Mere Technical Defects In Supplier Invoices Not Enough To Deny ISD Credit: CESTAT Chennai Sets Aside 'Draconian' Penalty

The Chennai Bench of the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) set aside the denial of service tax credit distributed by the assessee, as an Input Service Distributor (ISD), to its unit. The Tribunal found that although invoices were issued in the name of the Branch Office, such invoices were “received” by the Head Office of the assessee, making it eligible to avail...

Xiaomi India Liable For Differential Customs Duty On Qualcomm Royalties; Royalty Includible In Assessable Value: CESTAT Chennai:

The Chennai Bench of Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has held Xiaomi India liable for differential customs duties on royalties to Qualcomm and Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software under various agreements for importing and selling Xiaomi-branded mobile phones and components The Bench comprising of Mr. M. Ajit Kumar (Technical Member) and Mr. P....

Once Resolution Plan Succeeds, Appeals Before CESTAT Abate, CENVAT Reversal Not Pre-Deposit: Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court has upheld the disallowance of ₹165 crores of CENVAT credit on steel structures, parts, accessories, and cement as confirmed earlier by the Kolkata Bench of the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT).Justice Raja Basu Chowdhury, on the issue of abatement of the appeals, dismissed the grounds of challenge relating to (i) abatement of appeals...

Oppo Eligible For Customs Duty Exemption On Microphones & Receivers Used In PCBA Prior To 06.07.2019: CESTAT

The New Delhi Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has stated that Oppo Mobiles is eligible for customs exemption on microphones & receivers used in PCBA (Printed Circuit Board Assembly) prior to 06.07.2019. Justice Dilip Gupta (President) and P.V. Subba Rao (Technical Member) opined that by virtue of the amendment Notification...

Samples Sent For R&D/Testing Are Not Finished Goods, And Their Movement To Lab Is Not Clandestine Clearance: CESTAT

The New Delhi Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has stated that samples sent for research and development (R&D) and quality testing are not finished goods, and their dispatch to a laboratory cannot be treated as clandestine removal. Justice Dilip Gupta (President) and P. Anjani Kumar (Technical Member) stated that the assessee cleared samples...

Bharat Aluminium Entitled To CENVAT Credit On Mining Services Used For Bauxite Extraction: CESTAT

The New Delhi Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has stated that Bharat Aluminium is entitled to CENVAT (Central Value Added Tax) Credit on mining services used for bauxite extraction. Dilip Gupta (President) and P. Anjani Kumar (Technical Member) agreed with the Principal Commissioner that since mining services were used for the extraction of...

Profit Sharing Agreement Between Mall And Parking Operator Not Lease, Not Subject To Tax: CESTAT Chennai

The Customs Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal at Chennai on Friday held that a profit-sharing arrangement for managing a mall's parking facility does not amount to leasing of space and therefore is not liable to service tax. The appeal was against an order of Commissioner of Service Tax that had upheld a service tax demand of over Rs 20 lakh, treating the parking arrangement...

Service Tax Provisions Under Finance Act Do Not Extend To Jammu & Kashmir: CESTAT Sets Aside ₹4 Crore Demand

The Chandigarh Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has held that the provisions of service tax under the Finance Act, 1994, do not extend to the State of Jammu & Kashmir, and accordingly set aside a service tax demand of Rs. 4 crores. S.S. Garg (Judicial Member) and P. Anjani Kumar (Technical Member) opined that the provision of Chapter V of...

Black Tea Is Agricultural Produce, Commission Paid To Foreign Agents Not Liable To Service Tax : CESTAT Chennai

The Chennai Bench of Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) set aside service tax demand on commission paid to foreign agents for sale of black tea, finding that 'essential characteristic' of agricultural produce is retained. CESTAT Chennai clarified that black tea gets covered by the expression 'in relation to agriculture' appearing in Notification...

Commission-Based Services To Foreign Clients As Agent Qualifies As 'Export Of Service': CESTAT

The Chandigarh Bench of the Customs, Excise and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) held that commission-based services such as sales facilitation and regional support services provided by Indian counterparts to foreign companies qualified as 'export' and not as 'Business Auxiliary Services'.The assessee was engaged in the manufacture and sale of zippers and parts thereof in India and...

'Twaron Para Aramid Pulp' Classified As 'Textile Flock', Importers Liable For Higher Customs Duty: CESTAT

The New Delhi Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has held that Twaron Para Aramid Pulp is classified as 'textile flock', hence, the importers are liable for a higher customs duty. Justice Dilip Gupta (President) and P.V. Subba Rao (Technical Member) were addressing the issue of whether the Twaron Para Aramid Pulp imported by the assessee was...

Refund Claims Are Time-Barred Despite Non-Obstante Clause U/S 142(5) CGST Act: CESTAT Rejects Mahindra Holidays' Appeal

The Chennai Bench of Customs, Excise, and Service Tax Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT) has stated that the Non-Obstante Clause in Section 142(5) of the CGST Act (Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017) cannot override the limitation under Section 11B of the Central Excise Act. Ajayan T.V. (Judicial Member) and M. Ajit Kumar (Technical Member) stated that section 142(5) does not refer...