Page 128 - DCOM308_DCOM502_INDIRECT_TAX_LAWS
P. 128

Unit 7: Collection and Recovery of Service Tax and Assessment Procedure




                                                                                                Notes
             Further,  the  Board's  Circular  No.  97/6/2007  (sic)  97/8/2007-ST,  dated  23-8-2007
             contemplates compliance of  certain conditions where the  sale  has taken  place at  the
             destination point. These conditions are as follows:-
             (i)  the ownership of goods and the property in the goods remained with the seller of
                 the goods till the delivery of the goods in acceptable condition to the purchaser at
                 his door step;
             (ii)  the seller  bore the  risk of loss of  or damage  to the  goods during transit to the
                 destination; and
             (iii)  the freight charges were an integral part of the price of goods.
             The circular provides that if aforesaid conditions are satisfied, the credit of the service tax
             paid on the transportation up to such place of sale would be admissible.
             The first requirement was fulfilled because:
             (i)  the supply of cement by appellant to its customer was 'FOR destination',

             (ii)  the freight up to the door step of the customer was borne by the appellant, and
             (iii)  the service tax on the freight charges was paid by the appellant.
             Moreover, for transportation purposes insurance cover has also been taken by the appellant
             which further shows that the ownership of the goods and the property in the goods has not
             been transferred to the seller till the delivery of the goods in acceptable condition to the
             purchaser at his door step. Accordingly, the second condition also stood fulfilled.
             Since, the delivery of the goods is "FOR destination' price, the third condition that the
             freight charges were integral part of the excisable goods also stood fulfilled.
             In view of above discussion, the High Court opined that the questions of law deserved to
             be answered in favour of the assessee-appellant and against the Revenue. Hence, it held
             that the assessee was entitled to the credit of the service tax paid on the freight up to the
             door steps of the customer.

          Source:  http://220.227.161.86/20925frpubcd_bos1.pdf

          7.7 Summary

              The Centre had, in Budget 2011-12, announced a shift in the basis of collection of service
               tax from receipt basis to an accrual basis with effect from April 1.
              The Finance Ministry’s decision to review this move comes in the wake of representations
               from many industry associations, who have suggested that status quo be maintained and
               service tax collections be continued on receipt basis.
              The Finance Act of 1997 further extended the scope of service tax to cover a larger number
               of services rendered by the following service providers, from the dates indicated against
               each of them.

              The  unique feature  of Service  Tax is reliance on  collection of  tax, primarily  through
               voluntary compliance.
               Government has from the very beginning adopted a flexible approach concerning Service
               Tax administration so that the assessees and the general public gain faith and trust in the
               tax measure so that voluntary tax compliance, one of the avowed objectives of the Citizens
               Charter, is achieved. Substantive and procedural liberalization measures, adopted over




                                           LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY                                   123
   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133