Sec 17(5)(c) is enacted with reference to restriction of ITC to works contract services.
Input tax credit—Section 17(5) of CGST Act— In the instant case, applicant is in the business of leasing out immovable properties.
The following substantial questions arises for the consideration and disposition of this Authority for Advanced Ruling—
1. Given that the supply of under construction of immovable property is specifically defined as a separate and distinct service under clause 5(b) of Schedule II of CGST Act, can the same be treated to be referring to either the supplies or transactions described in 17(5)(c) or 17(5)(d) of CGST?
2. Given that the supply of lease of immovable property is specifically defined as a separate and distinct service under clause 2(b) of Schedule II of CGST Act, can the same be treated to be referring to either the supplies or transactions described in 17(5)(c) or 17(5)(d) of CGST?
3. Given that the Applicant is in the business of lease of immovable property, does the term “works contract services when supplied for” in s.17(5)(c) of CGST Act refer to output supply of lease of immovable property or to the input receipt (purchase of under construction commercial immovable property) of the Applicant?
4. Is supply of “under construction commercial immovable property” under an indivisible contract without explicit purchase of goods and/or services therein, a contract of “works contract” within the meaning of s.17(5)(c) of CGST Act?
5. Does the term “Goods or Services or both received” in s.17(5)(d) of CGST Act refer to output supply (lease of immovable property) or to the input receipt (purchase of under construction commercial immovable property) of the taxable person (Applicant)?
6. Does the term “for construction of an immovable property on his own account” in s.17(5)(d) of CGST Act refer to output supply (lease of immovable property) or to the input receipt (purchase of under construction commercial immovable property) of the taxable person (Applicant)?
7. If the term “Goods or Services or both received” in s.17(5)(d) of CGST Act refer to input received, then can the meaning of the term “for construction of an immovable property on his own account” in s.17(5)(d) of CGST Act include the business of the Applicant herein, i.e. for the lease of immovable property?
8. Can purchase of “under construction commercial immovable property” under an indivisible contract without explicit purchase of goods and/or services therein, be termed as a contract for supply “for construction of an immovable property on his own account” within the meaning of s.17(5)(d) of CGST Act, given that the business of the Applicant is lease of immovable property and not construction of immovable property?
9. Regardless of its applicability to the case of the Applicant herein, given the numerous clarifications and notifications by the Dept of Revenue that clearly states that input credit is available for the sale of under construction commercial complexes sold before the issuance of the completion certificate, is not the Authority now precluded from taking a different stand?, since:
(a) it is against the principle of contemporanea expositio and
(b) they are bound by such executive constructions as well as rules of executive estoppel.
10. Is not purchase of “under construction commercial immovable property” under an indivisible contract without explicit purchase of goods and/or services therein, a valid and legitimate input required for the business of the Applicant i.e. lease of immovable property?
11. Given that the Applicant’s Vendor (Sohini Developers LLP) has taken the input tax credit of the GST paid by the Applicant, what specific law/rule prevents the flow of that tax and excludes the Applicant from doing the same against the GST received for leasing of his immovable property?
12. Is the Applicant eligible and entitled to claim input tax credit of GST paid to his Vendor for the purchase of under construction commercial immovable property, given he used the same to provide the supply of lease of commercial property, and adjust the same against the rental GST to be paid by him for the supply of lease of immovable property?
The contention of the applicant is that as there are (2) separate entries in Schedule II and as the construction and sale of buildings are enumerated at Paragraph 5 as a separate entry it should not be treated as works contract enumerated at Paragraph 5 of the same Schedule. Therefore the condition in Sec 17(5)(c) cannot be applied to restrict claim of input tax credit (ITC) when such building is used for further supply in lease of such property.
Held that— the interpretation of Sec 17(5)(c) wherein works contract services are excluded from claiming ITC will include all activities enumerated under Sec 2(119). And this definition does not exclude any species of works contract relatable to any immovable property where transfer of property in goods is involved. Thus the applicant who is purchasing building under an agreement of sale is not eligible to claim ITC under Sec 17 of the CGST Act, 2017.
Sec 17(5)(c) is enacted with reference to restriction of ITC to works contract services.
Input tax credit—Section 17(5) of CGST Act— In the instant case, applicant is in the business of leasing out immovable properties.
The following substantial questions arises for the consideration and disposition of this Authority for Advanced Ruling—
1. Given that the supply of under construction of immovable property is specifically defined as a separate and distinct service under clause 5(b) of Schedule II of CGST Act, can the same be treated to be referring to either the supplies or transactions described in 17(5)(c) or 17(5)(d) of CGST?
2. Given that the supply of lease of immovable property is specifically defined as a separate and distinct service under clause 2(b) of Schedule II of CGST Act, can the same be treated to be referring to either the supplies or transactions described in 17(5)(c) or 17(5)(d) of CGST?
3. Given that the Applicant is in the business of lease of immovable property, does the term “works contract services when supplied for” in s.17(5)(c) of CGST Act refer to output supply of lease of immovable property or to the input receipt (purchase of under construction commercial immovable property) of the Applicant?
4. Is supply of “under construction commercial immovable property” under an indivisible contract without explicit purchase of goods and/or services therein, a contract of “works contract” within the meaning of s.17(5)(c) of CGST Act?
5. Does the term “Goods or Services or both received” in s.17(5)(d) of CGST Act refer to output supply (lease of immovable property) or to the input receipt (purchase of under construction commercial immovable property) of the taxable person (Applicant)?
6. Does the term “for construction of an immovable property on his own account” in s.17(5)(d) of CGST Act refer to output supply (lease of immovable property) or to the input receipt (purchase of under construction commercial immovable property) of the taxable person (Applicant)?
7. If the term “Goods or Services or both received” in s.17(5)(d) of CGST Act refer to input received, then can the meaning of the term “for construction of an immovable property on his own account” in s.17(5)(d) of CGST Act include the business of the Applicant herein, i.e. for the lease of immovable property?
8. Can purchase of “under construction commercial immovable property” under an indivisible contract without explicit purchase of goods and/or services therein, be termed as a contract for supply “for construction of an immovable property on his own account” within the meaning of s.17(5)(d) of CGST Act, given that the business of the Applicant is lease of immovable property and not construction of immovable property?
9. Regardless of its applicability to the case of the Applicant herein, given the numerous clarifications and notifications by the Dept of Revenue that clearly states that input credit is available for the sale of under construction commercial complexes sold before the issuance of the completion certificate, is not the Authority now precluded from taking a different stand?, since:
(a) it is against the principle of contemporanea expositio and
(b) they are bound by such executive constructions as well as rules of executive estoppel.
10. Is not purchase of “under construction commercial immovable property” under an indivisible contract without explicit purchase of goods and/or services therein, a valid and legitimate input required for the business of the Applicant i.e. lease of immovable property?
11. Given that the Applicant’s Vendor (Sohini Developers LLP) has taken the input tax credit of the GST paid by the Applicant, what specific law/rule prevents the flow of that tax and excludes the Applicant from doing the same against the GST received for leasing of his immovable property?
12. Is the Applicant eligible and entitled to claim input tax credit of GST paid to his Vendor for the purchase of under construction commercial immovable property, given he used the same to provide the supply of lease of commercial property, and adjust the same against the rental GST to be paid by him for the supply of lease of immovable property?
The contention of the applicant is that as there are (2) separate entries in Schedule II and as the construction and sale of buildings are enumerated at Paragraph 5 as a separate entry it should not be treated as works contract enumerated at Paragraph 5 of the same Schedule. Therefore the condition in Sec 17(5)(c) cannot be applied to restrict claim of input tax credit (ITC) when such building is used for further supply in lease of such property.
Held that— the interpretation of Sec 17(5)(c) wherein works contract services are excluded from claiming ITC will include all activities enumerated under Sec 2(119). And this definition does not exclude any species of works contract relatable to any immovable property where transfer of property in goods is involved. Thus the applicant who is purchasing building under an agreement of sale is not eligible to claim ITC under Sec 17 of the CGST Act, 2017.