On a plain reading of Rule 5A(2) of the Service Tax Rules, the said Rule does not empower the CAG to audit the accounts of any assessee. While Sub-rule (1) of Rule 5A provides for access of any officer authorized by the Commissioner to any premises registered under the service tax Rules, for carrying out any scrutiny, verification or check, as may be necessary to safeguard the interest of revenue, Sub-rule (2) of Rule 5A only casts an obligation on the assessee to make the records and documents as specified in the said Rule available to the officer authorized by the Commissioner, or the audit party deputed by the Commissioner or the Comptroller and Auditor General of India within a reasonable time not exceeding 15 working days from the date of demand.
In the absence of a finding rejecting the accounts of the assessee, the reference to the DVO could not have been made by the Assessing Officer in the first place. It is evident that the valuation in the instant case was uncritically accepted by the Assessing Officer. As can be seen from a comparison of the valuation by the assessee, with that of the DVO, the variation is 3.86 per cent. This is a very minor variation, having regard to the large amounts involved.
There may be cases where the Assessing Officer does not and may not raise any written query but still the Assessing Officer in the first round/ original proceedings may have examined the subject matter, claim etc, because the aspect or question may be too apparent and obvious. To hold that the assessing officer in the first round did not examine the question or subject matter and form an opinion, would be contrary and opposed to normal human conduct. Such cases have to be examined individually.
Section 32 of the Act indeed entitles an assessee, who is the owner of a property, to depreciation. As we have already held, the arrangement between the lessor and the assessee was, in effect, an agreement of sale of the property by the lessor to the assessee. The assessee is, therefore, the owner of the property having acquired the same on 29th March, 1982, itself and, in any event, by 30th March, 1982.
Service tax on Legal Services provided by advocate (whether individual or firm) to any business entity has been imposed vide the Finance Act, 2012 under reverse charge mechanism wherein service recipient is liable to deposit service tax on fees paid to advocates.
Insofar as eucalyptus and other trees are concerned, the cost of acquisition on the basis of the judgment of the Kerala High Court made in Pullengode Rubbers & Produce Co. Ltd. case, (supra) the capital gain was worked out at 30% of the sale proceeds. The Assessing Officer rejected the appellant’s method of arriving at the cost of rosewood and silver oak trees relying upon the judgment of the Kerala High Court, uniformly m respect of rosewood, silver oak, eucalyptus and other trees.
A partner is not entitled to receive remuneration for taking part in the conduct of the business under section 13 of the Partnership Act. This rule is subject to the contract to the contrary. In other words, if there is a contract between partners to receive remuneration for taking part in the conduct of the business, this rule is not applicable. Section 40(b) recognizes this rule. It provides for making payment to a partner subject to the condition mentioned therein being fulfilled. The said conditions are:-
The Appellate Tribunal was right in law and facts in holding that the value of silver bars which stood confiscated under the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act, 1976 could not be added to the wealth of the assessee despite the fact that the confiscation order was subsequently set aside in appeal and the appeal was pending on the date of valuation.
Section 80-IB(10) as amended by inserting clause (d) with effect from April 1, 2005 should be applied retrospectively is also without any merit, because, firstly, clause (d) is specifically inserted with effect from April 1, 2005
A reasonable opportunity should be given to the assessee wherever it is possible to do so. The opportunity referred to is a reasonable opportunity of being heard. There is no other opportunity referred to in the section. The observation in paragraph 3 that the opportunity cannot be said to be obligatory, refers to those cases where it is not possible to give such an opportunity to the assessee.
