27 July 2025
Great question! Here’s how you can substantiate whether TDS on **payment towards exhibition stall** should be deducted under **Section 194C (Contractor)** or **Section 194I (Rent)**:
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### 1. **Section 194I (Rent of Property):**
* Applies when payment is made for **renting immovable property** like land, building, or a part thereof. * Exhibition stall could be considered **rent** if you are essentially paying for the **use or occupation of a space/area** (like a hall or stall area) owned by the organizer. * If the payment is for **leasing the physical space** to put up your exhibition stall, then **194I applies**.
### 2. **Section 194C (Payment to Contractor):**
* Applies when payment is made for **work or services**, including supply of labor or services connected with execution of a contract. * If the exhibition organizer is providing **services related to setting up, arranging, or managing the stall**, and the payment is more for **services than rent of space**, then **194C may apply**.
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### How to substantiate?
* Check the **agreement/invoice** terms:
* Is it described as **“rent” or “license fee” for space**? → **194I applies** * Or is it described as **“service charges”, “stall setup”, or “management fees”**? → **194C applies**
* The **nature of transaction** matters:
* Merely paying for **use of space → Rent (194I)** * Paying for **services related to the stall → Contractor (194C)**
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### Practical note:
* Usually, **exhibition stall charges are treated as rent of space** and TDS is deducted under **Section 194I**. * However, if you are paying for **service contracts**, such as installation or managing the stall, TDS under **194C** is more appropriate.
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### You can substantiate your position by:
* Referring to the **CBDT Circulars/Clarifications** on TDS applicability on rent vs. contractor payments. * Referring to the **terms of contract** to show the primary nature of the transaction. * Checking how the vendor has classified the invoice.
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If you want, I can draft a note or explanation for your team based on this to help you substantiate it clearly! Would you like that?