Central Sales Tax rate reduction confirmed by official press release, overruling earlier media reports and rumours.
The Press Information Bureau issued an official press release confirming that the Central Sales Tax would be reduced effective 1 June 2008, superseding earlier contradictory media reports and resolving rumors that the government had withdrawn the announcement.

Collection as agent: fee collection alone does not constitute a taxable service; substantive liability stays with the licensor.
An entity authorised to collect airport admission charges that remits fees to the licensor while retaining only a licence fee functions as a collecting agent; such collection, standing alone, does not constitute provision of airport services for service tax purposes, and the substantive liability for providing amenities remains with the licensor rather than the collector.

Software testing exemption: as integral part of software engineering, testing cannot be taxed as inspection and certification service.
Software testing integral to software development cannot be treated as taxable under Technical Inspection & Certification Service; because software engineering is exempt from service tax, ancillary testing performed as part of development cannot be reclassified as a taxable inspection or certification service.

Cenvat credit eligibility for corporate phone services as input services permits credit when billed to the company for business use.
Cenvat credit of service tax paid on landline and mobile phones installed by a company for directors and officials is treated as creditable where the telecommunication services are procured and billed to the company for business use, falling within the scope of input services and eligible for Cenvat credit.

Import of services tax effective date determines liability irrespective of billing or payment timing.
Service tax issues include classification of government let auditoria under Mandap Keepers service with the onus on the department to prove non commercial use; the effective date for levy on imported services is the statutory point at which the charge takes effect rather than billing or payment date; business auxiliary services rendered offshore become taxable only after a statutory amendment; procedural errors in show cause notices must be assessed for substance; and taxpayers must provide full details enabling quantification of liability.

Core infrastructure growth slowed, with the combined industrial index showing reduced year on year and annual period expansion.
Announcement of growth performance for the six core infrastructure industries comprising 26.7% of the IIP (base 1993-94): the combined index was 279.8 (provisional) in March 2008 with year on year growth of 9.6% (versus 10.5% in the prior March); for April-March 2007-08 provisional growth was 5.6% against 9.2% in the corresponding prior period.

Excise duty liability clarified: enforcement, limited immunity, remand for factual proof, and credit and penalty adjustments.
Excise duty liability was enforced for clandestine removals where duty collected was not deposited, limiting immunity from interest and penalty while granting prosecution immunity upon full payment; reassessments based solely on the grounds framed in a show-cause notice were impermissible if no alternative demand was proposed; failures to issue speaking, reasoned orders breached natural justice. Capital goods credit depends on proof of captive use for mining equipment, with certain accessories allowable and spare parts disallowed; valuation notifications demand clear disclosure and engagement with authorities, affecting limitation and penalties.

Service tax scope clarified: diverse decisions refine which activities qualify as taxable services and when liability arises.
Several service tax appeals clarify taxable scope: reclamation and removal in mining do not constitute cargo handling; erection, installation and commissioning liability depends on when such services were brought into the tax net; verification and processing services for a bank qualify as business auxiliary services when paid by the bank; mere painting of supplied photographs does not amount to advertising agency services; and coaching by a recognized charitable institution for postgraduate and executive courses is not commercial activity where education, not profit, is the primary object.

Service tax scope: reimbursements and contract characterisation affect levy and reduce penalty exposure.
Change in the definition of rent-a-cab scheme removes vehicle count thresholds for service tax liability; integrated turnkey erection and commissioning contracts are to be treated as works contracts not subject to service tax on amounts attributable to materials; clerical billing by non professionals does not constitute taxable CA professional activity; and bona fide reimbursements of expenses incurred on behalf of principals are excluded from the value of taxable service, with penalties disfavoured where taxpayers reasonably believed such exclusion applied.

Service tax classification: manpower supply distinct from cargo handling, maintenance contracts treated as repair services, key clarifications issued.
Supply of manpower by a recruitment agency is not equivalent to cargo handling where no control over loading machinery exists; maintenance contracts for HT motors qualify as taxable Maintenance or Repair Service; input credit was permitted based on certificates for rendered security services despite non specific billing; photography services may deduct raw material and outside printing costs without itemised invoice details; turnkey building contracts executed with contractor's own resources are not taxable as Consulting Engineer services absent advisory or technical assistance.

Cenvat credit misuse flagged after special audit, alleging ineligible capital goods claims, duplicate credits, and missing documentation.
A Demand-cum-Show Cause notice followed a statutory special audit alleging wrongful availment of Cenvat credit on items not qualifying as capital goods, duplicate credit claims on the strength of the same invoice, and claims without supporting documents; the notice records a quantified demand and a partial deposit by the assessee.

Service tax liability for club or association services may be asserted against organisations for unpaid business exhibition services.
Show Cause Notice issued to M/s Confederation of Indian Industries alleges failure to discharge service tax on club or association services and on overseas trade fair services classified as business exhibition, quantifying a demand and requiring explanation addressing service classification and resulting tax liability.

Service tax chargeability on receipt clarified: revised rate applies when payment is received after the effective date.
The revised rate for work contract services applies where payment is received on or after the notified effective date because service tax is chargeable on receipt of payment and on the amount actually received, irrespective of when the contract was agreed.

Show Cause Notices issued after anti evasion and audit investigations, prompting major service tax demands against corporate taxpayers.
Issuance of Show Cause cum demand Notices by the Commissionerate of Service Tax in April 2008 followed investigations by the Anti Evasion and Audit wings; 34 major notices were issued, supplemental to subordinate-level demands, with prominent demands directed at multiple large corporate and institutional taxpayers identified by those investigative and audit activities.

No penalty for service tax when tax and interest are paid before a show cause notice, per Section 73(3) guidance.
Payment of service tax and interest before issuance of a show cause notice bars penalty proceedings: statutory provisions together with a Board circular provide that clearing the tax with interest voluntarily or on departmental insistence prior to initiation of penalty proceedings operates to conclude proceedings and precludes imposition or enhancement of penalties; tribunal set aside orders imposing or increasing penalties where full tax and interest were paid pre SCN.

Passage of Finance Bill confirms parliamentary approval and triggers transmission to the President for enactment.
Passage of the Finance Bill, 2008 by the Rajya Sabha completed parliamentary approval and the Bill has been transmitted to the President to initiate the presidential assent stage required for enactment after debate and prior approval by the Lok Sabha.