Wednesday 15 August 2012

INCREASE IN REMUNERATION OF NON WHOLE TIME DIRECTORS DUE TO APPLICABILITY OF SERVICE TAX PROVISIONS - approval of Central Government under section 309/310 of the Companies Act not required.

General Circular No.24/2012
Dated 9th August 2012

Sub: Applicability of Service Tax on Commission payable to Non-Whole Time Directors of a Company under section 309(4) of the Companies Act, 1956 – approval of Central Government under section 309/310 of the Companies Act – regarding

The finance Act 2012 has introduced Service Tax which is applicable to anyone who provides a Service not covered under the negative /exempted list and if the value of annual revenue is more than 10 lakh. The Non-whole Time Directors of the Company are presently not covered under the exempted list and as such, the sitting fee/ commission payable to them by the company is liable to Service Tax.

If such Service Tax is paid by the Company it will be deemed to be a part of remuneration under section 198 of the Act and would accordingly increase the remuneration amount of such Non Whole Time Directors. This remuneration could then exceed the limit of 1% profit [u/s 309(4)] of the Company when   the Company has a Managing / Whole Time Directors / Managers or 3% of the profit [u/s 309(4)] of the company if the Company does not have a Managing / Whole Time Directors / Managers as the case may be. As per existing provisions of the Companies Act, 1956, this would require prior approval of Central Government u/s 309/310 of the Act.

It has now been decided that any increase in remuneration of Non- Whole Time Director(s) of a Company solely on account of payment of service tax on commission payable to them by the Company, as the case may be shall not require approval of Central Government under Section 309 and 310 of the Companies Act even if it exceeds the limit 1% or 3% of the profit [u/s 309(4)] of the Company, as the case may be, in the financial year 2012-13    

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