failure on the part of petitioner to respond to a SCN. While rendering the order of...

GST To Remain @5% On Popcorn Sold In Theatres, Clarifies Govt

The Finance Ministry in its 55th Meeting of the GST Council, clarified that ready to eat popcorn which is mixed with salt and spices are classifiable under HS 2106 90 99 and attracts 5% GST if supplied as other than pre-packaged and labelled and 12% GST if supplied as pre-packaged and labelled.However, when popcorn is mixed with sugar thereby changing its character to sugar confectionary (e.g. caramel popcorn), it would be classifiable under HS 1704 90 90 and attract 18% GST. By this...

Belated Filing Of Form 9A Is Not Attributable To Trust: Bombay HC Allows Exemption U/S 11 After Condoning Delay Under IT Act

The Bombay High Court held that bonafide delay in filing Form 9A on part of trust, has to be construed as procedural lapse and shall be condoned by exercising powers u/s 119(2) of Income tax Act.The Division Bench of Justice G S Kulkarni and Justice Advait M Sethna observed that that the jurisdictional AO completely lost sight of the fact that at the time when assessee claimed deductions towards depreciation and capital expenditure u/s 11(1) by filing the revised computation, the time limit for...

ICEGATE E-Payment Platform Enables Voluntary Payment Electronically: Finance Ministry

The CBIC on 23.12.2024 has issued a circular informing that the ICEGATE e-payment platform has enabled voluntary payments electronically. As per the circular, the new functionality will replace the existing TR-6 payments which are currently being done manually at various Customs Stations. The functionality will enable the users to generate a self-initiated challan for voluntary payments and then make payments through the ICEGATE e-payment platform without any further approval by...

Mark-Up Earned By Purchasing & Selling Cargo Space To Importers/Exporters On Principal-To-Principal Basis Is Not Liable To Service Tax: CESTAT

The New Delhi Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has stated that mark-up earned by purchasing and selling cargo space to importers/exporters on principal-to-principal basis in freight business is not liable to service tax as it amounts to trading activity and not provision of service as intermediary. The Bench of Binu Tamta (Judicial Member) and Rajeev Tandon (Technical Member) has observed that “when the assessee is acting on a principal to ...

S.147 Of IT Act Doesn't Postulate Review Jurisdiction Such That Assessment Can Be Reviewed By AO Intending To Form Different Opinion: Bombay HC

The Bombay High Court ruled that the materials which were already available before AO and which ultimately were considered in passing assessment order u/s 143(3), cannot form basis of reopening, on ground that such materials were ignored in finalizing assessment.Section 147 does not postulate review jurisdiction, so that assessment can be reviewed by the Assessing Officer intending to form different and/or a new opinion, added the Court. The Division Bench of Justice G S Kulkarni and Justice...