Dear friends,
The Supreme Court, in its judgment dated 18.11.2011 (copy attached), has upheld the constitutional validity of the cess levied under the Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Cess Act, 1996. The court has held that the cess is in the nature of a fee and not a tax.
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From India, Malappuram
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1446The Supreme Court, in its judgment dated 18.11.2011 (copy attached), has upheld the constitutional validity of the cess levied under the Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Cess Act, 1996. The court has held that the cess is in the nature of a fee and not a tax.
Thanks
From India, Malappuram
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Dear Mr. Agrawal,
Thank you for sharing the judgment on BOCWW Cess Act with our members. If the BOCW Welfare Cess is not a tax and only a fee, is it mandatory to make payment of 1% Cess, i.e., Cost of work done to the State BOCW Welfare Board.
Now I am confused. I feel like I have the answers to the below questions:
What is the difference between Tax and Fee?
If Cess is not a tax, then what is the necessity to effect payment?
Is the cess not mandatory, then why are we forced to pay Cess (Education) over and above the Service Tax?
What is the meaning of "strenuously urged that the impost levied by the Cess Act is a compulsory and involuntary exaction, made for a public purpose without reference to any special benefit for the payer of the Cess"?
What was the decision?
Do we have to invariably make payment or on an optional basis?
If we are not paying the cess, what will be the consequences of becoming a defaulter?
May I expect a reply from our learned members.
Thank you in anticipation, friends.
From India, Kumbakonam
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Thank you for sharing the judgment on BOCWW Cess Act with our members. If the BOCW Welfare Cess is not a tax and only a fee, is it mandatory to make payment of 1% Cess, i.e., Cost of work done to the State BOCW Welfare Board.
Now I am confused. I feel like I have the answers to the below questions:
What is the difference between Tax and Fee?
If Cess is not a tax, then what is the necessity to effect payment?
Is the cess not mandatory, then why are we forced to pay Cess (Education) over and above the Service Tax?
What is the meaning of "strenuously urged that the impost levied by the Cess Act is a compulsory and involuntary exaction, made for a public purpose without reference to any special benefit for the payer of the Cess"?
What was the decision?
Do we have to invariably make payment or on an optional basis?
If we are not paying the cess, what will be the consequences of becoming a defaulter?
May I expect a reply from our learned members.
Thank you in anticipation, friends.
From India, Kumbakonam
Acknowledge(0)Amend(0)
Generally, tax is contributed not to a particular fund or corpus but to a general fund, like income tax, whereas cess is contributed towards a particular purpose, like education cess. Normally, cess is paid on tax, and any contribution made to a particular board is termed as fees, as it is understood from the verdict. The arguments that "...strenuously urged that the impost levied by the Cess Act is a compulsory and involuntary exaction, made for a public purpose without reference to any special benefit for the payer of the Cess. It was argued that there exists no co-relationship between the payee of the Cess and the services rendered and therefore, the levy is in effect a tax" have not been accepted by the Apex Court.
Against these arguments, the respondents relied on the fact that "the levy is attracted when there is an activity of building and construction. The collection of cess on the cost of construction is for enhancing the resources of the Building & other Construction Workers' Welfare Boards constituted under the BOCW Act. The Cess so collected is directed to a specific end spelt out in the BOCW Act itself; it is set apart for the benefit of the building and construction workers; appropriated specifically for the performance of such welfare work and is not merged in the public revenues for the benefit of the general public."
Therefore, the main arguments were centered on whether it is a tax or cess or fees. Since the very purpose of the Cess Act is to augment the Welfare Fund under the BOCW Act, the levy of Cess on the cost of construction incurred by the employers on the building and other construction works is for ensuring sufficient funds for the Welfare Boards to undertake social security schemes and welfare measures for building and other construction workers. The fund so collected is directed to specific ends spelt out in the BOCW Act. Therefore, it is clear that the said levy is a 'fee' and not 'tax'. The said fund is set apart and appropriated specifically for the performance of a specified purpose; it is not merged in the public revenues for the benefit of the general public, and as such, the nexus between the Cess and the purpose for which it is levied gets established. With these features of the Cess Act in view, the subject levy has to be construed as 'fee' and not a 'tax'.
With a reading of the entire text, it is clear that the matter is with regard to its interpretation as to whether Cess is a fee or tax and since the amount is not pooled for a general purpose but for a specific purpose of creating a fund for the Welfare of Construction workers, it is to be understood as fees and not tax.
Regards,
Madhu.T.K
From India, Kannur
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Against these arguments, the respondents relied on the fact that "the levy is attracted when there is an activity of building and construction. The collection of cess on the cost of construction is for enhancing the resources of the Building & other Construction Workers' Welfare Boards constituted under the BOCW Act. The Cess so collected is directed to a specific end spelt out in the BOCW Act itself; it is set apart for the benefit of the building and construction workers; appropriated specifically for the performance of such welfare work and is not merged in the public revenues for the benefit of the general public."
Therefore, the main arguments were centered on whether it is a tax or cess or fees. Since the very purpose of the Cess Act is to augment the Welfare Fund under the BOCW Act, the levy of Cess on the cost of construction incurred by the employers on the building and other construction works is for ensuring sufficient funds for the Welfare Boards to undertake social security schemes and welfare measures for building and other construction workers. The fund so collected is directed to specific ends spelt out in the BOCW Act. Therefore, it is clear that the said levy is a 'fee' and not 'tax'. The said fund is set apart and appropriated specifically for the performance of a specified purpose; it is not merged in the public revenues for the benefit of the general public, and as such, the nexus between the Cess and the purpose for which it is levied gets established. With these features of the Cess Act in view, the subject levy has to be construed as 'fee' and not a 'tax'.
With a reading of the entire text, it is clear that the matter is with regard to its interpretation as to whether Cess is a fee or tax and since the amount is not pooled for a general purpose but for a specific purpose of creating a fund for the Welfare of Construction workers, it is to be understood as fees and not tax.
Regards,
Madhu.T.K
From India, Kannur
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Thank you Mr. Madhu for your excellent clarification. By reading your reply even the layman also can understand the differnce between Tax and Cess. Keep on enlightening us Mr. Madhu
From India, Kumbakonam
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From India, Kumbakonam
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Dear Seniors, Please let me know whether Cess under BOCW Act is payable on construction cost of Factory Building where in manufacturing process is to be carried on? Regards. J.N. Singh
From India, Hyderabad
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From India, Hyderabad
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Dear Madhu Kumar ji Please let me know whether Cess under BOCW Act is Applicable on construction cost of factory building? Regards. J.N. Singh
From India, Hyderabad
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From India, Hyderabad
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Thank you, Agrawal ji and Madhu ji, for your valuable contribution.
Regards,
Keshav Korgaonkar
Shantadurgaent.com, Insurance Advisors, Corporate Advisors, Legal Advice, Wage and Salary, Shantadurgaent.com, Labour Compliance Audit, SSI Registration, NOC from
From India, Mumbai
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Regards,
Keshav Korgaonkar
Shantadurgaent.com, Insurance Advisors, Corporate Advisors, Legal Advice, Wage and Salary, Shantadurgaent.com, Labour Compliance Audit, SSI Registration, NOC from
From India, Mumbai
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Dear Friends,
Is BOCW applicable for interior fit-out projects for offices? Currently, one of our clients has received a notice for the same regarding a recently finished office interior construction project.
Kindly shed more light on this issue.
Regards,
Sachin
From United States, Chesterfield
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Is BOCW applicable for interior fit-out projects for offices? Currently, one of our clients has received a notice for the same regarding a recently finished office interior construction project.
Kindly shed more light on this issue.
Regards,
Sachin
From United States, Chesterfield
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BOCW cess is applicable not only for new construction but also for repairs and alterations which has civil work in it.
From India, Bangalore
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From India, Bangalore
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4.THE BUILDING AND OTHER CONSTRUCTION WORKERS' WELFARE CESS ACT, 1996.doc
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