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2023 (12) TMI 1241 - AT - Service TaxLevy of service tax - Declared service or not - Recovery of penalty/liquidated damages recovered from customers and contractors - agreeing to the obligation to recover from an Act or to start an Act or a situation, or to do an Act - HELD THAT:- After considering the various provisions of Indian Contract Act therewith, it has been held that liquidated damages/ compensation for the breach of contract can be awarded to make good the loss or damage which actually arises or which the parties knew when they made the contract, “to be likely to result from the breach”. Hence it cannot be concluded that sum received is synonymous to “tolerating”. It is absolutely wrong to say that in breach of contract one appellant tolerates an Act or a situation, hence, the view taken by the Commissioner (Appeals) that the liquidated damages as have been received by the appellants towards “consideration” for “tolerating the Act” are leviable to service tax under section 66 E(e) of Finance Act is not at all sustainable. In the fact of both the present appeals, it is found that the facts are almost identical. There appears nothing for us to differ from the above observations in the afore-mentioned final order of the said Tribunal. Respectfully, following those findings it is held that the amount in question cannot be called as consideration towards declared service as defined under Section 66E (e) of the Finance Act. The confirmation of tax demand qua said amount is therefore not sustainable. Appeal allowed.
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