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2015 (5) TMI 68 - HC - Service TaxCENVAT Credit - Whether the CENVAT credit availed and utilized by the assessee on the Service Tax paid for imported "Reinsurance Services" is an "input service' within the meaning of Rule 2 (l)(i) of the CENVAT Credit Rules, 2004 for the output services, i.e., Service of insurance the assessee was providing - Held that:- The process of issuance of an Insurance Policy by the Insurer and subsequent procurement of re-insurance policy from another company (which is a statutory requirement) is an integral part of the total process. The process of insurance does not come to an end merely on the issuance of the Insurance Policy by the Insurer. In fact, it continues till the existence of the term of the policy. The re-insurance is taken by the Insurer immediately after the insurance policy is issued, as is required under Section 101A of the Insurance Act, 1938. Since re-insurance is a statutory obligation, and the same is co-terminus with the Insurance policy issued by the respondent, we are of the opinion that the stand taken by the Tribunal is correct that the transfer of a portion of the risk of the re-insurance has to be considered as having nexus with the output service, since the re-insurance is a statutory obligation and the same is co-terminus with the Insurance Policy. Service Tax is levied for certain service rendered and the provision of giving the CENVAT credit is so that there may not be double taxation. If a person has collected service tax, no doubt the same has to be deposited, but if in the process of the same transaction he has paid some service tax, which is necessary for its business, then he is entitled to the CENVAT credit to the extent of service tax which has been paid by it. In the present case, if the entire Service Tax which is collected by the Insurer, while selling its insurance policies, has to be deposited without being given the credit of the tax which is paid by it while procuring a policy of reinsurance as (mandatorily required in law), the same would be against the ethos of CENVAT credit policy, as the same would amount to double taxation, which is not permissible in law. - no interference is called for with the order of the Tribunal - Decided against Revenue.
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