In this case appellant is engaged in the manufacture of MG craft paper and they import waste paper and use the same in the manufacture of final product. The services received are in relation to the importation of waste paper such as container charges, handling charges incurred in the port etc.
It has been held by the lower authorities that unless an assessee is able to show that the input service has nexus with the manufacture of final product, the inclusive part would not be of any help. In this case, I find that the services have been obtained for the purpose of conducting audit of the process and change of raw material suitably and the same have been presented to GTZ to receive the grant so that the company can phase out the process, which cause depletion of ozone in the atmosphere.
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.
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.
As regards the financial difficulty, I have gone through the Income Tax return for the year 2010-2011 and I find that acceding to the Income Tax return, the appellant had invested in equity shares amounting to more than Rs. 4.7 lakhs. In view of the fact that the demand of Service Tax is of Rs. 2.31 lakhs, it cannot be said that the appellant is in such a financial position that he cannot pay this amount.
This Stay Petition is been filed for waiver of pre-deposit of amounts of Service Tax confirmed by the adjudicating authority and upheld by first appellate authority. The Service Tax has been confirmed by adjudicating authority and upheld by first appellate authority, on the ground that the appellant are liable to discharge Service Tax liability on NSE/BSE transaction charges and SEBI turnover fees.
As submitted by the learned counsel in respect of FOB exports, the place of removal has to be treated as the Port. Further input service definition is an inclusive definition of services used by the manufacturer directly or indirectly in or in relation to manufacture and clearance and also relating to business activities and specified categories would be admissible.
There is no dispute that the appellants were eligible for CENVAT credit for the amount paid as Service Tax and, therefore, this is a situation which was revenue neutral and by not paying the Service Tax immediately, appellants have lost more than Rs.26,00,000/- paid by them as interest which would not have become payable if Service Tax was paid promptly and taken as credit.
While considering the scope of Survey and Exploration of Mineral, Oil and Gas Service, we limited the scope to the five elements of exploration and did not consider the drilling of exploratory wells as part of that service, it has to be treated as part of Mining Service since any service in relation to Mining would come in this category.
