« Top Headlines » Open DEMAT Account in 24 hrs  Delhi HC Rules GST Registration Cannot Be Cancelled Retrospectively Without a Clear Show Cause Notice (SCN)  Belated income tax return AY 2026-27: How to file, late filing charges and what you may lose  Major Financial Changes from August 1, 2026: ITR Deadline, RBI MPC Meeting, Tatkal Ticket Rules & More  Government proposes to ease tax relief conditions for offshore funds  TallyPrime Connected Banking: Automating Banking and Accounting  ITR Filing Deadline 2026: Is July 31 the Last Date to File Your Income Tax Return? Latest Official Update  ITR filing deadline nears: How to file income tax return online on e-filing portal - quick 15-step guide  Will the ITR Filing Deadline Be Extended Beyond July 31 for FY 2025-26? Here's the Latest Update for Taxpayers  Income Tax Refund Delayed for AY 2026-27? 5 Common Reasons Your Refund May Be Stuck and How to Fix It  ITR Filing 2026: FM Nirmala Sitharaman Asks Tax Officials to Let Honest Taxpayers Correct Genuine Mistakes  Will Your FCNR Deposit Stay Tax-Free After Returning to India? Tax Rules Explained for NRIs «  Tatas are the largest tax-paying business house... CAs to help Cong get the numbers right... » Parliament can levy service tax on CAs, architects: SC August, 23rd 2007 The Supreme Court has held that Parliament is competent to levy service tax on chartered accountants, cost accountants and architects. "We hold that Parliament has legislative competence to levy service tax by way of impugned Finance Acts of 1994 and 1998 under Entry 97 of List I on chartered accountants, cost accountants and architects," a bench headed by Justice S H Kapadia said while dismissing an appeal filed by All India Federation of Tax Practitioners. The apex court said service tax was a value-added tax (VAT), which in turn was both a general tax as well as a destination-based consumption tax levied on services provided within the country. "Service tax is VAT. Just as excise duty is a tax on value addition on goods, service tax is on value addition by rendition of services," the bench stated. The court classified services under two categories - property-based services and performance-based services. It said the first category would cover service providers such as architects, interior designers, real estate agents and construction services. The second category would cover stock brokers, chartered accountants, cost accountants, security agencies, tour operators, event managers and travel agents among others.