Happy Diwali / Deepavali Greetings 2023

 

HAPPY DIWALI 2023 GREETINGS

THE BIGGEST AND BRIGHTEST FESTIVAL

DIWALI / DEEPAVALI IS A FESTIVAL OF HAPPINESS

Diwali known as Deepavali is an important Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikhs festival.

Diwali is celebrated in India, Singapore, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Guyana, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, West Bengal and Pakistan.  At present Hindus living all over the world are celebrating Diwali with special prayer with lights, burning crackers, helping the poor, wearing new clothes, receiving blessings from elders and well wishers and giving gifts to their beloved ones.  Business establishments in India allows heavy discount on gold jewellery, household articles and kitchenware.  Each and everyone wear new dresses on Diwali and hence heavy purchases by people during September, October and November each year. 

Each year there may be new arrival of Cloths at the time Deepavali

Diwali is a five day festival.

1.  People purchases jewellery and house-hold articles on the first day.

2.  People decorate their home with clay lamps and decorates the house floor with rangoli

3.  People perform Lakshmi Pooja and get-together functions and getting blessings and enjoy the day with fireworks and feasts. People also visit temples on the same day and performs special pooja. People celebrate this third day i.e. on Sunday,  12th November, 2023 as Main Diwali Day all over the world.

4.  People celebrate fourth day as commencement of New Year and start business and business related activities and visit relative and friend’s houses with gifts. This year commencement of new accounts also falls on the same day.

5.  People visit their sibling’s houses or to their parent’s house and enjoy a feast with full of joy. 

Diwali is celebrated on the new moon day in between second fortnight of October and first fortnight of November i.e. in Tamil month of Aippasi in Tamil Calendar.

DIWALI IS A FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

Diwali is known as the festival of lights or row of lights which is the symbol of coming of Wealth Goddess Lakshmi to the home and victory of truth over the evil. People do whitewash and clean up of their houses, offices, and shops to welcome the Wealth Goddess Lakshmi. They decorate their houses, lighting lamps and firing crackers.

Diwali is traditionally celebrated for the following reasons.

o  On the Diwali day Rama (of Ramayana) returned to Ayothi after 14 years of exile during which Rama fought and won a battle against the demons and demon King Ravana. The citizens of Ayodhya decorated the entire city with the earthen lamps and illuminated it like never before and the same is now followed at present. This year 15,00,000 Diyas are going to be lighted as world record.

o  Return of Pandavas in Mahabharatha after 12 years Vanavas i.e. forest living on Diwali day.

o  The birth day of Wealth Goddess Lakshmi is celebrated by Hindus and her marriage day with Lord Vishnu falls on Diwali and hence Hindus seek her blessings for ensuing year.

o  Lord Vishnu rescued Goddess Lakshmi from the prison of King Bali on the day of Diwali

o  Lord Krishna killed demon King Narakasura and rescued 16000 women from his captivity which is called a victory festival on Diwali Day.

o  Vardhamana Mahavira Tirthankar of Jainism attained his nirvana on Diwali Day.

o  Maharishi Dayananda of Arya Samaj attained his nirvana on Diwali Day.

o  In 1577, the foundation stone of the Golden Temple at Amritsar was laid on Diwali. In 1619, the sixth Sikh Guru Hargobind, who was held by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir, was released from the Gwalior fort along with 52 kings.

o Goddess Kali also called Shyama Kali, is the first of the 10 avatars (incarnations) of Goddess Durga, Lord Shiva's consort. According to legend, long ago after the gods lost in a battle with the demons, Goddess Kali was born as Kal Bhoi Nashini from the forehead of Goddess Durga, said to be a personification of Nari Shakti (female power), Kali was born to save heaven and earth from the growing cruelty of the demons. After killing all the devils, Kali lost her control and started killing anyone who came her way which stopped only when Lord Shiva intervened. The well-known picture of Ma Kali, with her tongue hanging out, actually depicts the moment when she steps on the Lord and repents. That momentous day has been commemorated ever since and the main purpose of celebrating Kali Puja is to seek the help of the goddess in destroying evil both external and internal to us as also to get her blessings for general happiness, health, wealth, and peace. Kali Puja is celebrated on Diwali day in West Bengal, Odisha and Assam.

o  Diwali also falls in the time of the Kharif crop in India, a time when rich rice cultivation gives its fruits. India being an agro-economic society, the significance of a rich harvest gives a new meaning to the celebrations.

o  Diwali is also the Hindu New Year, Hinduism being the third largest religion of the world. It is at this time that Hindu businessmen offer pujas, start new books of accounts, and pay off all debts to start a new year afresh, a good enough reason alone to indulge in the festivities.

GREETINGS FOR HAPPY DEEPAVALI

 ENJOY THE HAPPINESS OF DIWALI 2023

 

AMNESTY SCHEME UNDER GST

 

The Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 came into force with effect from 1.7.2017 in India.

 

So far the taxpayers are not able to file appeals before any appellate authorities as the same has not been formed.

 

The GST Council in its 52nd Meeting held on October 07, 2023, to facilitate a large number of taxpayers who could not file the appeal in the past within the specified time period, interalia recommended providing an amnesty scheme through special procedure under Section 148 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (“the CGST Act”) for taxable person, who could not file an appeal under Section 107 of the CGST Act, against the demand order issued under Section 73 or 74 of the CGST Act passed on or before March 31, 2023 or appeal against the said order was rejected solely on the ground that the appeal was not filed within the time period under Section 107(1) of the CGST Act.

 

In all such cases, filing of appeal by the taxpayers will be allowed against such orders up to January 31, 2024, subject to the condition of payment of an amount of pre-deposit of 12.5 percent of the tax under dispute out of which at least 20% (i.e., 2.5% of the tax under dispute) should be debited from Electronic Cash Ledger.

 

The CBIC vide Notification No. 53/2023-Central Tax dated November 02, 2023, has provided procedure under Amnesty Scheme for filing of appeals against demand orders in cases where appeal could not be filed within the allowable time period wherein the said person shall file an appeal against the said order in FORM GST APL-01 in accordance with subsection (1) of Section 107 of the CGST Act, on or before January 31, 2024.

 

Provided that an appeal against the said order filed in accordance with the provisions of Section 107 of the CGST Act, and pending before the Appellate Authority before the issuance of this notification, shall be deemed to have been filed in accordance with this notification.

 

No appeal shall be filed under this notification, unless the appellant has paid-

a). in full, such part of the amount of tax, interest, fine, fee and penalty arising from the impugned order, as is admitted by him; and

b). a sum equal to twelve and a half percent of the remaining amount of tax in dispute arising from the said order, subject to a maximum of twenty-five crore rupees, in relation to which the appeal has been filed, out of which at least twenty percent should have been paid by debiting from the Electronic Cash Ledger.

 

Further, no refund shall be granted on account of the notification till the disposal of the appeal, in respect of any amount paid by the appellant, either on their own or on the directions of any authority (or) court, in excess of the amount specified above before the issuance of this notification, for filing an appeal under Section 107(1) of the CGST Act.

 

However, the appeal under the notification shall not be admissible in where demand does not involve tax, for example:

 

i. Where the order has been passed on or after March 31, 2023

ii. An order where there is no demand of tax involved.

iii. An order only for a penalty.

iv. An order only for interest.

v. An order for rejection of refund.

vi. Cases of cancellation of registration.

The provisions of Chapter XIII of the CGST Act, shall mutatis mutandis, apply to an appeal filed under this notification.

 

The relevant Notification is given below for ready reference.

 [TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE GAZETTE OF INDIA, EXTRAORDINARY, PART II, SECTION 3, SUBSECTION (ii)] 

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA 

MINISTRY OF FINANCE 

(DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE) 

CENTRAL BOARD OF INDIRECT TAXES AND CUSTOMS 

NOTIFICATION 

No. 53/2023– CENTRAL TAX 

New Delhi, dated the 2nd November, 2023 

S.O....(E).— In exercise of the powers conferred by section 148 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (12 of 2017) (hereinafter referred to as the said Act), the Central Government, on the recommendations of the Council, hereby notifies taxable persons who could not file an appeal against the order passed by the proper officer on or before the 31st day of March, 2023 under section 73 or 74 of the said Act (hereinafter referred to as the said order), within the time period specified in sub-section (1) of section 107 read with sub-section (4) of section 107 of the said Act, and the taxable persons whose appeal against the said order was rejected solely on the grounds that the 

said appeal was not filed within the time period specified in section 107, as the class of persons (hereinafter referred to as the said person) who shall follow the following special procedure for filing appeals in such cases: 

2. The said person shall file an appeal against the said order in FORM GST APL-01 in accordance with subsection (1) of Section 107 of the said Act, on or before 31st day of January 2024: 

Provided that an appeal against the said order filed in accordance with the provisions of section 107 of the said Act, and pending before the Appellate Authority before the issuance of this notification, shall be deemed to have been filed in accordance with this notification, if it fulfills the condition specified at para 3 below. 

3. No appeal shall be filed under this notification, unless the appellant has paid- 

(a) in full, such part of the amount of tax, interest, fine, fee and penalty arising from the impugned order, as is admitted by him; and 

(b) a sum equal to twelve and a half per cent. of the remaining amount of tax in dispute arising from the said order, subject to a maximum of twenty-five crore rupees, in relation to which the appeal has 

been filed, out of which at least twenty percent should have been paid by debiting from the Electronic Cash Ledger. 

4. No refund shall be granted on account of this notification till the disposal of the appeal, in respect of any amount paid by the appellant, either on their own or on the directions of any authority (or) court, in excess of the 

amount specified in para 3 of this notification before the issuance of this notification, for filing an appeal under subsection (1) of Section 107 of the said Act. 

5. No appeal under this notification shall be admissible in respect of a demand not involving tax. 

6. The provisions of Chapter XIII of the Central Goods and Service Tax Rules, 2017 (12 of 2017), shall mutatis mutandis, apply to an appeal filed under this notification. 

[F. No.CBIC-20001/10/2023-GST] 

(Raghavendra Pal Singh) 

Director 

 

Rate of GST for certain Goods and Services

 

RATE OF TAX FOR CERTAIN GOODS AND SERVICES

 

The Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 came into force with effect from 1.7.2017 in India.

 

The Central Government has clarified rate of tax for the following items vide Circular No.206.  dated 31.10.2023.

i.             Whether ‘same line of business’ in case of passenger transport service and renting of motor vehicles includes leasing of motor vehicles without operators.

ii.            Whether GST is applicable on reimbursement of electricity charges received by real estate companies, malls, airport operators etc. from their lessees/occupants.

iii.             Whether job work for processing of “Barley” into “Malted Barley” attracts GST @ 5% as applicable to "job work in relation to food and food products” or 18% as applicable on “job work in relation to manufacture of alcoholic liquor for human consumption”.

iv.             Whether District Mineral Foundations Trusts (DMFTs) set up by the State Governments are Governmental Authorities and thus eligible for the same exemptions from GST as available to any other Governmental Authority.

v.            Whether supply of pure services and composite supplies by way of horticulture/horticulture works (where the value of goods constitutes not more than 25 per

cent of the total value of supply) made to CPWD are eligible for exemption from GST under Sr. No. 3 and 3A of Notification no 12/2017-CTR dated 28.06.2017.

 

The Circular issued by the Central Government is given below for ready reference.

Circular No. 206/18/2023-GST

 

F. No. CBIC-190354/195/2023-TO (TRU-II)-CBEC

Government of India Ministry of Finance Department of Revenue (Tax Research Unit)

 

 

 

 

 

To,

*****

North Block, New Delhi Dated the 31^st October, 2023

The Principal Chief Commissioners/ Chief Commissioners/ Principal Commissioners/ Commissioner of Central Tax (All) / The Principal Director Generals/ Director Generals (All)

 

Madam/Sir,

 

Subject: Clarifications regarding applicability of GST on certain services – reg.

Based on the recommendations of the GST Council in its 52^nd meeting held on 7^th October, 2023 ,at New Delhi, clarification, with reference to GST levy, related to the following issues are being issued through this circular.

 

i.             Whether ‘same line of business’ in case of passenger transport service and renting of motor vehicles includes leasing of motor vehicles without operators.

ii.            Whether GST is applicable on reimbursement of electricity charges received by real estate companies, malls, airport operators etc. from their lessees/occupants.

iii.             Whether job work for processing of “Barley” into “Malted Barley” attracts GST @ 5% as applicable to "job work in relation to food and food products” or 18% as applicable on “job work in relation to manufacture of alcoholic liquor for human consumption”.

iv.             Whether District Mineral Foundations Trusts (DMFTs) set up by the State Governments are Governmental Authorities and thus eligible for the same exemptions from GST as available to any other Governmental Authority.

v.            Whether supply of pure services and composite supplies by way of horticulture/horticulture works (where the value of goods constitutes not more than 25 per

cent of the total value of supply) made to CPWD are eligible for exemption from GST under Sr. No. 3 and 3A of Notification no 12/2017-CTR dated 28.06.2017.

 

2.                  Whether ‘same line of business’ in case of passenger transport service and renting of motor vehicles includes leasing of motor vehicles without operators.

 

2.1              Services of transport of passengers by any motor vehicle (SAC 9964) and renting of motor vehicle designed to carry passengers with operator (SAC 9966), where the cost of fuel is included in the consideration charged from the service recipient attract GST at the rate of 5% with input tax credit of services in the same line of business.

 

2.2              Same line of business as stated in the notification No. 11/2017- Central Tax (Rate) means “service procured from another service provider of transporting passengers in a motor vehicle or renting of a motor vehicle”.

 

2.3              It is hereby clarified that input services in the same line of business include transport of passengers (SAC 9964) or renting of motor vehicle with operator (SAC 9966) and not leasing of motor vehicles without operator (SAC 9973) which attracts GST and/or compensation cess at the same rate as supply of motor vehicles by way of sale.

 

3.                  Whether GST is applicable on reimbursement of electricity charges received by real estate companies, malls, airport operators etc. from their lessees/occupants.

 

3.1              Doubts were raised on the applicability of GST on supply of electricity by the real estate companies, malls, airport operators etc., to their lessees or occupants.

 

3.2              It is clarified that whenever electricity is being supplied bundled with renting of immovable property and/or maintenance of premises, as the case may be, it forms a part of composite supply and shall be taxed accordingly. The principal supply is renting of immovable property and/or maintenance of premise, as the case may be, and the supply of electricity is an ancillary supply as the case may be. Even if electricity is billed separately, the supplies will

constitute a composite supply and therefore, the rate of the principal supply i.e., GST rate on renting of immovable property and/or maintenance of premise, as the case may be, would be applicable.

 

 

3.3              However, where the electricity is supplied by the Real Estate Owners, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), Real Estate Developers etc., as a pure agent, it will not form part of value of their supply. Further, where they charge for electricity on actual basis that is, they charge the same amount for electricity from their lessees or occupants as charged by the State Electricity Boards or DISCOMs from them, they will be deemed to be acting as pure agent for this supply.

 

4.                  Whether job work for processing of “Barley” into “Malted Barley” attracts GST @ 5% as applicable to "job work in relation to food and food products” or 18% as applicable on “job work in relation to manufacture of alcoholic liquor for human consumption”.

 

4.1              References have been received to clarify whether services by way of job work for conversion of barley into malt attracts GST at 5% prescribed for "job work in relation to all food and food products falling under Chapter 1 to 22 of the customs tariff" or at the rate of 18% prescribed for "services by way of job work in relation to manufacture of alcoholic liquor for human consumption”.

 

4.2              Malt is a food product. It can be directly consumed as part of food preparations or can be used as an ingredient in food products and also used for manufacture of beer and alcoholic liquor for human consumption. However, irrespective of end-use, conversion of barley into malt amounts to job work in relation to food products.

 

4.3              It is hereby clarified that job work services in relation to manufacture of malt are covered by the entry at Sl. No. 26 (i) (f) which covers “job work in relation to all food and food products falling under chapters 1 to 22 of the customs tariff” irrespective of the end use of that malt and attracts 5% GST.

5.                  Whether District Mineral Foundations Trusts (DMFTs) set up by the State Governments are Governmental Authorities and thus eligible for the same exemptions from GST as available to any other Governmental Authority.

 

5.1              DMFTs work for the interest and benefit of persons and areas affected by mining related operations by regulating receipt and expenditure from the respective Mineral Development Funds created in the concerned district. They provide services related to drinking water supply, environment protection, health care facilities, education, welfare of women and children, supply of medical equipment etc.

5.2              These activities are similar to activities that are enlisted in Eleventh Schedule and Twelfth Schedule of the Constitution. The ultimate users of the various schemes under DMF are individuals, families, women and children, farmers/producer groups, SHGs of the mining affected areas etc. The services/supplies out of DMF fund are provided free of charge and no consideration is realized from the beneficiaries by DMF against such services.

 

5.3              Accordingly, it is clarified that DMFT set up by the State Governments are Governmental Authorities and thus eligible for the same exemptions from GST as available to any other Governmental Authority.

 

6.                  Whether supply of pure services and composite supplies by way of horticulture/horticulture works (where the value of goods constitutes not more than 25 per cent of the total value of supply) made to CPWD are eligible for exemption from GST under Sr. No. 3 and 3A of Notification no 12/2017-CTR dated 28.06.2017.

 

6.1              Public parks in government residential colonies, government offices and other public areas are developed and maintained by CPWD.

 

6.2              Maintenance of community assets, urban forestry, protection of the environment and promotion of ecological aspects are functions entrusted to Panchayats and Municipalities under Article 243G and 243W read with Sr. No. 29 of 11th Schedule and Sr. No. 8 of 12th Schedule of the constitution.

 

6.3              Sr. No. 3 and 3A of notification No. 12/2017-CTR exempt pure services and composite supply of goods and services in which value of goods does not constitute more than 25%, that are provided to the Central Government, State Government or Union territory or local authority by way of any activity in relation to any function entrusted to a Panchayat under article 243G of the Constitution or in relation to any function entrusted to a Municipality under article 243W of the Constitution.

 

6.4              Accordingly, it is clarified that supply of pure services and composite supplies by way of horticulture/horticulture works (where the value of goods constitutes not more than 25 per cent of the total value of supply) made to CPWD are eligible for exemption from GST under Sr. No. 3 and 3A of Notification no 12/2017-CTR dated 28.06.2017.

 

7.                  Difficulties, if any, in implementation of this circular may be brought to the notice of the Board.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

 

(Rajeev Ranjan) Under Secretary, TRU