Having found a good case for the appellant on the question whether the order-in-original was issued and dispatched in accordance with the relevant provision of law, we have to remand this case to the learned Commissioner (Appeals) with a request to consider the assessee’s appeal filed against the order-in-original to have been filed within time and then to proceed to dispose it of on merits in accordance with law and the principles of natural justice. Accordingly, we set aside the impugned order and allow this appeal by way of remand for the aforesaid purpose. The stay application also stands disposed of.
Insofar as requirement of registration with the department as a condition precedent for claiming Cenvat credit is concerned, learned counsel appearing for both parties were unable to point out any provision in the Cenvat Credit Rules which impose such restriction. In the absence of a statutory provision which prescribed that registration is mandatory and that if such a registration is not made the assessee is not entitled to the benefit of refund,
As regards telephone service, I find that the decision of the Tribunal in the case of ITC Ltd. v. CC&E [2009] 20 STT 110 (Chennai – CESTAT) took a view that such credit is admissible. In the absence of any contrary decision, I follow the same and hold that the appellants are eligible for credit of service tax paid on telephone services in respect of telephone installed in the residence of employees.
The appellant is a manufacturer of acrylic fibre, acrylic top etc. and were availing the facility of Cenvat credit of duty paid on inputs, capital goods and Service Tax paid on inputs services used in or in relation to manufacture of final products. The appellants are availing the services of foreign agents and were paying commission on said agents located outside India.
It appears that the deficiency is that the bills raised by the CHA do not show the shipping bill numbers and date and the full requirements of the above conditions are not met. The reason given in the impugned order is that copies of shipping bills are not produced. No such condition is prescribed against S. No. 11.
In the present case, though the cheque was received on 4.1.2007, the same was actually deposited in the bank on 5.2.2007 and must have been encashed on a date after that. As such, it is to be considered as if the consideration for the services was received by the appellant in the month of February itself, thus requiring them to deposit the tax with the department in March, 2007.
Appellant’s signatory director of the applicant company was abroad during the time when the orders were received from the superintendent, and when the orders were served on the consultant. It is the submission of the ld. Counsel that the appellant company or the director was not aware of the receipt of the passing of the order.
Post service tax valuation rules, the said rules provides for inclusion of free material supplied by service recipients and has been directing the assessee in other cases to deposit some amount of the Service Tex liability for the period post service Tax valuation rules as a condition to hear and dispose the appeal.
Undisputedly the appellant had received input services viz. GTA and Business Auxiliary Service and used the same in or in relation to the manufacture and trading of Electric Meters. It is also not in dispute that credit of Rs. 3,41,397/- availed by the appellant on the said input services were not exclusively used in or in relation to the manufacture of Electricity Meters, but also used for trading purposes.
This argument of the ld. advocate is prima facie untenable as the appellants are recovering charges incurred for maintenance of the common areas from the individual shop owners. Ld. advocate himself states that the maintenance is done through service contractors who are providing the maintenance service and are also paying service tax.
