First Stage Dealer means a dealer, who purchases the goods directly from (i) the manufacturer under the cover of an invoice issued in terms of the provisions of Central Excise Rules, 2002 or from the depot of the said manufacturer, or from premises of the consignment agent of the said manufacturer or from any other premises from where the goods are sold by or on behalf of the said manufacturer, under cover of an invoice.
In 2012 budget, there has been a paradigm shift in the Service Tax Laws. The shift is affecting all businesses- whether they are in manufacturing, service providing, NGOs, Trading or even Government departments. Even individuals are not immune from payment of service tax if their revenue is above the exemption limit- i.e. 10 lakhs. Thus it is important to understand the basic changes in law so that the changes can be implemented smoothly after the enactment of Finance Bill, 2012.
It was a realist budget in the difficult economic and political environment. Effort was made towards fiscal consolidation, infrastructure development, revival of manufacturing sector, easing of credit facilities, direct transfer of subsidy etc. Major Tax proposals are as follows:
Hon’ble Finance Minister presented budget for FY 2011-12. Significant proposal are as follows; General: GDP is expected to grow in the region of 8.75% to 9.25%. The Minister spoken about fiscal consolidation and put up a target of 4.6% fiscal deficit. Government is also mooting liberalizing the FDI policy in the country, however no details was […]
With effect from 16.06.2005, Service Tax was levied on Club or Association Services. Club or Association was defined under Section 65(25a) as, Club or Association means any person or body of persons providing services, facilities or advantages, for a subscription or any amount to its members. The purpose of this paper to examine as to whether trade or industry association can be liable to pay Service Tax under this head or under any other head.
To Confiscate means to appropriate private property to public treasury. Thus after confiscation the goods becomes a property of the government and the government candeal with it as it wants. Through option of redemption fine, government offers to some person to take ownership of the goods. Redemption fine is not a penalty and it has no penal connotation. In Blue Dart Express v. Commissioner of Customs the Tribunal observed that redemption fine in lieu of confiscation is not a fine as understood in criminal jurisprudence. Redemption fine is not a penalty in that sense. It is only an option to the person to pay an amount in lieu of confiscation. It contains no penal connotation.
“Mens Rea” literally means a guilty mind. It is a cardinal principle of English Common Law is that a persons cannot be convicted and punished in a proceeding of a criminal nature unless it can shown that he had a guilty mind. The principle is self explanatory. A person should be punished for deliberate defiance of law, rather than something which didn’t do intentionally or something which happened accidently etc. Nevertheless, the principle is most misunderstood.
Under Central Excise law a Small Scale Industries (SSI) have been given some benefits in duty payments. However these benefits are not available when the SSI unit is manufacturing goods bearing Brand name or Trade name of another person. It has always been a question of great disputes as to what is the meaning of the Brand name or trade name, or when do we call goods as Branded goods and SSI benefit is not available. In absence of clear statutory guidelines, case law was developed by various pronouncements of the Tribunal.
The foreign agents provide service to the exporters. However the services are provided outside India. They meet the prospective buyer outside India, they promote the products of the exporter outside India. For Service Tax to be leviable and payable, the services must be provided “in India”, except in the state of Jammu & Kashmir.
It may be noted that rod/bar and wire falls under different heading of CETA. It means that the legislature have treated these two products as two distinct and different products. When the legislative intent of the Parliament is clear about treating these two products differently, it cannot be said that they are same products. The above “Test of different heading” was applied by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in Lal Woolen and Silk Mills Ltd. V/s CCE, Chandigarh [1999 (108) ELT 7(S.C.)], wherein the Hon’ble SC held,
