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TMI BlogProcedural issues in Service Tax-circular-reg.X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... procedure. This circular aims to consolidate the procedural issues relating to service tax, including those relating to availment and utilization of CENVAT credit. This circular supersedesall previous circulars/clarifications/instructions issued on these subjects. It is, however, clarified that this circular is intended only to clarify the scope of the Act and the rules, and therefore, in the event of any inadvertent inconsistency or contradiction between this circular and the provisions of the Act or the rules, the latter shall prevail. 2. Registration: 2.1 As per the provisions of section 69 of the Act and rule 4 of the Service Tax Rules, 1994 (hereinafter called the Rules), every person providing a taxable service and liable to pay service tax is required to register with the Central Excise/Service Tax department (hereinafter called the department). Further, in a few cases liability to pay service tax has been shifted to the service receiver or other specified person, in terms of section 68(2) of the Act. These cases are: - (i) insurer in case of service provided by insurance agent; (ii) person making payment of freight in such cases where a goods transport ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ides taxable service from more than one premises; (b) receives taxable services in more than one premises; or (c) has more than one premises engaged in relation to such taxable service, may seek centralised registration, provided he does centralised billing or maintains centralised accounting in respect of such taxable services in a premises. In certain cases the centralization can be at the zonal/regional level. In such case, each of such offices is to be registered individually. Such registrations are to be granted by the jurisdictional Commissioner where such offices/establishments are located. 2.6 The registration certificate will be granted by the department, in Form ST-2 , within seven days of filing of an application complete and properly filled up. In case registration certificate is not issued within seven days, the registration is deemed to have been granted. Registration No., also known as 'Service Tax Code (STC)' is a fifteen digit PAN based number. First 10 digits of this number are the same as the PAN of such person. Next two digits are 'ST'. Next three digits are serial numbers indicating the number of registrations taken by the service taxpayer against a co ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... t to his account. Thereafter, a copy of the acknowledgement would be generated for the records of the service taxpayer. Subsequently, the bank would generate copies of challan and send a copy each to the Pay and Accounts Officer (PAO) and the department. 4. Mandatory e-payment of service tax 4.1 The e-payment of service tax has been made mandatory w.e.f . 1.10.2006, (vide sub-rule (2) of rule 6 of the Rules), for all assessees who have paid (in cash plus through CENVAT Credit) a service tax amounting to Rs. 50 lakh or more in the preceding financial year or in the current financial year. The latter type of service taxpayers shall make any further payment of service tax in cash (i.e. other than through credit), only through e-payment. 4.2 In case a taxpayer faces any procedural problems, he may contact the jurisdictional service tax/ central excise office or the jurisdictional Commissioner, who would advise and extend all possible help to the taxpayers to comply with the requirement of mandatory e-payment. At the same time, such taxpayers should expeditiously complete the procedural formalities required at their end for availing of internet banking facility from designated ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... tain relaxations are available. For such service providers, the invoice need not be serially numbered. They are also exempted from mentioning the address of the service receiver. Similar dispensation is available for input service distributors of such type of service providers. 5.4 For providers of taxable service of transport of goods by road (i.e. goods transport agency) the invoice/bill/challan should, in addition to the general information required (i.e. as mentioned in para 5.1), also contain the consignment note number, date and gross weight of the consignment. 5.5 Rule 4B of the Rules prescribes that the goods transport agency shall issue a consignment note, which would be serially numbered and would contain the names of the consignor and consignee, the vehicle registration number, details of goods transported, details of place of origin and destination, and the person (consignor/consignee/goods transport agency) liable to pay service tax. In case of less container load (LCL) cargo, where the goods transport agent is not aware of the vehicle registration number at the time when he receives the goods and issues consignment note, he may mention the non-availability of veh ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ans. On submission of the completed return, a key number and an acknowledgement would be generated by the system along with a copy of Form ST-3 and Challan, which could be printed by the service taxpayer for his records. In case of any difficulty faced in e-filing, the service taxpayer may send an e-mail to the address specified by the Commissioner, explaining the difficulties and if a reply is not received within two days, he may send an e-mail to [email protected] 6.4 Delay in filing of return : The return is required to be filed by the stipulated date as mentioned at para 6.1 above. Delay in filing of return attracts late fee. The late fee presently prescribed vide rule 7C of the Rules, is (a) Rs 500 for delay upto 15 days; (b) Rs 1000 for delay between 15 days and 30 days; and (c) Rs 1000 plus Rs 100 per day beyond 30 days, till the filing of return, not exceeding Rs 2000/-. To avoid late fee, the taxpayer must ensure timely filing of return. In case of returns filed late, the appropriate late fees should be paid at the time of filing the return, without waiting for any communication or notice from the department. Mere non-submission of evidence of payment of late fee ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... the CENVAT Credit Rules, 'output service' means any taxable service provided by the provider of taxable service to the service receiver. Further, the definition of 'provider of taxable service' includes a person liable to pay service tax. Therefore, reading the two definitions in conjunction, it is clear that, to form 'output service', taxable service has to be actually provided by the 'provider of taxable service'. Even if due to a legal fiction, a consignor or a consignee qualifies to fall under the definition of 'a person liable to pay service tax' (and consequently a 'provider of taxable service'), it cannot be said that he has actually provided any taxable service. The service provided by a Goods Transport Agent (GTA) for which the consignor or the consignee is made liable to pay service tax does not become an 'output service' for such consignor or the consignee. Therefore, the service tax payable by the consignor or consignee on transportation of goods by road cannot be paid through credit accumulated by such consignor or consignee. For example, a manufacturer of steel sheets procures duty paid steel ingots as input and avails CENVAT credit of the excise duty paid on ingots. ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... cribe input credit by stating that service used in relation to the clearance from the place of removal and service used for outward transportation upto the place of removal are to be treated as input service. The first clause does not mention transport service in particular. The second clause restricts transport service credit upto the place of removal. When these two clauses are read together, it becomes clear that transport service credit cannot go beyond transport upto the place of removal. The two clauses, the one dealing with general provision and other dealing with a specific item, are not to be read disjunctively so as to bring about conflict to defeat the laws' scheme. The purpose of interpretation is to find harmony and reconciliation among the various provisions". Similarly, in the case of M/s Ultratech Cements Ltd vs CCE Bhavnagar 2007-TOIL-429-CESTAT-AHM, it was held that after the final products are cleared from the place of removal, there will be no scope of subsequent use of service to be treated as input. The above observations and views explain the scope of the relevant provisions clearly, correctly and in accordance with the legal provisions. In conclusion, a ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... up to such place of sale would be admissible if it can be established by the claimant of such credit that the sale and the transfer of property in goods (in terms of the definition as under section 2 of the Central Excise Act, 1944 as also in terms of the provisions under the Sale of Goods Act, 1930) occurred at the said place. 8.3 A doubt has been raised regarding admissibility of CENVAT credit on service tax paid in respect of mobile phones. In the Service Tax Credit Rules, 2002, it was prescribed that credit of service tax was admissible only on telephone connection installed in the business premises. A clarification to this effect was also issued vide circular No. 59/8/2003-ST, dated 20.6.2003, in the context of the Service Tax Credit Rules, 2002. However, in the CENVAT Credit Rules, 2004 no such condition has been prescribed. Therefore, w.e.f. 10.9.2004, credit of service tax paid in respect of mobile telephone service is admissible, provided the mobile phone is used for providing output service or used in or in relation to manufacture of finished goods. 8.4 Input service distributor is an office or premises of the manufacturer or taxable service provider which receives ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ing payment of the service tax amount specified in the notice along with interest and penalty equal to 25% of service tax amount, within thirty days of issue of show cause notice; (ii) and in any other case the person chargeable to service tax, or to whom service tax has been erroneously refunded, may make payment suo moto along with interest, as applicable, and, consequently no Show Cause Notice will be served in respect of the amount so paid. 12.2 Section 83A confers powers on the Central Excise Officer for adjudging a penalty under the provisions of the said Act or the rules made there under. Board has specified monetary limits for adjudication of cases under section 83A of the said Act vide notification No. 30/2005- Service Tax dated 10th August, 2005 . The monetary limits are as follows: S.No Central Excise Officer Amount of service tax or CENVAT credit specified in a notice for the purpose of adjudication under section 83A (1) (2) (3) (1). Assistant Commissioner of Central Excise or Deputy Commissioner of Central Excise Not exceeding Rs. 5 lakh (2). Joint Commissioner of Central Excis ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ing such revisional order is two years from the date on which the original order was passed. However, any issue against which an appeal has been filed by the service taxpayer before Commissioner (Appeals) cannot be revised. Thus, if an order deals with several issues and the party files an appeal only in respect of a few issues, the Commissioner may pass revisional order in respect of only such remaining issues against which an appeal has not been filed by the party. The principles of natural justice shall be followed while passing an order in revision. 14 Appeal provisions 14.1 A service taxpayer aggrieved by any order passed by an adjudicating authority lower than the Commissioner, may file an appeal before the Commissioner (Appeals). Such appeal shall be filed within three months of the communication of the original order to the party. An appeal against an order of the Commissioner, including an order in revision, and against an order of the Commissioner (Appeals) lies with the Appellate Tribunal (CESTAT). 15. Other frequently asked question on procedural issues 15.1 For other frequently asked questions on procedural issues, the information available on web-sit ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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