Need Tally
for Clients?

Contact Us! Here

  Tally Auditor

License (Renewal)
  Tally Gold

License Renewal

  Tally Silver

License Renewal
  Tally Silver

New Licence
  Tally Gold

New Licence
 
Open DEMAT Account with in 24 Hrs and start investing now!
« Top Headlines »
Open DEMAT Account in 24 hrs
 March 31 deadline is getting near. How to save income tax with tax loss harvesting?
 45-day MSME payment rule: Impact and details of Section 43B(h) explained
 Small savings schemes that offer tax benefits of up to Rs 1.5 lakh under section 80C
 RE-OPENING OF CORRECTION WINDOW FOR MAY 2024 CA EXAMINATIONS
 Powerful Upgrades, Tally 12+1 months renewal Plan and Connected Services for your growing Business - March 2024
 How innovative solutions can help fix the Sec 43B conundrum for MSMEs
 Income Tax dept asks many individuals to explain high value transactions of FY20-21 as Updated ITR deadline nears
 Release Notes for TallyPrime and TallyPrime Edit Log Release 4.1 | What s New!
 Deadline to file updated ITR FY20-21 ends on March 31: Details on additional tax
 4 tax-planning mistakes to avoid this season
 ITR 2024: Here are 8 ways by which senior citizens can save on taxes this year

Lottery cos may come under service tax net
January, 21st 2008
The largest-ever indirect tax demand of Rs 2,000 crore made on a south India-based lottery company has caused ripples in the industry across the country. The central tax administrators say companies which run lottery on behalf of state governments will be liable to pay tax for the service they render to state governments.

Service tax at the rate of 12% will be levied on the commission they receive from the state government against the business auxiliary service they provide including selling, marketing, promotion, etc.

The service tax department has decided to file a special leave petition in the Supreme Court against the stay granted in the case of Coimbatore-based Martin Lottery Agencies (MLA), which was issued a showcause notice claiming Rs 2,112 crore in taxes. The case, which was tracked by the directorate general of central excise intelligence (DGCEI), will serve as a model for the service tax department countrywide. The excise intelligence wings notice on September 19 to the company, for the period July 2003 to December 2006, eclipses the Rs 803-crore excise duty demand against ITC.

Lottery is a state subject. However, internationally, it is recognised as a service. Although the service tax department is not imposing tax on lottery in this case, tax is being imposed on services provided by an outside agency to the state government, classified as business auxiliary service.

MLA is the sole distributor of lotteries for the governments of Maharashtra, Sikkim, Nagaland and Punjab. The company recently won a bid and was named the marketing agent for Bhutans paper lotteries for five years from January 1.

DGCEI in Bangalore, which investigated the case, is also seeking payment of penalty, alleging the lottery company deliberately attempted to evade tax.

MLA got itself registered for service tax as a provider of business auxiliary services after its offices were searched by DGCEI sleuths and the non-payment of tax was brought to the notice of the company, the notice says. It has deposited about Rs 57 lakh as token payment. The pitch for the tax authorities has been queered by an order of the Sikkim High Court, which has quashed a letter by its office in Gangtok directing MLA to get itself registered for service tax.

The court also observed that activities of the company cannot be classified as a business auxiliary service, the category under which authorities are seeking to impose the levy.

Tax officials, however, insist that MLA provides business auxiliary services because it promotes and markets lotteries.The high court had overlooked some facts and authorities were confident that they had a good case. The lottery company is also under pressure from the police in Tamil Nadu, with MLA MD Santiago Martin securing anticipatory bail from the Madras High Court after raids in his offices.

The police FIR claims agents were caught illegally selling lottery tickets and they had sourced them from MLA. Lotteries are banned in Tamil Nadu. A Tamil Nadu police officer, who did not wish to be named, said he expected the probe to be completed in a month or two.
Home | About Us | Terms and Conditions | Contact Us
Copyright 2024 CAinINDIA All Right Reserved.
Designed and Developed by Ritz Consulting