Tax
Patna High Court Says Permanent GST Registration Cancellation May Cause 'Civil Death' To Business
The Patna High Court on 28 August observed that permanent cancellation of GST registration may virtually result in the “civil death” of a business by preventing the taxpayer from carrying on business, while granting relief to Super Enterprises, whose GST registration was cancelled for failure to file returns for six months. A Division Bench of Justices Rajeev Ranjan Prasad and Ramesh Chand Malviya noted that Section 75(4) of the Bihar Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, requires the authorities...
Bombay High Court Quashes Reassessment Against Royal Chains, Says 'Reason To Suspect' Not Enough
The Bombay High Court on 24 August quashed an Income Tax reassessment notice issued to jewellery manufacturer Royal Chains Pvt Ltd for Assessment Year 2016-17. A Division Bench of Justices B.P. Colabawalla and Farhan P. Dubash noted that a completed Income Tax assessment cannot be reopened merely on the basis of suspicion about an investor's background, without material having a direct nexus with the particular transaction and the alleged escapement of income. It observed: “The connection that...
Bombay High Court Orders ₹3.14 Cr Pre-Deposit To IBM, Says Pending Appeal Can't Affect Dropped Demand
On 28 August, the Bombay High Court held that a taxpayer cannot be denied refund of the GST pre-deposit corresponding to a tax demand that has already been set aside, merely because it intends to challenge the remaining demand before the GST Appellate Tribunal. A Division Bench of Justices M.S. Karnik and Sandesh D. Patil allowed IBM India Pvt. Ltd.'s petition challenging the rejection of its claim for refund of Rs. 3.14 crore. The judge held:“It is pertinent to note that under the erstwhile...
CESTAT Mumbai Says Revenue Can't Take Contrary Stands On Same Services, Allows Flipkart CENVAT Refund
The Mumbai Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) on 24 August allowed four appeals filed by Flipkart Internet Pvt. Ltd. against rejection of its refund claims under Rule 5 of the CENVAT Credit Rules, 2004. A Bench comprising Judicial Member S.K. Mohanty and Technical Member Sanjiv Srivastava held that the Revenue cannot deny refund of accumulated CENVAT credit by treating services as not export of services when it had not initiated proceedings to recover service tax on...
Mark-Up On Non-Taxable Ocean, Air Freight Can't Be Taxed As Business Support Service: CESTAT Chennai
On 28 August, the Chennai Bench of the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) held that service tax cannot be imposed on the mark-up earned by a freight forwarder on ocean or air freight when the underlying freight was not taxable during the relevant period. Judicial Member Ajayan T.V. and Technical Member Vasa Seshagiri Rao observed that where the principal activity itself was outside the service tax net, the profit earned from that activity could not be separated and...
Can Stamp Duty Proceedings Continue Beyond 6 Years? Bombay HC Single Judge Refers Issue To Larger Bench
On Friday, 28 August, a Single-Judge Bench of the Bombay High Court referred to a Larger Bench the question whether proceedings to recover deficit stamp duty under Section 53A of the Maharashtra Stamp Act, 1958 must be completed within six years, or whether it is sufficient for the proceedings to be initiated within that period. Justice Amit Borkar was hearing a writ petition filed by Sahyog Homes Ltd. and another, challenging an order passed by the Chief Controlling Revenue Authority directing...
Future Revenue Share Can Be Consideration For Stamp Duty On Development Agreement: Bombay High Court
The Bombay High Court on 24 August held that a landowner's agreed share in future sale proceeds can be treated as consideration for determining stamp duty on a development agreement, even if the exact amount is not known when the agreement is executed. Justice Amit Borkar dismissed Star Developers' petition challenging the demand for deficit stamp duty, holding that the 42% revenue share agreed to be paid to the landowner could be considered while determining the market value of the transaction...
Chhattisgarh HC Upholds ₹37.74L Compensation To Accident Victim's Mother, Says No Tax Deduction Below ₹5L
The Chhattisgarh High Court on 20 August held that income tax need not be deducted while calculating motor accident compensation if the deceased's income falls within the Rs. 5 lakh limit eligible for rebate under Section 87A of the Income Tax Act. Justice Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal upheld the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal's decision not to deduct tax from the deceased's annual income of Rs. 4,34,970, including 50% towards future prospects, and dismissed his mother's appeal seeking enhancement of...
VAT Penalty Refund Cannot Be Denied Over Filing Before Re-Designated Authority: Patna High Court
The Patna High Court on 21 August held that the State Tax Department cannot deny a dealer's refund of a penalty under the Bihar Value Added Tax Act, 2005 merely because the refund application was filed before the Joint Commissioner of State Tax instead of the re-designated Additional Commissioner of State Tax. A Division Bench of Justices Anil Kumar Sinha and Vikash Kumar observed that such a technical objection cannot defeat a legitimate refund claim, and allowed a writ petition filed by S and...
STPI Charges For SOFTEX Certification And NOCs Liable To Service Tax: CESTAT Hyderabad
On 25 August, the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT), Hyderabad held that charges collected by Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) from software exporters for certifying SOFTEX forms, issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and providing related assistance constitute consideration for taxable Business Support Services and are liable to Service Tax. Technical Member P. Anjani Kumar and Judicial Member Angad Prasad dismissed two appeals filed by STPI against...
Delhi ITAT Excludes 4 Companies From WNS Transfer Pricing Comparables, Says Functional Similarity Is Key
The Delhi Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) on 25 August upheld the exclusion of Eclerx Services, TCS E Serve, Infosys BPO and Acropetal Technologies from WNS Business Consulting Services' comparable set, observing that transfer-pricing comparables must be assessed on their actual functional profile rather than merely on their presence in the same broad industry. A Bench comprising Judicial Member Satbeer Singh Godara and Accountant Member Manish Agarwal dismissed the Revenue's appeal for...
Delhi ITAT Deletes ₹168.31 Cr Addition Against Hero FinCorp, Says DCF Valuation Must Use Available Facts
The Delhi Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) on 25 August deleted a Rs. 168.31 crore share premium addition made against Hero FinCorp for Assessment Year 2018-19 under Section 56(2)(viib) of the Income Tax Act, 1961. Accountant Member S. Rifaur Rahman and Judicial Member Raj Kumar Chauhan held that the company's Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) projections could not be rejected merely by comparing them with subsequent financial results, and allowed the company's appeal. The Bench observed: “These...