Chartered Accountant
Bookmark and Share
click here to subscribe our newsletter
 
 
Corporate News *   CBIC issues draft rules for Customs valuation *  Top Headlines: Threshold for Benami deals, green bond investors, and more *  Govt aims 1-hour clearance for goods at all ports *  Exporters Allowed To Use RoDTEP, RoSCTL Scrips To Pay Customs Duty, Transfer Them; Rules Amended *  Millions of labourers to be affected by brick producers’ strike over hike in GST, coal rates *  Inauguration of ‘kendriya GST parisar’ *  Transporter can seek Release of Conveyance alone, not Goods under GST Act: Madras HC *  GST: Quoting of DIN Mandatory for Responding to Notice, Govt Modifies Portal *  Firms can soon file claims for GST credits of ?400 cr *  CBIC issues modalities for filing transitional credit under GST. *  Mumbai: Man creates 36 fake GST firms, arrested for input tax credit fraud of Rs 23 cr *  Report to restructure Commerce Ministry under study; idea is to set up trade promotion body: Goyal *  Firms can soon file claims for GST credits of ?400 cr *  Gambling Alert! Govt May Levy Up To 28% GST; UP, Bengal Back Move *  EPFO backs raising retirement age to ease pressure on pension funds *  India Moving Up Power Scale, Set to Become Third Largest Economy By 2030 *  Airfares Get Expensive: What Changes for Flyers From Today? *  IRCTC Latest News: Passengers to Pay More For Cancelling Confirmed Rail Tickets Soon. *  IBC prevails over Customs Act, says Supreme Court. *  As GST enters sixth year, a time for evaluation and reassessment *  There’s GST on daily essentials as Centre needs money to buy MLAs: Arvind Kejriwal *  Now, GST on cancellation of confirmed train tickets, hotel bookings *  GST kitty for top States could rise 20% in FY23, says Crisil *  French customs officials seize another cargo vessel over Russia sanctions *  TradeLens builds on Asia momentum with Pakistan Customs deal *  Hike tax on tobacco, reduce affordability & increase revenue: Civil society organizations to GST council *  Bihar: ?10 crore tax evasion on tobacco products detected in raids *  Centre failed on GST, COVID; would it be anti-national? Rajan on Infosys row *  Service Tax not Chargeable on Income Tax TDS portion paid by recipient: CESTAT grants relief to TVS *  Foreign portfolio investors make net investment of Rs 7575cr in Sep so far
Subject News *  Run-up to Budget: Monetary threshold for GST offences may rise to Rs 25 cr *   GST (Tax) E-invoice Must For Businesses With Over Rs 5 Crore Annual Turnover *   Both Central GST and excise duty can be imposed on tobacco, rules Karnataka high court *   CBIC Issues Clarification On Extended Timelines For GST Compliance *   CBIC Issues Clarification On Extended Timelines For GST Compliance *  Budget 2023- 9.6 crore gas connections *  GST: Tamil Nadu Issues Instructions for Assessment and Adjudication Proceedings *  GST: CBIC Extends Last Date for filing of ITC *  GST collection in September surpasses Rs 1.4 lakh crore for straight seventh time *  Dollar smuggling case: Customs chargesheet names M Sivasankar as key conspirator. *  Hike in GST rates fuels inflation *  Assam: CBI arrests GST commissioner in Guwahati *  GST fraud worth ?824cr by 15 insurance Cos detected *  India proposes 15% customs duties on 22 items imported from UK *  Decriminalising certain offences under GST on cards *  Surge in GST collections more due to higher inflation: India Ratings *  MNRE Notifies BCD and Hike in GST Rates as ‘Change in Law’ Events But With a Condition | Mercom India *   Solar projects awarded before customs duty change allowed cost pass-through *  Rajasthan High Court Dismisses Writ Petitions Challenging Levy Of GST On Royalty *   GST revenue in September likely at Rs 1.45 lakh crore *  Govt working on decriminalising certain offences under GST, lower compounding charge *  Building an institution like GST Council takes time, trashing is easy: Sitharaman *  GST collections in Sept may touch ?1.5 lakh crore *  KTR asks Centre to withdraw GST on handlooms *  After Gameskraft, More Online Gaming Startups To Receive GST Tax Claims *  Madras HC: AAR Application Filed Under VAT Does Not Survive After GST Enactment *  Threshold for criminal offences under GST law may be raised *  Bengaluru: Gaming company faces biggest GST notice of Rs 21,000 crore *  CBIC clarifies Classification of Cranes for GST, Customs Duty *  Customs seize gold hidden in bicycle in Kerala airport  

Comments

Print   |    |  Comment

PJ/CASE LAW/2015-16/2596

Whether credit deniable on the ground that advertising agency engaged broadcasting agency to broadcast advertisement?

Case:-INDIAN OIL CORPORATION LTD. Vs COMMISSIONER OF C. EX., MUMBAI-II

Citation:-2014 (36) S.T.R. 833 (Tri. - Mumbai)

Brief Facts:- 
The appeal is directed against Order-in-Original No. 03/Commr/M-II/2012, dated 15-6-2012 passed by the Commissioner of Central Excise, Mumbai-II.
The appellant, M/s. Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., is a Public Sector Undertaking engaged in the manufacture of petroleum products. The applicant engaged the services of four advertising agencies for preparing the advertisements for their products. The advertising agencies further engaged the services of Times Global Broadcasting Co. Ltd. for broadcasting the advertisements. The broadcasting company paid Service Tax in respect of taxable service provided by them and recovered the amounts from the advertising agencies. The advertising agency also raised invoices in favour of the applicant. The appellant availed credit in respect of the Service Tax paid on the taxable service of broadcasting done by Times Global Broadcasting Co. Ltd. The Revenue issued show cause notice for denial of such credit. The adjudicating authority denied the credit on the ground that the broadcasting company has not provided service directly to the appellant since the broadcasting company was engaged by the advertising agency. The adjudicating authority confirmed the demand and imposed penalty.

Appellant Contentions:- The contention of the appellant is that it is the product of the appellant which is being advertised by the broadcasting company and the broadcasting company issued invoices specifically mentioning advertiser as the applicant. Therefore the services have been rendered to the appellant. The appellant also relied upon Board’s Circular, dated 1-11-1996 where it has been clarified that the advertising agency is liable to pay Service Tax in respect of the preparation of advertisement material and the amount paid in respect of advertisement in the newspapers or in the electronic media will not be includible in the value of taxable services for the purpose of levy of Service Tax. The contention is that as the invoices issued by the broadcasting company specifically mentioned the advertiser as the appellant; therefore the credit cannot be denied. The learned Counsel for the appellant further submits that subsequent to the present demand, three more show cause notices were issued vide notices dated 6-7-2012, 9-4-2013 and 18-1-2013 proposing to deny Service Tax credit on the Broadcasting Services availed by the appellant for the period April, 11 to December, 2012. These three show cause notices were adjudicated by the same Commissioner who vide order No. 12-14/RN/COMMR/M-II/2013-14, dated 30-9-2013 dropped the proceedings by holding that Broadcasting Services availed by the appellant is an input service and appellant has borne the tax incidence of such services availed; the service of advertising agency and broadcasting service are separate; the invoices have been raised on the appellant charging Service Tax; the appellant had borne the incidence of Service Tax and therefore, they are rightly entitled for benefit of credit of Service Tax paid. This order, according to the Counsel, has been accepted by the Department as they have not challenged the same. In view of the above, the impugned order holding a contrary view is clearly not sustainable in law.

Respondent Contentions:-The Revenue relied upon the findings of the adjudicating authority and submitted that the broadcasters were engaged by the advertising agencies; therefore it cannot be said that the applicant engaged the broadcasters for advertisement in the electronic media. The credit of Service Tax paid by the broadcasting agency is available to the advertising agency engaged by the applicant and not to the applicant. The learned Commissioner (AR) further submits that reliance placed on Board’s Circular, dated 1-11-1996 is not relevant because broadcasting service was not taxable when the said circular was issued and, therefore, the clarification given by the Board in the said circular would not apply. It is his further contention that the appellant has not received the broadcasting service directly but through the advertising agency. Therefore, the broadcasting service should be treated as an input service to advertising agency and, therefore, the appellant is not eligible for the Cenvat credit of Service Tax paid on broadcasting service.

Reasoning of Judgment:- The Tribunal have gone through the copies of sample invoices produced by the applicant, issued by Times Global Broadcasting Co. Ltd. In the invoices it is specifically mentioned that the advertiser is Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (applicant). Further, we find that the advertising agencies while discharging the service tax liability have not taken into consideration the expenses in respect of the advertisement in the electronic media as clarified by the Board in the circular, dated 1-11-1996. For ready reference, the relevant portion of the Board’s Circular is reproduced below :-
It is further to be clarified that in relation to advertising agency, the Service Tax is to be computed on the gross amount charged by the advertising agency from the client for services in relation to advertisements. This would, no doubt, include the gross amount charged by the agency from the client for making or preparing the advertisement material, irrespective of the fact that the advertising agency directly undertakes the making or preparation of advertisement or gets it done through another person. However, the amount paid, excluding their own commission, by the advertising agency for space and time in getting the advertisement published in the print media (i.e. Newspapers, periodicals etc.) or the electronic media (Doordarshan, private TV Channels, AIR etc.) will not be includible in the value of taxable service for the purpose of levy of Service Tax. The commission received by the advertising agency would, however, be includible in the value of taxable service.
We observe that there is no dispute in the present case that the broadcasting of advertisement has been done on behalf of the appellant and the bills have also been raised on the appellant and the appellant has borne the incidence of Service Tax on the broadcasting service. Further, while passing the order, dated 30-9-2013, the adjudicating authority has caused verification of the transactions undertaken by the appellant in respect of broadcasting services and advertising agency services. After verifying that the appellant had availed both the services and has also borne the incidence of Service Tax, he came to the conclusion that the appellant is rightly eligible for the benefit of the Cenvat credit of the Service Tax paid on broadcasting service. The same ratio shall apply for the previous period also. Therefore, we do not find any merit in the impugned order. Accordingly, we set aside the same and allow the appeal with consequential relief, if any, in accordance with law.

Decision:-Appeal Allowed.

Comment:- The crux of the case is that if the assessee engages an advertising agency for advertisement service & the advertising company further engages an broadcasting company to broadcast the advertisements, then definitely advertisement is done on behalf of appellant & bills will also be raised on assessee mentioning that advertiser was assessee and so incidence of service tax is indirectly borne by assessee. Moreover, as there is no doubt as regards availment of advertising service by the appellant and payment of service tax by them, the benefit of credit cannot be denied. 

Prepared By: Meet Jain

Department News


Query

 
PRADEEP JAIN, F.C.A.

Head Office : -

Address :
"SUGYAN", H - 29, SHASTRI NAGAR, JODHPUR (RAJ.) - 342003

Phone No. :
0291 - 2439496, 0291 - 3258496

Mobile No. :
09314722236

Fax No. :0291 - 2439496


Branch Office : -

Address:
1008, 10th FLOOR, SUKH SAGAR COMPLEX,
NEAR FORTUNE LANDMARK HOTEL, USMANPURA,
ASHRAM ROAD, AHMEDABAD-380013

Phone No. :
079-32999496, 27560043

Mobile No. :
093777659496, 09377649496

E-mail :pradeep@capradeepjain.com