Defunct Scheme Of Arrangement Under Companies Act Cannot Stall IBC Proceedings: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Tuesday held that insolvency proceedings under the IBC cannot be kept in abeyance on the basis of a Scheme of Arrangement that has become redundant and inoperative for non-compliance with statutory requirements.The court reiterated that once the statutory requirements of Section 7 are met, insolvency must proceed notwithstanding any parallel company law proceedings.A bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and K. Vinod Chandran framed the core issue as whether pendency of proceedings...

No Service Tax On Exempt Road, Canal Works Based Solely On TDS Deduction: CESTAT Allahabad

The Allahabad Bench of the Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) on 20 February held that mere deduction of TDS and reflection of receipts in Form 26AS cannot determine service tax liability when the underlying activity, i.e., construction of roads and canals for Government authorities, is expressly exempt under the Mega Exemption Notification. A Bench comprising Judicial Member P.K. Choudhary allowed an appeal by Shailja Construction, noting that the entire demand...

Duty-Free Import Benefits Denied Over Unauthorised Diversion, Poor Record-Keeping: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court on 10 February, held that duty-free import benefits under the Advance Authorisation Scheme can be denied when the importer diverts the goods into the domestic market without authorisation.A Bench of Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan and Justice R. Poornima allowed the Department's appeals, arising from a batch of civil miscellaneous appeals filed by the Commissioner of Customs (Department) against the proprietor of Regin Agency, and Regin Exports.Setting aside the CESTAT's order,...

Allegations Of Clandestine Removal Cannot Rely On Unauthenticated Evidence: CESTAT Chennai

The Chennai Bench of the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has held that allegations of clandestine manufacture and removal cannot be sustained in the absence of legally admissible electronic evidence and a complete chain of corroborative material. A Bench of Judicial Member P. Dinesha and Technical Member Vasa Seshagiri Rao on 4 February 4, allowed the appeals filed by the Umashankar Alloys Pvt. Ltd., its Managing Director and Manager, and quashed the duty demand of...

Gujarat High Court Upholds Classification Of 'Mint Orange 2022' As Industrial Input Under VAT Act

The Gujarat High Court has held that 'Mint Orange 2022' is classifiable as an industrial input under the Gujarat Value Added Tax Act, 2003, clarifying that household use does not prevent a product from being treated as an industrial input when its composition and primary use are industrial in nature.A Division Bench of Justice A.S. Supehia and Justice Pranav Trivedi dismissed the Tax Appeal filed by the Commercial Tax Department, holding that the product qualifies as an aromatic chemical and...

'Reimbursements' Fixed As Percentage Of Sales Are Contractual, Liable For TDS: Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court has upheld the disallowance of expenses claimed by Deys Medical Private Limited (appellant) on account of alleged reimbursements paid to its group companies, holding that payments calculated as a percentage of sales constituted contractual consideration liable for tax deduction at source (TDS).The appeal arose from an order of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal, Kolkata, which had partially affirmed the Assessing Officer's disallowance of over Rs. 3.35 crore under the...

Supreme Court Dismisses Customs Review Plea Against IndiGo, SpiceJet In IGST Exemption Case On Reimported Aircraft Parts

The Supreme Court has recently dismissed review petitions filed by the Customs Department against its earlier judgment affirming relief granted to InterGlobe Aviation Limited, which operates IndiGo, in a dispute concerning the levy of Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) on re-import of aircraft and parts sent abroad for repairs.A bench of Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice K.V. Viswanathan condoned the delay but declined to interfere with its earlier decision. The court held: ...

Delhi High Court Treats 5.25% Withholding Certificate Issued To EY As Nil

The Delhi High Court has recently treated a 5.25% withholding tax certificate issued to Ernst & Young LLP (EY) under Section 195 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, as a NIL-rate certificate, holding that the tax officer acted contrary to an earlier binding order of the Court for the same assessment year.A Division Bench of Justices Dinesh Mehta and Vinod Kumar disposed of the writ petition filed by EY challenging the order of the Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax which had directed withholding...

Matching Solutions Not Taxable Under India–US DTAA: Delhi High Court Grants NIL TDS Relief To Refinitiv US

The Delhi High Court has recently set aside a 15% tax withholding certificate issued to Refinitiv US LLC, a financial market data company under Section 197 of the Income Tax Act, 1961.A Division Bench of Justices Dinesh Mehta and Vinod Kumar directed the tax authorities to issue a NIL TDS certificate in respect of income earned from its Matching Solutions services, holding that such income is not taxable in India under the India–US Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA).The development comes...

Airline Operations Exempt Under India-UK DTAA: Delhi High Court Directs NIL TDS Certificate For British Airways

The Delhi High Court has set aside an order of the Income Tax Department issuing a 0.1% TDS certificate to British Airways under Section 197 of the Income Tax Act, 1961.A Division Bench of Justices Dinesh Mehta and Vinod Kumar directed the authorities to issue a NIL TDS certificate, holding that income from airline operations is exempt under the India–UK Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA).The development comes in a petition moved by British Airways, a tax resident of the United Kingdom,...

Re-Export Option Lapses If Redemption Fine Paid After 120 Days: Gujarat High Court

The Gujarat High Court on 6 February, held that the 120-day timeline for payment of redemption fine under Section 125(3) of the Customs Act, 1962 is mandatory, and failure to pay within this period renders the re-export option void. A Bench comprising Justice A.S. Supehia and Justice Pranav Trivedi dismissed the writ petition filed by Goodwill Industries, while directing the refund of Rs. 12 lakh redemption fine and retaining the Rs. 8 lakh penalty imposed by the Adjudicating Authority. The...

GST Registration Cannot Be Cancelled Based On Investigative Dictation Alone: Gauhati High Court

The Gauhati High Court on 17 February, held that cancellation of GST registration cannot be sustained when it is based on vague allegations and issued at the behest of the investigating wing, without independent application of mind by the proper officer. A Bench of Justice Arun Dev Choudhury allowed a writ petition was filed by Ankit Choudhary, sole proprietor of Ankit Enterprises, challenging a show cause notice, the subsequent order cancelling his GST registration, and the order rejecting...