Meter Reading, Billing & Disconnection Services Are Ancillary To Electricity Distribution; Exempt From Service Tax: CESTAT Allahabad

The Allahabad Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has held that services, such as meter reading, billing, and connection/disconnection of electricity, are ancillary services of transmission and distribution of electricity and service tax is not payable for these services. P.K. Choudhary (Judicial Member) examined whether the services such as...

Manufacturing & Packaging Of Cement Not Civil Construction Activities; CENVAT Credit Cannot Be Denied: CESTAT Bangalore

The Bangalore Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has stated that manufacturing and packaging of cement are works service contracts, not civil construction activities, and therefore CENVAT (Central Value Added Tax) Credit cannot be denied. Regarding the allegation of ineligible CENVAT credit availed by the assessee on lease premium, the bench consists...

Services To Marriott Hotel In Hong Kong Are 'Export Of Services': CESTAT Mumbai Sets Aside Service Tax Demand

The Customs, Excise & Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT), Mumbai has held that services rendered by Marriott Hotels India Pvt. Ltd. to its overseas group entity Marriott Hong Kong qualify as export of services, and therefore cannot be subjected to service tax under the Finance Act, 1994. A Division Bench of Member (Judicial) S.K. Mohanty and Member (Technical) M.M....

Delay By Authority In Sanctioning Refund Claim Is 'Sufficient Cause' For Excluding Limitation: CESTAT Chennai

The Chennai Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has stated that delay by the refund authority in sanctioning a refund claim is 'sufficient cause' for excluding limitation under Section 14 of the Limitation Act. Section 14 of the Limitation Act, 1963, allows for the exclusion of time spent in good faith in a previous civil proceeding from the...

24K Oval Pendants Qualify As Gold Jewellery, Eligible For Duty Exemption: CESTAT Hyderabad

The Hyderabad Bench, Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) in a matter concerning import of oval shaped gold pendants, has favoured classification under Customs Tariff Heading (CTH) 7113 1910 as 'articles of jewellery' instead of CTH 7108 1300 as 'semi-manufactured gold' In a recent order dated November 28, 2025 the Bench comprising A.K. Jyotishi (Technical...

Admission Solutions By TC Global To Foreign Universities Not 'Intermediary Service': Delhi High Court Upholds CESTAT Order

The Delhi High Court has held that TC Global, operating as an App-based platform offering admission support solutions like promotional and marketing services, advertisements, roadshows, fairs, counselling to foreign universities, against payment in foreign exchange would qualify as 'Export of Service' instead of 'Intermediary Service'. In a judgment dated November 28, 2025, the...

Sales Tax Discharged At NPV Under State Incentive Scheme Not Addable To Transaction Value For Excise Duty: CESTAT Mumbai

The Customs, Excise & Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT), Mumbai has held that sales tax deferred under a State incentive scheme and later discharged at Net Present Value (NPV) cannot be treated as “sales tax not paid” for the purpose of including it in the transaction value for levy of Central Excise duty. A Division Bench of C.J. Mathew (Technical Member) and Ajay...

Extended Limitation Cannot Be Invoked Without Proof Of Intent To Evade: CESTAT Delhi Sets Aside Service Tax Demand On Car Parking Charges

The Customs, Excise & Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT), Principal Bench, New Delhi has held that the extended period of limitation under the proviso to Section 73(1) of the Finance Act, 1994 cannot be invoked in the absence of clear evidence of suppression of facts with intent to evade service tax. A Division Bench comprising Justice Dilip Gupta (President) and P.V. Subba...

No Service Tax On Cost Allocation For Pet-Care Products Of Mars International: CESTAT Hyderabad

The Hyderabad Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has held that Mars International is not liable to service tax on cost allocations for developing pet-care products. The bench further opined that the arrangement with the group companies did not involve a service provider-service recipient relationship, and therefore, the service...

Tobacco Transport By Individual Truck Owners Not Goods Transport Agency: CESTAT Quashes Service Tax Demand

The Hyderabad Bench of Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has set aside service tax demand on Indian Tobacco Traders under the heading Goods Transport Agency (GTA) Service, as tobacco leaves were transported through individual truck owners. In an order dated November 28, 2025 the Bench comprising Mr. A.K. Jyotishi (Technical Member) and Mr. Angad Prasad...

Bunker Supply Of Fuel To ASEAN Explorer Is Duty-Free Export: CESTAT Quashes Excise Demand Against Bharat Petroleum

The Bangalore Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has stated that bunker supplies of High Viscosity Furnace Oil (HVFO) made by Bharat Petroleum to the vessel to 'cable ship ASEAN explorer' qualify as duty-free exports under Rule 19 of the Central Excise Rules, 2002, read with Notification No. 46/2001-CE(NT). P.A. Augustian (Judicial Member) and...

No Service Tax On Income Received From Joint Venture: CESTAT Kolkata Sets Aside ₹5.72 Crore Demand

The Kolkata Bench of the Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has held that an assessee's/partner's share of income from a joint venture is not consideration for any taxable service and therefore not liable to Service Tax. R. Muralidhar (Judicial Member) and K. Anpazhakan (Technical Member) observed that the activities undertaken by a partner/co-venturer for...