E-payment is one of the most convenient and effective method of payment of duties, taxes or bills to the government.  The payment of duties through electronic mode is not only safe, it also saves assessee time as well as it saves the expenses on account of bank draft charges etc. It also reduces frauds as the e-payments are made through secured protocols on the website of the banks.

 In order to promote and ensure payment of the Service Tax by electronic mode, Government of India made payment of Service Tax, mandatory for the assesses who had paid service tax of Rs. 50 lacs or above in the preceding financial year or has already paid service tax of Rs. 50 lacs in the current financial year, by incorporating changes in the Rules (6) of the Service Tax Rules 1994.  All the banks authorized by the Central Board of Excise and Customs have already developed facility to receive e-payment.  However, many assessees, who are required to pay service tax electronically, are not following the rules and still paying the service tax through manual mode.

It has been, decided by the Service Tax Commissionerate, Delhi to ensure mandatory e-payment.  Accordingly, the divisional Assistant Commissioners/Dy.Commissioners had been directed to take penal action against the assesses who fail to deposit the duty by e-payment from December, 2007 onward.

The assessees who may find any difficulty in e-payment may contact the Divisional Assistant Commissioners/ Deputy Commissioners or the other senior officers, whose addresses and contact numbers are given on service tax Delhi website in the feature Public Grievances and Redressals. Commissionerate of Service Tax, New Delhi

Mandatory e-payment requirement for service tax to be enforced; penal action for non-compliance and contact support available. Mandatory electronic payment of service tax is required for assessees meeting the prescribed threshold under the Service Tax Rules, 1994; authorised banks already provide e-payment facilities. The Service Tax Commissionerate, New Delhi, has directed divisional officers to enforce the e-payment mandate and initiate penal action against assessees who fail to comply, while offering assistance through designated divisional officers listed on the Service Tax Delhi public grievances and redressal webpage.