Gas Engine Rental Deemed Sale, Exempt from Service Tax Due to Effective Control and VAT Payment, Appeal Allowed.

The tribunal concluded that the appellant's transaction of renting a Gas Engine constituted a deemed sale under the Constitution of India, as effective control and possession were transferred, and VAT was paid. Consequently, it was exempt from service tax under Section 65B (44) of the Finance Act, 1994. The tribunal set aside the impugned order, allowing the appeal in favor of the appellant.

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Issues:
Whether the appellant provided a service of 'supply of tangible goods' by renting a Gas Engine to a company under an MOU.
Whether the transaction qualifies as a deemed sale and is exempt from service tax.
Interpretation of the definition of 'input service' under Section 65B (44) of the Finance Act, 1994.

Analysis:
The case revolved around the appellant providing a Gas Engine on rent basis to a company under an MOU and whether this constituted a service of 'supply of tangible goods.' The appellant argued that since they transferred effective control and right to possession to the company and paid VAT, the transaction should be considered a deemed sale, making it exempt from service tax. The tribunal noted that the appellant had indeed given the Gas Engine on rent and transferred control to the company, paying VAT on the rental amount. As per the Constitution of India, if a transaction is deemed a sale, it falls outside the definition of 'service' for the purpose of service tax liability. The tribunal considered the definition of 'input service' under Section 65B (44) of the Finance Act, 1994, which excludes deemed sales from the ambit of taxable services. The tribunal concluded that post-01.07.2012, the legal position regarding the supply of tangible goods for use clarified that renting a Gas Engine, on which VAT was paid and deemed a sale, was not liable to service tax. The judgments cited by the appellant were considered, but the tribunal emphasized the legal clarity post-2012 regarding the taxability of such transactions.

The tribunal, after considering the submissions and records, found that the appellant's transaction of renting the Gas Engine constituted a deemed sale as per the Constitution of India. The tribunal highlighted that since the appellant had discharged VAT on the transaction and the transaction fell under the definition of a deemed sale, it was not liable for service tax. The tribunal referred to the effective date of the definition of 'input service' and the exclusion of deemed sales from the definition post-2012. Consequently, the tribunal set aside the impugned order and allowed the appeal in favor of the appellant. The decision was pronounced in open court on 03.12.2024.

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