In re Premier Vigilance & Security Pvt Ltd (GST AAR West Bengal)
Whether toll charges reimbursed by the clients are eligible for deduction u/r 33 from the value of supply?
The toll is charged for providing the service by way of access to a road or bridge (SAC 9967). The Applicant, being the owner of the vehicles, is the recipient of the service provisioned on payment of toll. The Applicant admittedly is the beneficiary and liable to pay the toll, which is compulsorily levied on the vehicles. The expenses so incurred are, therefore, cost of the service provided to the Banks. Reimbursement of such cost is no disbursement, but merely the recovery of a portion of the value of supply made to the Banks.
The Applicant is, therefore, not acting in the capacity of a ‘pure agent’ of the Bank while paying toll charges. Such charges are costs incurred, so that his vehicles can access roads/bridges to provide security services to the recipient.
Toll charges paid are not, therefore, to be excluded from the value of supply under Rule 33. GST shall, therefore, be payable at the applicable rate on the entire value of the supply, including toll charges paid.
