TDS on rent

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18 May 2009 Under what head, TDS on payment towards exhibition stall to be deducted? is it under TDS on contractors 194C? or 194I - TDS on Rent?

18 May 2009 In my opinion it has to be u/s 194C

19 May 2009 But i have to substantiate how?

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?


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