TaxTMI 
TaxTMI 
TaxTMI 
2015 (3) TMI 348
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.... the view that catering/canteen services were neither used in or in relation to the manufacture or clearance of final product nor it could be said to be an activity relating to business and proceed to disallow the cenvat credit. The Adjudicating Authority vide order-in-original, supported the view of the Department and disallowed the cenvat credit. Aggrieved by the Order-in-Original, the assessee pursued the matter before the Commissioner (Appeals), who disallowed all the benefits of Cenvat credit, but allowed the benefit of cenvat credit in respect of outdoor catering service only. As against the said order of the Commissioner (Appeals), the Department went before the Tribunal. 3. The Tribunal following the Larger Bench decision of the Tribunal in the case of Commissioner of Central Excise, Mumbai V. GTC Industries Ltd. reported in 2008 (12) STR 468 (Tri.-LB) dismissed the appeal holding that Cenvat credit is admissible on 'outdoor catering service' as the same is an input service relating to business. 4. Being aggrieved by the orders of the Tribunal, the Revenue has filed the present appeal before this Court. 5. Heard learned Standing Counsel appearing for the Revenue ....
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....s very wide and covers not only services, which are directly or indirectly used in or in relation to the manufacture of final products but also includes various services used in relation to the business of manufacture of final products, be it prior to the manufacture of final products or after the manufacture of final products. To put it differently, the definition of input service is not restricted to services used in or in relation to manufacture of final products, but extends to all services used in relation to the business of manufacturing the final product. 29. The expression "activities in relation to business" in the definition of "input service" postulates activities which are integrally connected with the business of the assessee. If the activity is not integrally connected with the business of the manufacture of final product, the service would not qualify to be a input service under rule 2(l) of the 2004 Rules. 30. The Apex Court in the case of Maruti Suzuki Ltd. (supra) has considered the expression 'used in or in relation to the manufacture of final product' in the definition of "input" under rule 2(k) of 2004 Rules and held as follows :- "14. ... Moreover, ....
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.... However, the specified input would become eligible for credit only when used in or in relation to the manufacture of final product. Hydrogen gas used in the manufacture of sodium cyanide is an eligible input, since it has a significant role to play in the manufacturing process and since the final product cannot emerge without the use of gas. Similarly, Heat Transfer Oil used as a heating medium in the manufacture of LAB is an eligible input since it has a persuasive role in the manufacturing process and without its use it is impossible to manufacture the final product. Therefore, none of the categories in the inclusive part of the definition would constitute relevant consideration per se. They become relevant only when the above crucial requirement of being "used in or in relation to the manufacture" stands complied with. In our view, one has to therefore, read the definition in its entirety." 31. In our opinion, the ratio laid down by the Apex Court in the case of Maruti Suzuki Ltd. (supra) in the context of the definition of 'input' in rule 2(k) of 2004 Rules would equally apply while interpreting the expression "activities relating to business" in rule 2(l) of 2004 Rul....
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....tion of 'input service' not only means services used directly or indirectly in or in relation to manufacture of final products, but also includes services used in relation to the business of manufacturing the final products. Therefore, while interpreting the words used in the definition of 'input service', the ratio laid down by the Apex Court in the context of the definition of 'input' alone would apply and not the judgment in its entirety. In other words, by applying the ratio laid down by the Apex Court in the case of Maruti Suzuki Ltd. (supra), it cannot be said that the definition of 'input service' is restricted to the services used in relation to the manufacture of final products, because the definition of 'input service' is wider than the definition of 'input'. 34. Therefore, the definition of input service read as a whole makes it clear that the said definition not only covers services, which are used directly or indirectly in or in relation to the manufacture of final product, but also includes other services, which have direct nexus or which are integrally connected with the business of manufacturing the final product. In ....
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....bservation of the Division Bench is made in the context of a service which is held to be integrally connected with the business of manufacturing the final product. Therefore, the observation of the Division Bench in the case of Coca Cola India (P.) Ltd. (supra) has to be construed to mean that where the input service used is integrally connected with the business of manufacturing the final product and the cost of that input service forms part of the cost of the final product, then credit of service tax paid on such input service would be allowable. 39. The Larger Bench of CESTAT in the case of GTC Industries Ltd. (supra) has also observed that the credit of service tax would be allowable to a manufacturer even in cases where the cost of the food is borne by the worker. That part of the observation made by the Larger Bench cannot be upheld, because, once the service tax is borne by the ultimate consumer of the service, namely the worker, the manufacturer cannot take credit of that part of the service tax which is borne by the consumer. Shri Shridharan, learned Counsel for the assessee fairly conceded to the above position in law and in fact filed an affidavit affirmed by a responsi....