Book on New Law of Service Tax in India, March 2013

About the Book

New Law of Service Tax in India, March 2013

Dr. Sanjiv Agarwal, FCA, FCS

In the Finance Bill, 2013, not much of changes have been proposed. The revised budget estimates for the financial year 2012-13 is Rs. 1,32,697 crore (Rs. 1,24,000 crore BE). However, for the 2013-14 fiscal, Service Tax revenue has been targeted at Rs. 1,80,141 crore which is 45%  more than the previous year’s target. It appears that the Government is looking at more tax compliance. The new proposals and other changes, inter alia, include an innovative ‘Voluntary Compliance Encouragement Scheme 2013’ providing amnesty from interest and penalties; bringing vocational education and testing for agriculture under negative list; changes in penal / adjudication provisions, making directors and company officials liable for penal action, power to arrest, changes in exemptions by curtailing or withdrawing them, restricting abatements for luxury houses etc. Changes in exemptions would be effected from 1.4.2013 but changed abatement would come into force w.e.f. 1^st March 2013 itself. Legislative changes will be effective after enactment.

Finance Act, 2012 has changed the Service Tax landscape by introduction of negative list approach of Service Tax w.e.f. 1^st July, 2012. Consequently, all services (except negative list and exempt services) are liable to Service Tax, except if exempt otherwise. The law and practice of Service Tax has also changed significantly with new concepts of taxable and non-taxable territories and place of provision of services having been brought in.

This book is an unique attempt to explain law, practice and procedures of Service Tax comprehensively alongwith relevant notifications, circulars and judicial pronouncements. The book is divided into four parts – Part I is a Referencer comprising of 30 Tables providing a bird’s eye view of the entire gamut of Service Tax including Service Tax computation tables. Part II contain 34 Chapters discussing, concepts, law and procedural aspects of Service Tax which enables the readers to understand the law and use it to their requirements. Part-III discusses the new regime of service tax under negative list approach w.e.f. 1^st  July 2012 in 8 Chapters written in simple language and suitably illustrated.  Part-IV contains 19 Annexures where one can refer to text of statutory provisions of service tax law, all service tax rules/ guidelines and provisions of central excise as applicable to service tax. The book contains Finance Bill, 2013 provisions and recent Notifications / Circulars up to 28^th February, 2013.

Like the previous edition, the book is a comprehensive coverage of Service Tax law, rules, procedures and practice spanning in 42 chapters and 19 appendices which are divided into four parts. The book has been thoroughly revised and updated upto 28^th February, 2013. All important Notifications, Circulars and judicial pronouncements reported upto February, 2013 find place in the Book. Legal commentary in the book is its backbone which has been developed keeping in mind judicial pronouncements, legal interpretation and departmental clarifications on the relevant topics.

The objective of the Book is to provide a reliable and authentic guidance to readers i.e., professionals, service providers, assessees and all others interested in the subject of Service Tax including students of competitive and professional examinations.

The book is been released for sale by its publishers – M/s Snow white Publication, Mumbai.

How to Use the Book

This Book comprises of four main parts