Cenvat credit of Service tax paid on corporate club membership in which three director of the comapny are nominated to avail the facility of club
Rohit Gupta
(Audit Executive)
(271 Points)
Replied 02 February 2014
Rule 2(l) of Cenvat Credit Rules (as effective from 1-4-2011), defines ‘input service’ as follows –
“Input service” means any service, -
(i) used by a provider of taxable service for providing an output service; or
(ii) used by a manufacturer, whether directly or indirectly, in or in relation to the manufacture of final products and clearance of final products upto the place of removal,
and includes services used in relation to modernisation, renovation or repairs of a factory, premises of provider of output service or an office relating to such factory or premises, advertisement or sales promotion, market research, storage upto the place of removal, procurement of inputs, accounting, auditing, financing, recruitment and quality control, coaching and training, computer networking, credit rating, share registry, security, business exhibition, legal services, inward transportation of inputs or capital goods and outward transportation upto the place of removal;
but excludes services, -
(A) specified in sub-clauses (p), (zn), (zzl), (zzm), (zzq), (zzzh) and (zzzza) of clause (105) of section 65 of the Finance Act (hereinafter referred as specified services), in so far as they are used for- (a) construction of a building or a civil structure or a part thereof; or (b) laying of foundation or making of structures for support of capital goods, except for the provision of one or more of the specified services; or
(B) specified in sub-clauses (d), (o), (zo) and (zzzzj) of clause (105) of section 65 of the Finance Act, in so far as they relate to a motor vehicle except when used for the provision of taxable services for which the credit on motor vehicle is available as capital goods; or
(C) such as those provided in relation to outdoor catering, beauty treatment, health services, cosmetic and plastic surgery, membership of a club, health and fitness centre, life insurance, health insurance and travel benefits extended to employees on vacation such as Leave or Home Travel Concession, when such services are used primarily for personal use or consumption of any employee
This exclusion is only when such services are used primarily for personal use or consumption of any employee. This exclusion will not apply in other cases. For example, outdoor catering for ‘sales promotion’ would be eligible. Club membership fee of a director (who is not employee) would be eligible. Corporate club membership (without naming any specific employee) should be eligible.
In your case since the names of the directors who are employed is mentioned with Corporate club membership the same should not be eligible for any Cenvat Credit.