Supreme Court
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Parallel Proceedings under GST: Supreme Court Misses an Opportunity
Introduction Recently, the Supreme Court in M/S Armour Security (India) Ltd v Commissioner, CGST, Delhi East Commissionerate & Anr (Armour Security case) clarified scope of the terms ‘proceedings’ and ‘same subject matter’ used in Section 6(2)(b) of the…
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Shelf Drilling Judgment: A Case of Interpretive Disagreements
The Supreme Court in a split judgment left unresolved the long standing issue of interplay between Section 144C-Section 153 of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (‘IT Act, 1961’). The absence of a clear resolution while not ideal, provides…
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Competition Law and the IBC: An Alternate Perspective on the Supreme Court’s Balancing Act
Introduction Recently, the Supreme Court (‘Court’) in Independent Sugar Corporation Ltd v Girish Sriram Juneja & Ors resolved an interpretive uncertainty involving the interface of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (‘IBC’) with the Competition Act, 2002.…
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Legislative Intent or Error: Puzzle of Indian Tax Policy
Introductory Questions Let me start with a question: how does one discover legislative intent in a provision of tax statute? Through a plain reading of the provision or through a subsequent statement by the State’s legal…
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Powers of Arrest under CGST Act, 2017 and Customs Act, 1962: Constitutionality and their Scope
The Supreme Court in a recent judgment upheld the constitutionality of arrest-related provisions contained in Customs Act, 1962 and CGST Act, 2017. The Court also elaborated on the scope of arrest powers under CGST Act, 2017 and safeguards…
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Safari Retreats: Supreme Court Adopts a ‘Strict’ Stance
The Supreme Court pronounced its judgment in the Safari Retreats case a few days ago. The judgment involved interpretation of Section 17(5), CGST Act, 2017, specifically clauses (c) and (d) read with two Explanations contained in the Section.…
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Fee for Technical Services: Future Demands Answers
Introduction Tax practitioners tend to refer to Fee for technical services (‘FTS’) and Royalty income in tandem with an intent to highlight the shape shifting nature of both concepts under domestic and international tax law. And…
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Short Note from Tax History: Cost of Acquisition and Capital Gains Tax
This article aims to examine in detail a judgment on capital gains tax that continues to have enduring relevance. B.C. Srinivasa Shetty case was decided in 1981 by a 3-Judge Bench of the Supreme Court and its observations…
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Powers of Arrest under GST: Unravelling the Phrase ‘Committed an Offence’
CGST Act, 2017 provides the Commissioner power to arrest under specific circumstances. Section 69, CGST Act, 2017 states that: Where the Commissioner has reasons to believe that a person committed any offence specified in clause (a) or clause…
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Taxation of Perquisites: SC Rules on Constitutionality
Challenge In a recent judgment, the Supreme Court ruled on constitutionality of Section 17(2)(viii), IT Act, 1961 and Rule 3(7)(i), IT Rules, 1962 which include concession loans under perquisites and provided for their valuation respectively. Section 17(2)…
