In Re : Merit Hospitality Services Private Ltd.
GST
2018 (7) TMI 1492 – AUTHORITY FOR ADVANCE RULING – MAHARASHTRA – 2018 (15) G. S. T. L. 439 (A. A. R. – GST)
AUTHORITY FOR ADVANCE RULING – MAHARASHTRA – AAR
Dated:- 5-5-2018
Advance Ruling NO. GST-ARA-22/2017-18/B-29
GST
B.V. Borhade (Member) and Pankaj Kumar (Member)
PROCEEDINGS
(under section 98 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 and the Maharashtra Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017)
The present application has been filed under section 97 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 and the Maharashtra Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 [hereinafter referred to as “the CGST Act and the MGST Act”] by Merit Hospitality Services Private Ltd., the applicant is seeking an advance ruling in respect of the following questions :
The company is registered as “Outdoor Caterers” under the GST Act. It was also registered in the same category under service tax regime The company is engaged in the business o
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one by the staff of 'A' Ltd. The menu and the material specifications are mentioned in the contract and also the rate for various items are pre-determined between Merit Hospitality and the company. The billing is done by Merit Hospitality directly to the company on monthly basis and payment is received from the company to Merit Hospitality directly as per the terms of payment mentioned in the contract.
Question: Whether on the facts and circumstances of abovementioned case can the above activity be called as canteen activity and the applicable rate of 5% be charged on our bills?
Case II) The facts mentioned in Case I remains the same except that in addition to supply of food on the request of the client Merit Hospitality Services Pvt. Ltd. also undertake the services of distribution of food for which Merit Hospitality raises separate bill charging 18% GST/SGST
Question : Can both the activities put together i.e. supply and distribution of food to the employees of 'A'
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SEZ area hence no GST is applicable ? or
b) Can Merit Hospitality claim that it is running a canteen in SEZ area hence no GST is applicable? Or
c) Can Merit Hospitality claim that it is running a restaurant in SEZ area and hence applicable GST rate is 5% only?
At the outset we would like to make it clear that the provisions of both the CGST Act and the MGST Act are the same except for certain provisions. Therefore, unless a mention is specifically made to such dissimilar provisions, a reference to the CGST Act would also mean a reference to the same provision under the MGST Act. Further to the earlier, henceforth for the purposes of this Advance Ruling, a reference to such a similar provision under the CGST Act / MGST Act would be mentioned as being under the “GST Act”.
02. FACTS AND CONTENTION – AS PER THE APPLICANT
The submission, as reproduced verbatim, could be seen thus –
“Provisions of law, applicants view point & submissions on issues on which advance ruling is sought.
T
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ed 14.11.2017refers] It is immaterial whether the service is provided by the educational institution itself or the institution outsources the activity to an outside contractor.
It is our contention that the issue of running a canteen for its employees by a company either by itself or through an outside caterer is on the same line and hence should be considered under the same principles where it is clarified that tax rate will be 5% without input tax credit as such services fall under category (i)under column 3 of serial no 7 notification No. 46/2017-CT (Rate) dated 14.11.2017″
03. CONTENTION – AS PER THE CONCERNED OFFICER
The submission, as reproduced verbatim, could be seen thus-
” 1. Case I) Question: Whether on the facts and circumstances of above mentioned case can the above activity be called as canteen activity and the applicable rate of 5% be charged on our bills?
Reply: No
Comments: The activity of canteen is to supply services to beneficial members. In this case it is ag
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ng such services” Considering the above meaning the activity of the dealer cannot be considered as canteen activity as the dealer is in the business of supplying food and beverages to the company on the basis of agreement and hence it is purely outdoor catering service. Further the notification dt. 14.11.2017 has not changed the position of the supply by outdoor caterers given in original notification dt. 28.06.2017 in Clause V. Hence, the activity of the dealer cannot be called as canteen activity and liable to pay tax @ 9% as outdoor caterer.
2. Case 2) Question : Can both the activities put together i.e. supply and distribution of food to the employees of 'A' Ltd. be called as canteen services and applicable rate of 5% be charged on our bills ?
Reply: No
Comment: As above
3. Case 3) Question : Can such circumstances can it still be claimed that Merit Hospitality is running a canteen and the applicable rate of 5% be charged on our bills ?
Reply: No
Comment: As above
4.
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being food or any other article for human consumption or drink, where such supply or service is for cash, deferred payment or other valuable consideration, provided by a restaurant, eating joint including mess, canteen, whether for consumption on or away from the premises where such food or any other article for human consumption or drink is supplied,
The agreement made with Colgate Global Business services Pvt. Ltd. clearly mentions that the arrangement is on principal to principal basis and payment to be made by company directly to the contractor as per annexure B of the agreement. Further it mentions that contractor has agreed to provide catering services to the company at the canteen premises of L & T business park. Further there is no relevance of employees (who are ultimate beneficiary of the catering services) with the contractor as per the terms and conditions of the agreement as supply made by the contractor for valuable consideration is to the company. Hence catering servic
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pplicable rate of 5% be charged on our bills?
M/s larsen & Toubro Grahak Sahakari Saunstha Maryadit.
In this arrangement, though the agreement is made with M/s Larsen & Toubro Grahak Sahakari Saunstha Maryadit., the benefit of the circular No. 28/02/2018 – GST can not be given as same is available if the catering service is provided to the educational institution which runs canteen or mess for its students, faculty and staff. Hence applicable rate will be 9% each under CGST & SGST.
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4. Case 4) Question :
(a) Can Merit Hospitality claim that since the food is supplied directly to SEZ area hence no GST is applicable? or
(b) Can Merit Hospitality claim that it is running a canteen in SEZ area hence no GST is applicable? or
(C) Can Merit Hospitality claim that it is running a restaurant in SEZ area and hence applicable GST rate is 5% only?
M/s.UBS Business Solutions (India) Pvt. Ltd.
As per the terms and condition of the agreement, the supplier has to provide catering service an
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Sakore, Dy. Commissioner GST(E-639) , LTU 4, Mumbai was present during both the hearings and has furnished a written submission in the matter.
05. OBSERVATIONS
We have gone through the facts of the case. Four situations have been presented before us. We shall study each of these in the sequence as presented. However, the fact common to all, as informed, is that the food is prepared at the applicant's own kitchen and is distributed to various companies at different locations. The situations could be seen thus –
Case I
The company (Merit Hospitality) has entered into a contract for supply of food to the employees of the company say 'A' Ltd. The contract is signed between Merit Hospitality and 'A' Ltd for supply of food. As per the terms of contract Merit Hospitality has to supply the food at 'A' Ltd.'s premises. The distribution of the food is directly done by the staff of 'A' Ltd. The menu and the material specifications are mentioned in the
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art of any service or in any other manner whatsoever, of goods, being food or any other article for human consumption or drink, where such supply or service is for cash, deferred payment or other valuable consideration, provided by a restaurant, eating joint including mess, canteen, neither having the facility of air-conditioning or central air-heating in any part of the establishment, at any time during the year nor having licence or permit or by whatever name called to serve alcoholic liquor for human consumption.
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(ii) Accommodation in hotels, inns, guest houses, clubs, campsites or other commercial places meant for residential or lodging purposes having declared tariff of a unit of accommodation of one thousand rupees and above but less than two thousand five hundred rupees per unit per day or equivalent.
Explanation.- “declared tariff” includes charges for all amenities provided in the unit of accommodation (given on rent for stay) like furniture, air conditioner, refrigera
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Supply, by way of or as part of any service or in any other manner whatsoever in outdoor catering wherein goods, being food or any other article for human consumption or any drink (whether or not alcoholic liquor for human consumption), as a part of such outdoor catering and such supply or service is for cash, deferred payment or other valuable consideration.
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(vi) Accommodation in hotels, inns, guest houses, clubs, campsites or other commercial places meant for residential or lodging purposes having declared tariff of a unit of accommodation of two thousand five hundred rupees and above but less than seven thousand five hundred rupees per unit per day or equivalent.
Explanation.- “declared tariff” includes charges for all amenities provided in the unit of accommodation (given on rent for stay) like furniture, air conditioner, refrigerators or any other amenities, but without excluding any discount offered on the published charges for such unit.
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(vii) Supply, by way of o
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without excluding any discount offered on the published charges for such unit.
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(ix) Accommodation, food and beverage services other than (i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v), (vi), (vii) and (viii) above.
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We find that under this Notification after amendments uptill now GST @ 5% is chargeable in case of services by a restaurant, eating joint including mess and canteen as per relevant entry produced above.
In order to ascertain whether the activities of the applicant would fall under Sr. No. 7, Heading 9963(i) of the above referred Notification, we would be required to examine as to what a restaurant, eating joint, mess and canteen are.
We find that “restaurant”, as per Cambridge English Dictionary is :
“a place where meals are prepared and served to customers”.
“A place of business where people can choose a meal to be prepared and served to them at a table, and for which they pay, usually after eating.
However we find that with the progress of time and civilization and furthe
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d meals are sold often at a lower than usual price”.
“A place in a factory, office, etc. where employees can buy food and meals at a lower price”.
Further as per general understanding we see while differentiating with a restaurant, that “canteen” is a small cafeteria or snack bar, especially one in a military establishment, school or place of work while “restaurant” is an eating establishment in which diners are served food at a table and it is outside the premises of military establishment, school or place of work.
Thus broadly we find that “a canteen is mostly referred to as an eating place provided by an organization, college, university, military, police, government, for the staff/students workforce. In the present application we find that the applicant has clearly stated that they are not providing services to any college, university, military, police or government but to only business organizations or companies or their employees as per different situations mentioned by the ap
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res that are generally seen in the industrial canteen are as under:-
(1) Industrial canteen is inside the premises of the establishment.
(2) Generally the canteen building have cooking facilities inside it and mostly facilities such as empty LPG cylinder, furniture, refrigerator, water cooler, cooking and serving utensils etc. being all or some of these items are provided by the company on returnable basis in good and proper condition.
(3) Generally water and electricity is also provided by the company on chargeable or maybe non chargeable basis.
(4) Most of the food, snacks or tea and coffee are generally cooked or prepared in tine canteen itself.
(5) The items are sold to the employees directly by the contractor at agreed prices which are mostly subsidized and the sale amounts are collected by the contractor themselves. However prepaid meal vouchers may also be given to employees by the company which are to be accepted by the contractor.
(6) The contractor may be required to se
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n employees and is required to follow statutory provisions as applicable.
Further in reference to eating joint we find that an eating joint is a quick service restaurant within the industry and is a specific type of restaurant that mainly serves fast food cuisine and has minimal table service.
In the same way we find that in common parlance a “mess” is a place where soldiers/police or any other organized force persons eat their food.
On going through the situation as per submissions made by the applicant as per Case-I and corresponding details in respect of this situation claimed to be represented and submitted by the applicant as per copy of submitted agreement between Colgate Global Business P. Ltd. and Merit Hospitality Services P Ltd dated 01.12.2017, we find that the details as per Case-I submitted by the applicant in his Advance Ruling application are not in complete congruence with the details as visible in the agreement referred above and in view of this we will take up the
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ntract entered by Merit Hospitality until various corporate clients.
Case I) The company (Merit Hospitality) has entered into a contract for supply of food to the employees of the company say 'A' Ltd. The contract is signed between Merit Hospitality and 'A' Ltd for supply of food. /Is per the terms of contract Merit Hospitality has to supply the food at 'A' Ltd.'s premises. The distribution of the food is directly done by the staff of' A' Ltd. The menu and the material specifications are mentioned in the contract and also the rate for various items are pre-determined between Merit Hospitality and the company. The billing is done by Merit Hospitality directly to the company on monthly basis and payment is received from the company to Merit Hospitality directly as per the terms of payment mentioned in the contract.
Question: Whether on the facts and circumstances of abovementioned case can the above activity be called as canteen activity and the appl
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nd a company 'A Ltd'. It is not for running a canteen.
(ii) Food is to be supplied at 'A Ltd.'s premises.
(iii) The distribution of food is done by the staff of 'A Ltd'. Applicant is only supplying food.
(iv) The menu, specifications and rate are as per contract of supply of food entered into between the applicant and M/s A Ltd.
(v) The billing is done by the applicant directly to M/s A Ltd. on monthly basis and the payment is received from M/s A Ltd. as per contract.
Thus as per the above details and discussions it is clearly visible that the service being provided by the applicant would not be covered under Serial No. 7 Heading 9963 (i) of Notification No. 11/2017 as amended.
Now as we find that the services of the applicant are not covered under the above entry of Notification No. 11/2017 where the applicable rate of tax is 5%, therefore we are required to ascertain as to where
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efined as “outdoor caterer” means a caterer engaged in providing services in connection with catering at a place other than his own but including a place provided by way of tenancy or otherwise by the person receiving such services.
From the case details as submitted by the applicant in his application before us, the applicant himself has stated that they are registered as outdoor caterers under the GST Act and that the company is engaged in the business of supply, by way of and as a part of and in any other manner whatsoever of goods, being food and any other article for human consumption or drink. In nutshell that it is providing snacks and food for breakfast, lunch, evening tea and dinner to the employees of various companies and that the food is prepared at their own kitchen and it is distributed to various companies at different locations and it is also visible that the applicant is providing the services at a place which is not his own and is neither provided to him by way of te
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, governmental, commercial or industrial location/s specified by the customer other than for transportation companies, on an ongoing basis; food service concession services, i.e. the provision of operating services by operators of eating facilities such as canteens and cafeterias].
In view of the above classification of the services being provided by the applicant as per Case-I details would be taxable under Serial No. 7 Heading 9963 (v) @ 18% under GST as applicable.
Case II)
The facts mentioned in Case I remains the same except that in addition to supply of food on the request of the client Merit Hospitality Services Pvt. Ltd. also undertake the services of distribution of food for which Merit Hospitality raises separate bill charging 18% GST/ SGST
Question:
Can both the activities put together i.e. supply and distribution of food to the employees of 'A' Ltd. be called as canteen services and applicable rate of 5% be charged on our bills?
In view of the detailed discuss
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e applicant and the Employees Cooperative Society is not changing. Now instead of the company A Ltd., the outdoor catering services are being provided to the Employees Cooperative Society which would be taxable @ 18% only as already discussed in respect of Case-I and Case-II above.
Case IV)
The Merit Hospitality has entered into a contract with a company called say “B” Ltd. “B” Ltd. is having its unit in SEZ area (Special Export Zone). The supply of food is done by Merit Hospitality to the employees of “B” Ltd. and payment for the same is made by the employees of “B” Ltd. directly to Merit Hospitality.
Case IV – Question a)
a) Can Merit Hospitality claim that since the food is supplied directly to SEZ area hence no GST is applicable?
In view of the details given in Case-IV above we would be required to examine the provisions of IGST Act, 2017 and SEZ Act, 2005. We find that Section 16 (1) of the IGST Act relating to 'zero rated supply' reads as under;-
“zero rated supply”
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es an existing Unit, an Offshore Banking Unit and a Unit in an International Financial Services Centre, whether established before or established after commencement of this Act.
Further we find that apart from an existing unit, a unit established in compliance of procedure prescribed in Section 15 of the SEZ Act, 2015 can be called a SEZ unit. Section 15 of the SEZ Act, 2005 is reproduced as under:-
15. (1) Any person, who intends to set up a Unit for carrying on the authorised operations in a Special Economic Zone, may submit a proposal to the Development Commissioner concerned in such form and manner containing such particulars as may be prescribed:
Provided that an existing Unit shall be deemed to have been set up in accordance with the provisions of this Act and such Units shall not require approval under this Act.
15. (2) On receipt of the proposal under sub-section (1), the Development Commissioner shall submit the same to the Approval Committee for its approval.
15. (3) The
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Every appeal made under sub-section (4) shall be in such form and shall be accompanied by a copy of the order appealed against and by such fees as may be prescribed.
15. (7) The procedure for disposing of an appeal shall be such as may be prescribed:
Provided that before disposing of an appeal, the appellant shall be given a reasonable opportunity of being heard.
15.(8) The Central Government may prescribe,-
(a) the requirements (including the period for which a Unit may be set up) subject to which the Approval Committee shall approve, modify or reject any proposal referred to in sub-section (3);
(b) the terms and conditions, subject to which the Unit shall undertake the authorised operations and its obligations and entitlements.
15. (9) The Development Commissioner may, after approval of the proposal referred to in sub-section (3), grant a letter of approval to the person concerned to set up a Unit and undertake such operations which the Dev
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5(9) of the SEZ Act.
However in the case details provided by the applicant in Case IV, it is not forthcoming whether 'B Ltd' is an authorized unit in SEZ as per Section 15 (9) of the SEZ Act and as to what are the authorized operations of 'B Ltd' in SEZ and whether supply of food to B Ltd or its employees is covered under authorized operations as allowed/approved by the Development Commissioner. If it is not covered under authorized operations then this supply of food by the applicant to SEZ employees would not be eligible for the benefit of zero rated supply.
Case IV – Question b)
b) Can Merit Hospitality claim that it is running a canteen in SEZ area hence no GST is applicable?
In view of the detailed discussions in respect of situations of Case-I, Case-II and Case-Ill above, it is clear that the applicant cannot claim that they are running a canteen in SEZ. Rather their service would be in the nature of outdoor catering service as per discussions in detail above.
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y of the order, the questions are answered thus:-
Case I
Q. Whether on the facts and circumstances of abovementioned case can the above activity be called as canteen activity and the applicable rate of 5% be charged on our bills?
A. Answered in the negative.
Case II
Q. Can both the activities put together i.e. supply and distribution of food to the employees of 'A' Ltd. be called as canteen services and applicable rate of 5% be charged on our bills?
A. Answered in the negative.
Case III
Q. Under such circumstances can it still be claimed that Merit Hospitality is running a canteen and the applicable rate of 5% be charged on our bills?
A. Answered in the negative.
Case IV
Q.a Can Merit Hospitality claim that since the food is supplied directly to SEZ area hence no GST is applicable?
A.a In view of the findings above the said question cannot be answered.
Q.b Can Merit Hospitality claim that it is running a canteen in SEZ area hence no GST is applicable?
A. b In view
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