Service Tax cannot be Levied on Chit Fund Business: SC

In these appeals, the appellant is Union of India, which has assailed the common judgment and order dated July 14, 2008, passed by High Court of Judicature at Andhra Pradesh, in a batch of writ petitions. Those writ petitions were filed by some chit fund companies (hereinafter referred to as the ‘assessees’) assailing the validity of Circular No. 96/7/2007-ST (Circular No. 034-04) dated August 23, 2007 and Proceedings No. HAST 141/2007 dated December 18, 2007 which were issued by the Central Board of Excise & Customs, Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue (Tax Research Unit), Gove...