Service Tax Not Payable On Royalty Received For Group Companies' Use Of Copyrighted Logo: CESTAT

The Chennai Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has stated that service tax is not payable on royalty received for group companies' use of the copyrighted 'TTK' Logo founded by T.T. Krishnamachari & Co. (assessee). Ajayan T.V. (Judicial Member) and Ajit Kumar (Technical Member) examined whether the demand of service for the 'TTK' logo of the assessee used by its group companies under Intellectual Property Rights service is tenable. In the case...

Mere Paper Trail Or Endorsed Bills Of Entry Without Actual Movement Of Goods Not Enough To Claim CENVAT Credit: CESTAT Chennai

The Chennai Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has stated that mere paper trail or endorsed bills of entry without actual movement of goods is not enough to claim CENVAT (Central Value Added Tax) Credit. Vasa Seshagiri Rao (Technical Member) opined that mere creation of paperwork or paper trail to indicate movement of goods, or mere endorsement of Bills of Entry, is not sufficient to establish eligibility for credit. The essential conditions required...

Service Tax Refund Cannot Be Denied On Limitation When Deposit Was Made During Investigation: Chhattisgarh High Court

The Chhattisgarh High Court has held that service tax deposited during the course of investigation cannot be denied refund merely on the ground of limitation under Section 102(3) of the Finance Act, 1994, especially when the department itself later drops proceedings and acknowledges non-liability. The Division Bench of Justice Rajani Dubey and Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad allowed a tax appeal filed by a service tax assessee challenging the rejection of a refund claim amounting to...

Internal Dispute Among Directors Of Company Not 'Genuine Hardship' Preventing Timely Filing Of ITR: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has held that internal disputes between the Directors of a company is not 'genuine hardship' under Section 119(2)(b) of the Income Tax Act 1961, preventing timely filing of its Income Tax Return, particularly in absence of convincing evidence.A division bench of Justices V. Kameswar Rao and Madhu Jain observed,“The internal dispute among the Directors of the company is not a genuine hardship, which can be the ground on which the delay can be condoned. Even otherwise, we are...

Logistics Operator Can Charge GST At 5% For Transporting Empty Containers By Rail, ITC Inadmissible: Gujarat AAR

The Gujarat Authority for Advance Ruling (AAR) has held that GST at 5% was applicable for transportation of empty containers by rail, but without Input Tax Credit (ITC) and same would be covered by general entry (i) at Serial No. 09 viz. Transport of goods by rail (other than services specified at item no. (iv)). The Gujarat AAR comprising Mr. Vishal Malani (Member- Central Tax) and Ms. Sushma Vora (Member- State Tax) examined the two competing entries (i) and (iv) at Serial No. 9 of...

LiveLawBiz: Business Law Daily Round-Up: December 08, 2025

TAX Revenue Cannot Adjudicate Decade-Old SCNs On NPV Sales Tax Retention: Bombay High Court KeralaHigh Court Upholds Over ₹15 Lakh Motor Vehicle Tax Demand OnPuducherry-Registered Car Found Used In Kerala Customs| Bills Of Entry Cannot Be Reassessed After Clearance Merely To Claim Refund Based On Later SC Judgment: CESTAT Mumbai Sales Tax Discharged Through NPV Under State Incentive Scheme Cannot Be Added Back To Excise Transaction Value: CESTAT Mumbai ED Has Seized ₹4,189.89 Crore In...

Revenue Cannot Adjudicate Decade-Old SCNs On NPV Sales Tax Retention: Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court at Goa has set aside two show cause notices issued to a manufacturer seeking to levy central excise duty on the differential amount of sales tax/VAT retained by it under a Net Present Value (NPV) incentive scheme, holding that the Revenue cannot be permitted to adjudicate stale notices after an unexplained and inordinate delay. A Division Bench of Justice Bharati Dangre and Justice Ashish S. Chavan allowed the writ petitions filed by the assessee, quashing show...

Kerala High Court Upholds Over ₹15 Lakh Motor Vehicle Tax Demand On Puducherry-Registered Car Found Used In Kerala

The Kerala High Court upheld the motor vehicle tax demand on a car registered in Puducherry after finding no evidence that it was actually used there. Justices A. Muhamed Mustaque and Harisankar V. Menon noted that the NIL returns do not reflect any business being carried out by the assessee from Puducherry. The bench opined that the onus shifts to the assessee to show that the vehicle was not being used in Kerala to attract tax. In the case at hand, the assessee/appellant...

Customs | Bills Of Entry Cannot Be Reassessed After Clearance Merely To Claim Refund Based On Later SC Judgment: CESTAT Mumbai

The Customs, Excise & Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT), Mumbai has held that reassessment of Bills of Entry cannot be sought at a belated stage after clearance of goods merely to claim refund on the basis of a favourable Supreme Court judgment delivered in another assessee's case. A Division Bench comprising Dr. Suvendu Kumar Pati (Judicial Member) and M.M. Parthiban (Technical Member) dismissed the appeal filed by the assessee, M/s Minerva Enterprises and upheld the order of...

Tax Weekly Round-Up: December 01 - December 07, 2025

SUPREME COURTCentral Excise Exemption For Cotton Fabrics Not Available If Any Interlinked Process Uses Power : Supreme CourtCause Title: COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS, CENTRAL EXCISE & SERVICE TAX, RAJKOT VERSUS NARSIBHAI KARAMSIBHAI GAJERA & ORS.The Supreme Court has held that manufacturers cannot claim central excise duty exemption for processed cotton fabrics if power is used at any stage of the manufacturing chain, even when the work is carried out through separate units. The Court...

Sales Tax Discharged Through NPV Under State Incentive Scheme Cannot Be Added Back To Excise Transaction Value: CESTAT Mumbai

The Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT), Mumbai has held that sales tax deferred under a State incentive scheme and subsequently discharged by payment of its Net Present Value (NPV) cannot be treated as “sales tax not paid” so as to be added back to the transaction value for levy of central excise duty. A Division Bench comprising C.J. Mathew (Technical Member) and Ajay Sharma (Judicial Member) allowed the appeal filed by the assessee, M/s Grindwell Norton Ltd....

ED Has Seized ₹4,189.89 Crore In Crypto-Linked Black Money Under PMLA; 44,057 Notices Issued For Unreported Trades: Centre Tells Lok Sabha

The Centre, in response to a question posed in the Lok Sabha, relating to black money routed through cryptocurrency, has informed that the Enforcement Directorate has attached, seized, and frozen proceeds of crime worth Rs. 4189.89 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering (PMLA), 2002. On Monday, December 08, 2025, in relation to Regulations governing cryptocurrency in the country, the Centre outlined statistics of tax evasion cases linked to cryptocurrency and Virtual Digital...