Seeks to amend notification No. 25/2012 – Service Tax, dated the 20th June, 2012, so as to exempt the legal services provided by senior advocates to a business entity with a turnover up to rupees ten lakh in the preceding financial year.
Union Budget 2016-17, provided for service tax to be paid by Senior Advocates (as defined under Advocates Act) under forward charge w.e.f. 1st April 2016.
Now, Central Government vide Notification No. 32/2016 – ST dated June 6, 2016 has amended Mega Exemption Notification No. 25/2012 -ST to exempt services provided by a Senior Advocate by way of legal services to any person other than a business entity; or a business entity with a turnover up to Rs. 10 lacs in the preceding financial year.
Also, Notification No. 33/2016 – ST dated June 6, 2016 has amended Service Tax Rules, 1994 to provide that services provided by senior advocates would be covered under reverse charge mechanism. Also, if the senior advocate is engaged by another lawyer, the Service Tax is to be paid by the litigant under reverse charge.
Further, Notification No. 34/2016 – ST dated June 6, 2016 has amended Reverse Charge Notification No. 30/2012 – ST to provide 100% payment of tax by the recipient of the service provided by senior advocates.
In the nutshell, it has now been provided that services provided by senior advocate to a business entity with a turnover of more than Rs. 10 lacs are taxable under reverse charge mechanism and the whole of the tax is to be paid by the client who is litigating.
[TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE OF INDIA, EXTRAORDINARY, PART II, SECTION 3, SUB-SECTION (i)]
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
(DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE)
NEW DELHI
Notification No. 32/2016-Service Tax, Dated: June 6, 2016
G.S.R. 575(E).In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 93 of the Finance Act, 1994 (32 of 1994), the Central Government being satisfied that it is necessary in the public interest so to do, hereby makes the following further amendments in the notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue) No. 25/2012-Service Tax, dated the 20th June, 2012, published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i) vide number G.S.R. 467 (E), dated the 20th June, 2012, namely:-
1. In the said notification, in the first paragraph, in entry 6, for clause (c), the following clause shall be substituted, namely:-
“(c) a senior advocate by way of legal services to-
(i) any person other than a business entity; or
(ii) a business entity with a turnover up to rupees ten lakh in the preceding financial year;”.
[F. No. B-1/7/2016-TRU]
(Anurag Sehgal)
Under Secretary
Note:- The principal notification was published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, vide notification No. 25/2012 – Service Tax, dated the 20th June, 2012, vide number G.S.R. 467 (E), dated the 20th June, 2012 and last amended vide notification number 26/2016 – Service Tax, dated the 20th May, 2016 vide number G.S.R. 538, dated the 20th May, 2016.
