Tribunal Upholds Rejection of Refund Claim for Service Tax, Emphasizes Timely Filing

M/s. San Automotive Industries Pvt. Ltd. Versus Commissioner of GST & Central Excise Chennai Outer Commissionerate

M/s. San Automotive Industries Pvt. Ltd. Versus Commissioner of GST & Central Excise Chennai Outer Commissionerate - TMI Issues:
- Rejection of refund claim for service tax paid on development charges
- Time limitation for filing refund claim under section 104 of Finance Act, 2017
- Applicability of non-obstante clause in section 104
- Delay in filing refund claim
- Interpretation of relevant legal provisions

Analysis:
1. The appellant filed a refund claim for service tax paid on development charges to SIPCOT, which was rejected due to being time-barred as it was filed beyond the prescribed six-month limit from the date of assent of the Finance Bill 2017.

2. Section 104 of the Finance Act, 2017 provides for refund of service tax paid on development charges, with a time limit of six months from the date of assent of the President. The appellant was informed about this provision only 21 days before the due date for filing the refund claim.

3. The non-obstante clause in section 104 excludes the applicability of service tax on one-time upfront amounts for long-term leases by State Government industrial undertakings. The provision for refund under section 104 prevails over Chapter VA, and the exclusion is limited to Chapter VA, not Chapter V.

4. The appellant argued that the time limit for filing the refund claim is directory in nature, emphasizing that section 104 does not specify who can make the refund application, leading to confusion and delay in filing.

5. Despite relying on previous decisions where refund claims were filed within a reasonable time after intimation, the delay of over a year in filing the refund claim after receiving intimation from SIPCOT led to the rejection of the claim as time-barred.

6. The Tribunal upheld the rejection of the refund claim, noting the inordinate delay and distinguishing previous cases where claims were filed promptly after intimation. The delay of more than a year from the intimation was considered significant in dismissing the appeal.

7. The judgment emphasized the importance of timely filing refund claims within the prescribed period, highlighting the legal and procedural implications of delays in claiming refunds under relevant provisions of the Finance Act, 2017.

(End of analysis)