Advocate- Tax
7806 Points
Joined December 2008
Well Ajay, merely because there is abatement does not mean service tax payment has to be in cash only and credit cannot be utilised for such payment. There are hundreds of partial exemption, and no such restriction is there at any place.
The fundamental issue is that cenvat credit can be utilised for payment of duty on "output services". The department was claiming earlier that although ST on GTA is paid by the company, it is not an "output service" of the company. Therefore credit cannot be utilised for such payment. This contention was rejected by the Tribunal.
Now, after 2008 budget, there is specific exclusion of GTA from the list of output services under Cenvat Credit Rules. Whether the earlier decision will be applicable after 2008 amendment?