Exempted Service providers - Please Deregister yourself - Department's plea - And no returns when you are exempted
Once upon a time the department went out of the way to pursue service providers to register with the department. Now they want them out.
It seems a large number of Show Cause Notices have been issued for non-filing of ST-3 returns and it is observed that many of the notices are under the exemption limit of Rs. 4 Lacs per annum. An issue was raised before the Board whether such Show Cause Notices can be dropped. Board has clarified that a service provider who is exempted from service tax need not file the ST-3 and therefore the Show Cause Notices may be disposed of. Board has further asked the Directorate of Publicity and Public Relations to carry out publicity campaign to advice the exempted service providers to get themselves deregistered. Board also wants the DGST to circulate these instructions to the field formations.
The Directorate of Public Relations is yet to launch the publicity campaign. Like many of Board's important clarifications, this was also contained in a letter not released to the public. Had they given it to us we would have certainly given it the due publicity at no cost.
Board's Letter F.No. , Dated March 29, 2007