The Anti-Evasion branch of Service Tax Commissionerate, Delhi has completed investigation in three more cases and issued Show Cause Notices to big Tour Operators for non payment of service tax on "Outbound tours" demanding service tax, education cess and higher and secondary education cess amounting to Rs. 23.69 crores.

The issue involved in all the cases was that the tour operators were selling outbound tours but not paying service tax on the consideration received in lieu thereof. A meeting was also conducted in this regard with all the major tour operators where the taxability of services were conveyed to them. Consequent to the meeting the details were called from them and in the three cases Show Cause Notices for Rs. 23.69 crores have been issued.

Service tax on outbound tours prompts show cause notices for non-payment and heightened compliance scrutiny. Tax authorities determined that consideration received by tour operators for outbound tour services attracts service tax and associated cesses; after informing major operators and obtaining details, the Anti-Evasion branch issued Show Cause Notices in three cases quantifying disputed service tax, education cess and higher and secondary education cess.