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Abatement reduced in certain cases in respect of builders & developers of complex, building or civil structure

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Notification No. 2/2013-ST dated 1st March, 2013 By this Notification, abatement available to developers of complex, buildings or civil structures is being reduced from the existing 75% to 70% in following cases:-

• Residential properties having a carpet area above 2000 sq. ft. and where the amount charged is equal to or more than Rs. 1 crore,

• Commercial properties. This notification is applicable from 1st March, 2013.

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Service Tax Return ST-3 for July to September 2012 & due date notified Notification No. 1/2013-ST dated 22-02-2013 & Order No. 01/2013 dated 6th March, 2013

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By this Notification, has been released, Form No.ST-3 for filing of Service Tax return alongwith instructions to fill up the Form for the period July 2012 to September 2012. Due date for filing of ST-3 was notified as 25th March, 2013 which was then extended to 15th April 2013 by promulgating Order no. 01/2013.

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Profession Tax – uploading of PAN/TAN etc. Trade Circular No. 6T of 2013 dated 01-10-2013

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All the PTRC and PTEC holders are requested to fill the details in “Profession Tax Information Form” and upload the form on website www.mahavat.gov. in . Detailed procedure is explained in the circular.

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Procedure for cross check of transactions of the sellers who have filed incomplete Annexure J1 for the FY 2009-10 and 2010-11

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Internal Circular No.9A of 2013 dated 19-08-2013

Commissioner has given instructions regarding cross check of transactions who have filed incomplete Annexure J1 for FY 2009-10 & 2010-11.
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Correction of mistakes made by the dealers — Miscellaneous refunds of excess payment of taxes — Trade Circular 17T of 2011, dated 25-11-2011.

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This Circular lays down the procedure for correction of mistakes made while making e-payment of taxes by dealers due to mention of wrong TIN or wrong Act or wrong period. It also lays down procedure for miscellaneous refunds due to double payment of taxes or excess payment of taxes.
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Amendments in Schedules A, C and D w.e.f. 1-4-2012 — Notification No. VAT.1512/ C.R.40/Taxation-1 of MVAT Act, 2002, dated 31-3-2012.

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Vide this Notification amendments have been carried to entries in Schedule A, C & D.

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Rate of reduction in set-off in case of branch transfer — Notification No. VAT-1512/CR-43/ Taxation-1, dated 31-3-2012.

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From 1st April, 2012 in case of branch transfer that when goods are transferred from Maharashtra State to branch in other State then the set-off on the corresponding purchase of taxable goods will be reduced by 4% as against 2% till then.

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Profession Tax Act, 1975 — Procedure for online submission of application for obtaining registration and enrolment — Trade Circular No. 5T of 2012, dated 31-3-2012.

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From 1st April, 2012 application for registration (PTRC) and enrolment (PTEC) under the Profession Tax Act should be electronically uploaded in ‘Form I’ and ‘Form II’, respectively.

Remaining processes of obtaining registration/ enrolment such as verification of documents, etc. will remain the same. Manually filled forms will not be accepted on or after 1st April 2012 except for non-resident employer/person and Government departments. Procedure for online application has been explained in the Circular.

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Electronic refund of service tax paid on taxable services used for export of goods — Circular No. 156/7/2012-ST, dated 9-4-2012.

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By this Circular it has been announced that a Committee has been constituted to review the scheme for electronic refund of service tax paid on taxable services used for export of goods, made operational vide Notification 52/2011-ST, dated 30th December, 2011.

 The Committee has been instructed, as a part of the review, to

(a) evolve a scientific approach for the fixation of rates in the schedule of rates for service tax refund; and

(b) propose a revised schedule of rates for service tax refund, taking into account the revision of rate of service tax from 10 to 12% and also movement towards ‘Negative List’ approach to taxation of services. The Committee will submit its report before 20-6-2012. Views and suggestions may be posted at the e-mail address: feedbackonestr@gmail.com.

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Point of Taxation Rules — Clarification reg. airline tickets — Circular No. 155/6/2012-ST, dated 9-4-2012.

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In view of reports that some airlines are collecting differential service tax on tickets issued before 1st April 2012 for journey after 1st April 2012, causing inconvenience to passengers, this Circular clarifies that Rule 4 of the Point of Taxation Rules 2011 deals with the situations of change in effective rate of tax. In case of airline industry, the ticket so issued in any form is recognised as an invoice by virtue of proviso to Rule 4A of the Service Tax Rules 1994. Usually in case of online ticketing and counter sales by the airlines, the payment for the ticket is received before the issuance of the ticket. Rule 4(b)(ii) of the Point of Taxation Rules 2011 addresses such situations and accordingly the point of taxation shall be the date of receipt of payment or date of issuance of invoice, whichever is earlier.

Thus the service tax shall be charged @10% subject to applicable exemptions plus cesses in case of tickets issued before 1-4-2012 when the payment is received before 1-4-2012. In case of sales through agents (IATA or otherwise including online sales and sales through GSA), when the relationship between the airlines and such agents is that of principal and agent in terms of the Indian Contract Act, 1872, the payment to the agent is considered as payment to the principal.

Accordingly, as per Rule 4(b)(ii), the point of taxation shall be the date of receipt of payment or date of issuance of invoice, whichever is earlier. However, to the extent airlines have already collected extra amount as service tax and do not refund the same to the customers, such amount will be required to be paid to the credit of the Central Government u/s.73A of the Finance Act 1994 (as amended).

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Point of Taxation Rules — Clarification reg. individuals or proprietorships, partnerships, eight specified services — Circular No. 154/5/2012-ST, dated 28-3-2012.

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It has been clarified that for invoices issued on or before 31st March 2012, the point of taxation shall continue to be governed by the Rule 7 as it stands till the said date. Thus in respect of invoices issued on or before 31st March 2012 the point of taxation shall be the date of payment.

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Clarifications w.r.t. goods specified in registration certificate vis-à-vis in declaration/ certificate under CST Act, 1956: Trade Cir. No.22T of 2012. Dated 26.11.2012

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It is clarified that the application for declaration under CST Act should not to be rejected only because nomenclature of the goods stated in such application does not exactly match with nomenclature of the goods mentioned in the registration record. If the goods mentioned in such application match with the class or classes of goods as mentioned in the certificate of registration, then declaration can be issued without any need to carry out the amendments to CST registration certificate.
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Cancellation of assessment order u/s. 23(11): Trade Circular No.21T of 2012 dated 26.11.2012

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It has been clarified that the application u/s. 23 (11) for cancellation of assessment order cannot be rejected if the order has been passed u/ss. (3A) of section 23, because even though the order has been passed within the extended time period, it is required to be made u/ss. (2) and (3).
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Refund through Electronic Clearance Service (ECS) Trade Cir.No.-20T of 2012 dated 19.11.2012

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It is clarified that ECS facility for remittance of refund will be optional for dealers in Greater Mumbai & that to avail the benefits of ECS, it would be mandatory to submit the mandate form physically.
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Clarification w.r.t. occurrence of due date on Sunday or public holiday: Trade Circular No.19T of 2012 dated 9.11.2012

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It is clarified that, if the due date for any payments or submissions falls on Sunday or a public holiday, then such payments or submissions can be done on the next working day immediately following the due date and the same will be considered as within due date and consequently no penal actions would be taken and no interest would be levied.
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Restoration of old service specific accounting codes for service tax payment: Circular No.165/16/2012 –ST dtd. 20.11.2012

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To avoid practical difficulties and for the purpose of Statistical Analysis, CBEC has restored Service Specific Accounting codes for payment of service tax and for obtaining service tax registration. Accordingly, a list of 120 descriptions of services for the purpose of registration and accounting codes corresponding to each description of service for payment of tax is provided in the annexure to this Circular. A specific sub-head has been created for payment of “penalty” under various descriptions of services and the sub-head “other receipts” is meant only for payment of interest payable on delayed payment of service tax.

It is also provided that where registrations have already been obtained under the description ‘All Taxable Services’, the taxpayer is required to file amendment application online in ACES and opt for relevant description/s from the list of 120 descriptions of services given in the Annexure.

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Pandals, Shamiana liable to tax-clarification Circular No. 168/3 /2013 – ST dated 15 04 2013

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The CBEC clarified that the activity by way of erection of pandal or shamiana is a declared service under Section 66E 8(f) of the Finance Act, 1994.

It is further clarified that for a transaction to be regarded as “transfer of right to use goods”, the transfer has to be coupled with possession. Court rulings have upheld that when the effective control and possession is with the supplier, there is no transfer of right to use. It is a service of preparation of a place to hold a function or event & effective possession and control over the pandal or shamiana remains with the service provider, even after the erection is complete. Accordingly, services provided by way of erection of pandal or shamiana would attract the levy of service tax.

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ST-3 for July to September 2012 -due date extended Order No. 02/2013 –ST dated 12-04-213

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By this Order, due date for submission of the Service Tax Return in Form ST-3 for the period 1st July 2012 to 30th September 2012 has been extended from 15th April, 2013 to 30th April, 2013.

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Last date for physical submission of audit report in Form 704 for FY 2011-2012 Trade Cir. No 2T of 2013 dated 15-1-2013

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It is clarified that besides e filing of the audit report in form 704 on or before 15-1-2013, dealer should also submit physical copy of Part-I of Form 704 along with certification duly signed by the auditor, signed copy of acknowledgement of e filing of Form 704 and the statement of submission of audit report on or before 28th January, 2013.

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Non levy of penalty for filing delayed audit reports by developers

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Trade Cir. No 1T of 2013 dated 4-1-2013 It has been clarified that the developers who have obtained registrations up to 15th October 2012, filed returns and paid taxes due up to 31st October 2012 and who file the audit reports in Form 704 on or before 15th January 2013 for all the past periods i.e. from 2006-07 to 31-3-2012 shall not be subjected to penalty u/s 61(2) of MVAT Act, 2002. It has also been clarified that the audit report u/s. 61 in Form no. 704 for all periods up to 2011-12 is to be filed electronically.

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Notification No. VAT/AMD-1012/1B/Adm-8 dated 20.11.2012

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By this Notification, amendments are made in the Maharashtra Value Added Tax Rules, 2005 making various insertions and substitutions in VAT return forms numbered 231, 232, 233, 234, & 235.

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Mega Exemption Notification amended Notification No. 49/2012 – Service Tax dated 24th December, 2012

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Notification no.25/2012-Service Tax, dated the 20th June, 2012, regarding mega exemption has been amended by adding that services of life insurance business provided under the schemes of Janashree Bima Yojana (JBY) and Aam Aadmi Bima Yojana (AABY) are exempted u/s. 66B.

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Notices/Reminder letters for renewal premium to life insurance policyholders are not invoices

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Circular No.166/1 /2013

ST It is clarified that reminder letters/notices being issued to the life insurance policyholders to pay renewal premiums are not invoices within the meaning of Rule 4A of the Service Tax Rules, 1994 and consequently, no tax point arises on account of issuance of such reminders and hence, it would not invite levy of Service Tax.

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No service tax on transportation of milk within India by rail or a vessel. Circular No.167/2 /2013 – ST dated 1st January, 2013

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The expression ‘foodstuff’ specified in the exemption Notification No. 25/2012-ST dated 20-6-2012 would cover ‘milk’ and hence, no service tax will be applicable on transportation within India of milk by rail or vessel .

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Internal Circular No.1A OF 2013 dated 11-01- 2013

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By this Circular, the Commissioner has given instructions to all the departmental officers regarding procedure for cross check for 2008-09 period.
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Clarification on service tax on restaurant services – Circular No. 173/8/2013-ST dtd. 7th October 2013

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Vide this Circular, the CBEC has provided clarifications on various doubts and questions raised pertaining to Restaurant Services as amended w.e.f. 01-04-2013.

With reference to a complex where air -onditioned as well as non-air conditioned restaurants are operational but food is sourced from the common kitchen, it is clarified that services provided in relation to serving of food or beverages by a restaurant, eating joint or mess, having the facility of air-conditioning or central air-heating in any part of the establishment, at any time during the year attracts service tax. In a complex, if there is more than one restaurant, which are clearly demarcated and separately named but food is sourced from a common kitchen, only the service provided in the specified restaurant is liable to service tax and service provided in a non air-conditioned or non-centrally air- heated restaurant will not be liable to service tax. In such cases, service provided in the non air-conditioned /non-centrally air-heated restaurant will be treated as exempted service and credit entitlement will be as per the Cenvat Credit Rules.

With reference to a hotel, if services are provided by a specified restaurant in other areas e.g. swimming pool or an open area attached to the restaurant, it is clarified that services provided by specified (i.e. only which are covered as taxable) restaurant in other areas of the hotel are liable to service tax.

With reference to whether service tax is leviable on goods sold on MRP basis across the counter as part of the bill/invoice, it is clarified that if goods are sold on MRP basis (fixed under the Legal Metrology Act), they have to be excluded from total amount for the determination of value of service portion.

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Clarification regarding service tax on educational services

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Circular No. 172/7/2013-ST Dtd. 19th September 2013

Tax Research Unit of CBEC has issued clarification circular in respect of taxability of services provided to educational institutions. The Circular is broadly based on the clause (I) of section 66D of the Finance Act and the Mega Exemption Notification No.25/2012-ST dated 20th June, 2012. Circular notes that there are many services provided to an educational institution which are described as auxiliary education services and they have been defined in the exemption itself. It is clarified that such services provided to an educational institution are exempt from service tax. For example, if a school or a college hires a bus from a transport operator in order to ferry students to and from school or college, the transport services provided by the transport operator to the school are exempt by virtue of the specific notification. Similarly, services in relation to hostels, house–keeping, security services, canteen etc shall be exempt from levy of service tax.

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Temporary exemption to some services in Uttarakhand

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Ad-hoc Exemption Order No. 1/1/2013 dtd. 17th September, 2013

Exemption for Uttarakhand Viewing recent natural calamities occurred in the State of Uttarakhand, the Central Govt. vide this Exemption Order has exempted the taxable services namely (a) Renting of a rooms in a hotel, inn, guest house, club, camp site or other commercial place meant for residential or lodging purposes ; and (b) Services provided in relation to serving of food or beverages by a restaurant, eating joint or mess from the whole of the Service Tax leviable thereon during the period from 17th September, 2013 to 31st March, 2014.

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Amnesty Scheme notified Notification No. 10/2013 –ST Dated 13-05-2013 & Circular no. 169/4/2013 – ST dated 13-05-2013

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Service Tax Voluntary Compliance Encouragement Scheme, 2013 (STVCES) has been introduced by the Finance Act, 2013 to encourage the voluntary compliance and broaden the tax base in Service Tax. By this Notification and Circular, the “Service Tax Voluntary Compliance Encouragement Rules, 2013” have been introduced and clarifications have been issued.

Gist of the Rules is as under:-

(1) Every person who wishes to make a declaration under the Scheme shall take the registration, if not already registered;

(2) The declaration shall be made in respect of Tax Dues under the Scheme in Form VCES-1;

(3) Designated Authority shall issue an acknowledgment in Form VCES-2 within a period of seven working days;

(4) The tax dues shall be paid to the credit of Central Government. However, CENVAT Credit cannot be utilised for payment of service tax under this Scheme;

(5) Designated Authority shall issue an acknowledgment of discharge in Form VCES-3, within a period of seven days from the date of furnishing of details of payment of tax dues in full along with interest, if any.

(6) Beside interest and penalty, immunity would also be available from any other proceeding under the Finance Act, 1994 and Rules made thereunder.

(7) Tax dues in respect of which any show cause notice or order of determination u/s. 72, section 73 or section 73A has been issued or which pertains to the same issue for the subsequent period are excluded from the ambit of this Scheme.

VAT UPDATE

Furnishing Cloth exempted in the course of intere state sale :
CST Notification No. CST /1413/CR 48/Taxation -1 . Dated 30.03.2013

By this notification, sale of furnishing cloth notified under Schedule Entry C-101 of MVAT Act, 2002 , made exempt in the course of interstate sale from CST with effect from 01-04-2013.

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Abatement rate in Construction Activity Services amended :

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Notification No. 9/2013 ST dated 08-05-2013

By this Notification the existing Notification No. 26/2012 ST dated 20-06-2012 has been amended to remove the ambiguity prevailing on the rate of abatement of service tax on construction of residential units, to provide the rate of abatement in the case of construction of a complex, building, civil structure or a part thereof in the following manner:

(a) Service tax has to be paid on 25% value of a residential unit if the following two conditions are fulfilled cumulatively : (i) the carpet area of the unit is less than 2,000 sq. ft.; and (ii) the amount charged for the unit is less than Rs. 1 crore;

(b) In other cases, service tax will be paid on 30% of the value of a complex, building, or civil structure.

It is also reconfirmed that the above abatement would be available only if the (1) CENVAT credit on inputs used for providing the service has not been availed & (2) the value of land is included in the amount charged to the Service recipient.

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Due date for Return ST-3 for the period October 2012 to March 2013 extended :

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Order No. 03/2013 –ST dated 23-04-2013

The above referred date has been extended from 25th April, 2013 to 31st August, 2013.

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Exemption to Exporters against Focus Product Scheme Scrips, Focus Market Scheme, Vishesh Krishi & Gram Udyog Yojana :

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Notification Nos. 06/2013, 07/2013 & 08/2013 – Service Tax dated 18-04-2013

To promote exports from India, the Government of India had announced certain schemes like Focus Market Scheme, Focus Product Scheme and Vishesh Krishi and Gram Udyog Yojana under the Foreign Trade Policy. Under these schemes, export incentives are allowed to eligible exporters in the form of duty credit scrip at prescribed percentage of the value of goods and services exported.

Vide these notifications, exemption has been provided to services provided or agreed to be provided against duty credit scrip by a person located in taxable territory to a scrip holder subject to certain conditions specified therein.

These duty credit scrips were earlier used only for procuring duty free goods from overseas or domestic market subject to available duty credit. However, now these duty credit scrips can be used for payment of service tax on procurement of services within the legal framework of the aforesaid service tax exemption notifications. Further, a holder of the scrip shall be entitled to avail of drawback or CENVAT credit of the service tax debited in the scrips as per the rules specified in the aforesaid notifications.

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Notification No VAT 1512/CR-139/Taxation-1 Dated 21.11.2012

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The Government of Maharashtra has issued Notification dated 21.11.2012 amending the Maharashtra Value Added Tax Rules, 2005 thereby extending the period for submission of MVAT Audit report u/s. 61 of the MVAT Act, 2002 from Eight Months to Nine months and fifteen days from the end of the year to which report relates.
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Appeal filing Forms ST-5, ST-6 & ST-7 amended Notification No. 5/2013 – ST dated 10th April, 2013

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By this Notification, Service Tax Rules, 1944 have been amended which may be called Service Tax (Second Amendment) Rules, 2013 effective from 1st June, 2013. Under the amended Rules Form ST-5, ST-6 & ST-7 for filing appeal to Appellate Tribunal have been amended.

MVAT UPDATE

Mvat Notifications
Notification No. VAT-1513/CR-46(1)/Taxation-1 dated 30-03-2013

Vide this notification various amendments have been effected in Schedules A, B, C and D with effect from 01-04-2013.

Notification No VAT.1513/CR 46(7)/Taxation -1 dated 04-04-2013

By this notification, MVAT rate has been increased from 1% to 1.1% for sale of diamonds, articles made of precious metals and precious metal for the financial year 2013-2014. For pearls, precious stones and semiprecious stones, the MVAT rate continues to remain at 1%.

LA BILL XI OF 2013

Introduction of Maharashtra Tax Laws [Levy and Amendment] Bill, 2013, thereby providing amendments to the Maharashtra Stamp Act, the Maharashtra Value Added Tax Act, 2002 and the Maharashtra Tax on Lotteries Act, 2006.

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Service tax refund to exporters through the Indian Central EDI System (ICES) — Circular No. 149/18/2011-ST, dated 16-12-2011.

Vide this Circular, the Government has proposed to introduce a simplified scheme for electronic re-fund of service tax (STR) to exporter of goods on the line of duty drawback. According to this new scheme, exporters have two options i.e., (i) either they can opt for electronic refund through ICES (Indian Custom EDI System) system, which is based on the ‘schedule of rates’ (to be notified shortly) or (ii) they can opt for refund on the basis of docu-ments, by approaching the Central Excise/Service Tax formations. To obtain benefit under the new electronic STR scheme, an exporter should have a bank account and also a Central Excise registration or service tax code number and the same should be registered with Customs ICES using specified ‘Annexure-A’ Form and an exporter should declare his option to avail STR on the electronic shipping bill while presenting the same to the proper officer of the Customs.

Exemption for services provided by certain associations of dying units — Notification No. 42/2011- Service Tax, dated 25-7-2011.

The above Notification has exempted the club and association services provided in relation to ‘project’ by an ‘association of dyeing units’. The term ‘project’ is explained as common facility set up for treatment and recycling of effluents and solid waste discharged by dyeing units, with financial assistance from the Central or State Government.

Clarification on Completion of Service under Point of Taxation Rules — Circular No. 144/13/2011-ST, dated 18-7-2011.

The Service Tax Rules and Point of Taxation Rules require the assessee to issue an invoice within 14 days of Completion of Service (COS), but the term COS is not clearly defined anywhere, hence CBEC has come up with clarification vide this Circular.

Accordingly, COS would not just mean physical completion of work, but would also include completion of some other auxiliary activities and basic formalities like quality testing, etc. which are pre-requisites to arrive at the invoiceable figure.

E returns in Profession Tax — Notification VAT/AMD.1010/IB/PT/Adm-6, dated 14-7-2011.

With effect from 1st August, 2011, every dealer holding Professional Tax Registration Certificate shall pay the tax in Challan MTR6 and file the electronic return in Form IIIB in respect of period from 1st April, 2006.

Due date for payment of Profession Tax extended — Notification No. PFT/2011/Adm – 29/NTF, dated 13-7-2011.

For the year 2011-12, due date for payment of Profession Tax has been extended from 30th June, 2011 to 31st August, 2011 for the tax payable by an enrolled person who has already enrolled on or before 31st May, 2011.

3 more banks can collect VAT — Notification No. VAT.1511/C.R.94/Taxation 1, dated 22-7-2011.

By this Notification, three more banks, namely, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Vijaya Bank and Andhra Bank have been added to collect MVAT & CST w.e.f. 22-7-2011.

PTEC & PTRC not applicable to Mathadi Mandal, Mathadi Kamdar — Trade Circular 12T of 2011, dated 3-8-2011.

By this Circular it is clarified that Profession Tax is not applicable to Mathadi Mandal, Mathadi Kamdar and Hamal.