TaxTMI 
TaxTMI 
ITC eligibility of CSR expenditure under GST and Finance Bill, 2023 amendment
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....TC eligibility of CSR expenditure under GST and Finance Bill, 2023 amendment<br>By: - So B<br>Goods and Services Tax - GST<br>Dated:- 21-3-2023<br><br>The simple meaning of CSR is charity. The companies undertake CSR activities either by way of donating money to charitable organisation, or by providing goods or services free of cost. Upto March 2014, the companies were undertaking CSR activities ....
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....as per their internal polices. However, from 1 April 2014, the section 135 of Companies Act, 2013 made mandatory for certain categories of companies to undertake CSR. Also, the activities which should be undertaken as part of CSR are listed in Schedule VII to the Companies Act, 2013. CSR expenditure under Income Tax Laws As per Explanation 2 to Section 37(1) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, CSR expe....
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....nditure incurred under the Section 135 of the Companies Act is not allowed as deduction. CSR expenditure under earlier regime CENVAT Credit Rules, 2004 states that CENVAT credit on goods and services used for CSR activities was neither specially allowed nor disallowed under the CEVAT Credit Rules. There were rulings which provided guidance to the taxpayers. The Mumbai Tribunal in the case of ES....
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....SEL PROPACK LTD. VERSUS COMMISSIONER OF CGST, BHIWANDI - 2018 (9) TMI 247 - CESTAT MUMBAI observed that CSR is not a charity anymore, infact, it is directly related to the manufacturing activity of the company. It also observed that CSR activities is mandatory by the Companies Act, 2013 and performing these activities enhances the credit rating of the company in the `corporate world. Accordingly, ....
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....Tribunal held that credit of service tax paid on input services procured for CSR activities is allowed. The Larger Bench of Mumbai Tribunal in case of M/S. RELIANCE INDUSTRIES LTD., VADODRA VERSUS COMMISSIONER CENTRAL EXCISE & SERVICE TAX (LTU) , MUMBAI - 2022 (4) TMI 1357 - CESTAT MUMBAI (LB) allowed CENVAT credit on input service procured by the company as the part of CSR activities. On the con....
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....trary, division bench of Delhi tribunal in the case of M/S. POWER FINANCE CORPORATION LTD. VERSUS COMMISSIONER (APPEAL) , CENTRAL EXCISE & SERVICE TAX, LTU, NEW DELHI -2022 (6) TMI 582 - CESTAT NEW DELHI held that credit of service tax paid on input services used for CSR activities is not allowed. CSR expenditure under GST regime Section 16(1) of CGST Act, 2017 provides that input tax shall be a....
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....llowed on goods or services which are used or intended to be used in the course or furtherance of business. Further, Section 17(5) disallows credit on certain goods and services. It is pertinent to note that the GST provisions do not specifically allow or disallow input tax credit on CSR expenses. Further, there is no explanation similar to what is available under the Income Act. Thus, one may ta....
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....ke a view that credit is available under GST. However, department places reliance on clause (h) of section 17(5) to disallow CSR related credit which restricts ITC on goods given in the form of gifts. Advance Rulings under GST Rulings ITC eligibility IN RE: M/S. BAMBINO PASTA FOOD INDUSTRIES PRIVATE LIMITED - 2022 (11) TMI 482 - AUTHORITY FOR ADVANCE RULING, TELANGANA Yes IN RE: M/S. DW....
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....ARIKESH SUGAR INDUSTRIES LIMITED - 2020 (1) TMI 1430 - AUTHORITY FOR ADVANCE RULING, UTTAR PRADESH No IN RE: M/S. ADAMA INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED- 2021 (9) TMI 1061 - AUTHORITY FOR ADVANCE RULING, GUJARAT No IN RE: M/S. POLYCAB WIRES PRIVATE LIMITED - 2019 (4) TMI 111 - AUTHORITY FOR ADVANCE RULINGS, KERALA No Considering this confusion on ITC eligibility, the Government decided to introduc....
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....e amendment in Section 17(5) of the CGST Act, 2017. Finance Bill, 2023 The Government inserted clause (fa) in Section 17(5) of the CGST Act, 2017 which reads as under: Section 17(5). Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1) of section 16 and subsection (1) of section 18, input tax credit shall not be available in respect of the following, namely:- "(fa) goods or services or both r....
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....eceived by a taxable person, which are used or intended to be used for activities relating to his obligations under corporate social responsibility referred to in section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013;" The amendment states that input tax credit on goods and services received by companies to undertake CSR activities under section 135 of Companies Act, 2013 is not allowed. The amendment will come....
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.... into effect from the date to be notified. Potential issues in the amendment i. Whether companies can take credit of procurements made until this new provision is notified? ii. What is the scope of the phrase "activities relating to his obligations under CSR"? iii. What is the meaning of the phrase "intended to be used"? iv. Whether credit is allowed if CSR expenditure is incurred by the Comp....
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....any over and above the mandatory threshold? v. Whether credit is allowed if CSR expenditure is incurred by partnership firm, etc.? Video presentation and possible solutions to above-mentioned issues.<br> Scholarly articles for knowledge sharing by authors, experts, professionals ....