Certain infrastructural construction services provided by any person to Government, local authority and Governmental authorities are being exempted from service tax under entry 12 of Notification 25/2012-ST dated 20.06.2012. The said entry is reproduced as under;
“12. Services provided to the Government, a local authority or a governmental authority by way of construction, erection, commissioning, installation, completion, fitting out, repair, maintenance, renovation, or alteration of -
- a civil structure or any other original works meant predominantly for use other than for commerce, industry, or any other business or profession;
- a historical monument, archaeological site or remains of national importance, archaeological excavation, or antiquity specified under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (24 of 1958);
- a structure meant predominantly for use as (i) an educational, (ii) a clinical, or (iii) an art or cultural establishment;
- canal, dam or other irrigation works;
- pipeline, conduit or plant for (i) water supply (ii) water treatment, or (iii) sewerage treatment or disposal; or
- a residential complex predominantly meant for self-use or the use of their employees or other persons specified in the Explanation 1 to clause 44 of section 65 B of the said Act”
(Note: With effect from 01.04.2015, the entries (a), (c), (f) are omitted and by entry 12A exemption is restored with respect to these entries but only for contracts entered into prior to 01.04.2015)
The exemption under the above reproduced entry is applicable if the services are provided to Government or Local authority or Governmental authority. The term ‘Governmental authority’ for the purpose of this exemption is given under clause (s) of Part II (Definitions) of the Notification 25/2012-ST dated 20.06.2012. The same is reproduced as under;
“Governmental authority" means a board, or an authority or any other body established with 90% or more participation by way of equity or control by Government and set up by an Act of the Parliament or a State Legislature to carry out any function entrusted to a municipality under article 243W of the Constitution
In view of the above reproduced definition, the following conditions are required to be cumulatively satisfied in order to consider a particular authority as “governmental authority"—
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ØItshallbe a board, or an authority or any other body established by Government Øwith90% or more participation by way of equity or control by Government and Øsetupby an Act of the Parliament or a State Legislature
Øtocarryout any function entrusted to a municipality under article 243W of the Constitution.
Thus the above definition of ‘Governmental authority’ has restricted scope and does not include various bodies/authorities like government companies, boards, authorities that are established and owned by Government by means of a gazette notifications and are not separately setup by an Act of Parliament and State Legislature.
In view of this legal anomaly, the definition has been amended by Notification 2/2014-ST dated 30.01.2014 with a view to include within its ambit, the entities which are established by Government but are not necessarily setup by an Act of Parliament or State legislature. The amended definition is reproduced as under;
"governmental authority" means an authority or a board or any other body;
- set up by an Act of Parliament or a State Legislature; or (ii) established by Government,
with 90% or more participation by way of equity or control, to carry out any function entrusted to a municipality under article 243W of the Constitution;
In the recent Finance Budget, 2016, it is proposed vide clause 156 to introduce a new section 101 in Finance Act, 1994 to refund service tax if any paid based on the previous restrictive definition of ‘Governmental authority’ for the canal or irrigation works undertaken prior to 30.01.2014; The TRU Circular F.No.334/8/2016-TRU dated 29/02/2016, which was issued to clarify the proposed budget changes, has made the following observation;
“K. Service Tax exemption to canal, dam or other irrigation works with retrospective effect:
- Definition of Governmental authority was amended with effect from 30.01.2014 so as to exempt services provided by way of construction, erection, maintenance, or alteration etc. of canal, dam or other irrigation works provided to entities set up by Government but not necessarily by an Act of Parliament or a State Legislature. However, services provided prior to 30.01.2014 to such bodies remained taxable.The benefit of exemption is proposed to be extended to the said services provided during the period from the 1st July, 2012 to 29.01.2014.”
Thus the scope and intent of the above amendment in the definition of ‘Governmental authority’ is with a view to allow exemption benefit to those entities established by Government but not so by way of an Act of Parliament or State legislature.
Recently, the Patna High Court in the case of ShapoorjiPaloonji and Company Limited vs. CCE, 2016-TIOL-556-HC-Patna-ST had the occasion to interpret the scope and ambit of the above amended definition of ‘Governmental authority’.The facts of this case are that the petitioner company was appointed by IIT,
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Patna to construct their academic building. It was undisputed that IIT, Patna was setup by an Act of Parliament i.e. Indian Institute of Technologies Act, 1961. The petitioner company had initially collected service tax and paid. However, C&AG after conduct of their audit pointed that the petitioner company need not pay service tax for construction undertaken to the IIT. The petitioner applied for refund and the same was rejected.
The petitioner claimed refund on the interpretation that in order to come within the ambit of ‘Governmental authority’, it is sufficient that the same is set up by an Act of Parliament or State Legislature. The condition as to 90% or more participation by way of equity or control and to carry out any function entrusted to a municipality under 243W of the Constitution are not applicable for those entities that are set up by an Act of Parliament or State Legislature. The said conditions are applicable only for the second clause of the definition i.e. authority or body established by Central Government.
The Patna High Court heard the parties and came to the conclusion that no service tax is required to be paid by the petitioner for the reason that IIT falls within the ambit of ‘Governmental authority’. The relevant para is reproduced as under;
“The Governmental authority as defined in the notification dated 30th January, 2014, means an authority or board or any other body set up by an Act of Parliament or State Legislature. The provisions contained in sub-clause(i) and sub-clause(ii) of clause 2(s) are independent dis-conjunctive provisions and the expression “90% or more participation by way of equity or control to carry out any function entrusted to a municipality under Article 243W of the Constitution” is related to sub-clause (ii) of clause 2(s) alone. The clause (i) is followed by “;” and the word “or”. Therefore each of the sub-clauses is independent provision.” (para 11)
In view of the above observation of Patna High Court, Governmental authority would include any authority or body set up by an act of Parliament or State Legislature. It also includes any authority or body established by Government with 90% or more participation by way of equity or control to carry out any function entrusted to a municipality under Article 243W of the Constitution.
Based on the interpretation of Patna High Court, any authority or body established under an act of Parliament or State legislature would come within the ambit of ‘Governmental authority’. This would be so even if Government is not holding 90% or more equity or controlling interest and such institutions are not entrusted with functions covered under Article 243W.These include institutions like LIC, IRDA, SEBI, ICAI etc. Thus any construction services of the nature specified under entry 12 to these entities would be entitled to exemption;
Before parting, as discussed above, by taking into cognizance the reasons/purpose behind the amendment to the definition of ‘Governmental authority’ coupled with clarification given by TRU on the scope of the amendment, the Revenue is not open to such wide interpretation of the term ‘Governmental authority’ as upheld by Patna High Court. Nevertheless the view of Patna High Court has opened the Pandora’s Box with respect to service tax applicability on the infrastructural construction works undertaken.
This article is contributed by Partners of SBS and Company LLP – Chartered Accountant Company You can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
