Supreme Court: Delay in Depositing Tax Is Not "Failure to Pay"
The Supreme Court has quashed a ₹71.29 lakh penalty on Saudi Arabian Airlines, holding that delay in depositing Foreign Travel Tax is not "failure to pay," that penalty under a fiscal statute is never automatic, and that an appellant cannot be left worse off for having appealed.
Read the briefingCustoms
CBIC has launched the National Assessment Centre (NAC) Portal, a searchable digital repository of NAC decisions, CAAR rulings, and classification/valuation guidance aimed at reducing inconsistent Customs assessment practices across formations.
Read: CBIC Launches National Assessment Centre Portal for Uniform Customs AssessmentCustoms
CBIC's Circular Nos. 39/2026 and 40/2026-Customs, both dated 3 September 2026, cut EMI Scheme application documents from 10 to 3 and prescribe mandatory Residual Shelf Life and licensing checklists for importing cosmetics, drugs and medical devices.
Read: CBIC Eases EMI Scheme Documentation; Sets Mandatory Import Checklists for Cosmetics, Drugs & Medical DevicesDid You Know
Section 80G's Explanation 3 doesn't ban a charitable trust from spending anything on religious activity — it simply caps that spending at 5% of the trust's total income or donations. ITAT Delhi confirmed this week that a trust can hold Section 12A registration "under the religious head" and still separately qualify for Section 80G, as long as its actual spiritual and satsang expenditure stays under that 5% line.
Read: A 5% Line That Doesn't Erase a Religious LabelWhat's the Penalty?
Your client's airline collects Foreign Travel Tax from passengers and deposits it late twice — 12 and 40 days — due to a bank restriction and an employee's medical leave. The department imposes an automatic "failure to pay" penalty without considering the Rules' condonation power. Is the department's approach correct, and is your client without a remedy?