Service Tax – Service tax paid on input services like house keeping/cleaning service, tours & travels, outdoor catering service, clearing & forwarding agent service and custom house agent service eligible as CENVAT credit in view of consistent decisions of CESTAT – Prima facie case for full waiver of pre-deposit
M/s Flextronics Technologies (India) Pvt. Ltd. Vs. Commissioner of Central Excise (CESTAT Bangalore)- On a conjoint reading of Section 11AB of the Act and that of Rules 3 and 4 of the Credit Rules, we hold that interest cannot be claimed from the date of wrong availment of CENVAT credit. The interest shall be payable from the date CENVAT credit is wrongly utilized.
Recently in the case of Kbace Tech Pvt. Ltd. v. CCE/CST CESTAT ruled that the refund or CENVAT credit on input services is allowed only if the services are consumed in the output service. It is held that the Board’s Circular No. 120/01/2010-ST, dated 19-1-10 does not have the effect of amending the statute and cannot be seen as authorizing sanction of refund if the credit of service tax does not relate to services consumed for providing the output service.
In the case of supply of manpower individuals are contractually employed by the manpower recruitment or supply agency. The agency agrees for use for the services of an individual, employed by him to another person for a consideration.
We have considered the submissions made at length by both sides and perused the records. The issue for determination in this case is whether the reimbursable expenditure incurred by the appellant is chargeable to service tax or not. On perusal of the returns it appears that they had indicated this amount against the column marked as “amount billed for exempted services other than export”. It is also undisputed that the appellant has been taking this stand before the lower authorities that the amounts are reimbursable expenses. It was the claim of the appellant that they had received
Once the taxable service is exported and various input services have been utilized for providing the output service :i.e. appellants could be entitled for the rebate, which is equal to the service tax paid on the input services. Going by the definition of the input service under Rule 2(1) of the Cenvat Credit Rules, 2004 the service utilized by the appellants for providing output service can indeed be considered as input services.
We are of the considered opinion that the activity relating to one of the categories could not be subjected to service tax under other category. In other words, the activities relating to Freight forwarding cannot be thought under CHA. The appellants had clearly explained the nature of the charges collected such as Charge Collect fees, Break bulk fees, Profit share from margin Unallocated income, Currency adjustment factor, Air/sea Freight rebate, Commission/ Brokerage, Air freight incentive, Expenses reimbursement billing, etc.
T.K. Jayaraman, Technical Member. – This appeal has been filed against the Adjudication Order No. 15/2007 (VR), dated 17-5-2007 passed by the Commissioner of Central Excise & Customs, Visakhapatnam-II Commissionerate. 2. Shri MSV Prasad, the learned Advocate, appeared on behalf of the appellants and Ms. Sudha Koka, the learned SDR for the revenue.
The services availed by a manufacturer for outward transportation of final products from the place of removal should be treated as an input service in terms of Rule 2(1)(ii) of the Cenvat Credit Rules, 2004 and thereby enabling the manufacturer to take credit of the service tax paid on the value of such services.
In terms of the Board’s clarification dated 28-2-2006, the service rendered namely outsourcing of spot billing work by APCPDCL would come within the ambit of business support service which is liable to service tax only with effect from 2006.
