Chapter VA of The Finance Act, 1994

ADVANCE RULINGS

96A. Definitions.

In this Chapter, unless the context otherwise requires,-

(a) “advance ruling” means the determination, by the Authority, of a question of law or fact specified in the application regarding the liability to pay service tax in relation to a service proposed to be provided, by the applicant;

(b) “applicant” means—

(i) (a) a non-resident setting up a joint venture in India in collaboration with a non-resident or a resident; or

(b) a resident setting up a joint venture in India in collaboration with a non-resident; or

(c) a wholly owned subsidiary Indian company, of which the holding company is a foreign company, who or which, as the case may be, proposes to undertake any business activity in India;

(ii) a joint venture in India; or

(iii)a resident falling within any such class or category of persons, as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify in this behalf, and which or who, as the case may be, makes application for advance ruling under sub-section (1) of section 96C;

Explanation.- For the purposes of this clause, “joint venture in India” means a contractual arrangement whereby two or more persons undertake an economic activity which is subject to joint control and one or more of the participants or partners or equity holders is a non-resident having substantial interest in such arrangement;

(c) “application” means an application made to the Authority under sub-section (1) of section 96C;

(d) ¹“Authority” means the Authority for Advance Rulings as defined in clause (e) of section 28E of the Customs Act, 1962;’.

(e) “non-resident”, “Indian company” and “foreign company” have the meanings respectively assigned to them in clauses (30), (26) and (23A) of section 2 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961);

(f) words and expressions used but not defined in this Chapter and defined in the Central Excise Act of 1944 (1 of 1944) or the rules made thereunder shall apply, so far as may be, in relation to service tax as they apply in relation to duty of excise.

Note:

¹The words "(d) Authority” means the Authority for Advance Rulings as defined in clause (e) of section 28E of the Customs Act, 1962;" shall be substituted for "(d) “Authority” means the Authority for Advance Rulings, constituted under sub-section (1), or authorized by the Central Government under subsection (2A), of section 28F of the Customs Act, 1962 (52 of 1962);" Substituted w.e.f. 01/04/2017,Finance Act, 2017.