Introduction
Generally
under GST provisions, the liability to pay tax rests on supplier. However, in
certain cases the liability to pay GST to the government falls on the
recipient. This is known as reverse charge mechanism which is covered under
Notification No. 13/2017- Central Tax (Rate).
According to
the said notification, services supplied by a director of a company or a body
corporate to the said company or the body corporate are covered under RCM
provisions (liability to pay tax falls on the company or body corporate)
Schedule III
to CGST Act 2017 covers activities or transactions which shall be treated
neither as a Supply of Goods nor a Supply of Services. Services by an employee
to the employer in the course of or in relation to his employment are covered
under Schedule III (not taxable under GST).
Circular No: 140/10/2020
– GST was introduced to provide Clarification in respect of levy
of GST on Director’s remuneration in order to avoid contradictory scenarios
like above rulings. The provisions
covered in this circular are as below:-
Directors
|
Is
it covered under Schedule III
|
Taxability
|
Directors
who are not the employees of the company [Independent directors]
|
No
|
Taxable on
RCM basis in the hands of the company
|
Directors
who are employees, but are not functioning according to the contract of
employment Where TDS under Income Tax law is deducted u/s 194J (payment of
professional fees)
|
No
|
Taxable on
RCM basis in the hands of the company
|
Directors
who are employees functioning according to the contract of employment Where
TDS under Income Tax law is deducted u/s 192 (salary payment)
|
Yes
|
Not Taxable
|
Points to be noted:-
1.
A
Whole Time Director may or may not be the employee – As per section 2(94) of
the Companies Act, 2013 a whole time-director is an inclusive definition, and
thus he may be a person who is not an employee of the company
2. Section 149(6) of the
Companies Act, 2013, read with Rule 12 of Companies (Share Capital and
Debentures) Rules, 2014 makes it clear that an independent director should not
have been an employee or proprietor or a partner of the said company, in any of
the 3 financial years immediately preceding the financial year in which he is
proposed to be appointed in the said company.
3. Directors function in dual
capacity – capacity of director and in capacity of employee. Test would be
whether it is a “contract for service” (i.e., professional service) or
“contract of service” (i.e., employment contract).
FAQ’s on GST liability on
Director of Company
1. Who are Directors of a company?
The directors are the persons elected by the
shareholders to direct, conduct, manage or supervise the affairs of the
company.
According to Sec. 2 (13) of the Companies Act, “Director
includes any person occupying the position of director by whatever name called.”
2. What do you mean by an independent director?
Section 2(47) of the Companies Act states that an ‘independent
director’ means an independent director referred to in Section 149(6). Section
149(6) provides with a descriptive list of qualifications of an independent
director.
3. Can an employee be appointed as an independent
director of the company?
Independent director cannot
be an employee, proprietor or a partner of the said company, in any of the 3
financial years immediately preceding the financial year in which he is
proposed to be appointed in the said company.
4. What do you mean by a whole time director?
“Whole-time Director”
includes a director in the whole-time employment of the company. The definition
of ‘whole-time director’ is an inclusive definition, so he may not be an
employee of the company too.
5. What do you mean by a managing director?
The Board of Directors
generally appoints one of its members to manage the affairs of the company as a
whole time officer and calls him the Managing Director. The Managing Director
occupies a position of dual authority and responsibility. As a director, he
attends the Board meetings and, as a manager, he performs the managerial
functions.
6. What is an important test to determine whether
GST is leviable on services provided by directors?
The
following criteria needs to be fulfilled in order to not constitute as a supply
under GST:-‘
i.
Employer-employee relationship (master servant relationship)
ii.
TDS is deducted u/s 192
iii.
It should be a contract of service and not a contract for service
7. How are services provided by a whole time
director to a body corporate covered under GST?
Here, it is essential to
note whether the services provided by the whole time director are in accordance
of a contract of employment or not.
i. If the whole time
director is working according to a contract of employment, services provided do
not constitute as a supply under GST. Hence, not taxable.
ii. If the whole time
director is not working according to a contract of employment, services
provided constitute as a supply under GST. Consideration received by the
director is taxable on RCM basis in the hands of the company
8. How are services provided by an independent
director to a body corporate covered under GST?
Services provided by an
independent director constitute as a supply under GST as there is no
employer-employee relationship. Consideration received by the director is
taxable on RCM basis in the hands of the company.
9. Mr. A is a director employed by XYZ Pvt Ltd
under the terms of an employment contract. Mr. A received salary of Rs 10 lakhs
during the year. Is this consideration taxable under GST?
Services provided by Mr. A
are in terms of the employment contract. There is employer-employee
relationship in this case. These services will not be considered as supply
under GST. Hence, not taxable.
10. How are services provided by a managing
director to a body corporate covered under GST?
It is essential to find out
whether the services provided by the managing director are in accordance of a
contract of employment or not.
i. If the managing director
is working according to a contract of employment, services provided do not
constitute as a supply under GST. Hence, not taxable.
ii. If the managing
director is not working according to a contract of employment, services
provided constitute as a supply under GST. Consideration received by the
director is taxable on RCM basis in the hands of the company.
11. What is the GST payable on services provided
by directors when they constitute as a supply under GST?
GST
Rate payable by receiver (company or body corporate) is 18%.
12. Who can avail the benefit of Input Tax Credit
(ITC) on services provided by a director to a company or body corporate?
i. The question of availing
ITC does not arise on cases which do not constitute as a supply under GST
(employer-employee relationships).
ii. The recipient (company
or body corporate in this case) can avail ITC of GST amount that is paid under
reverse charge on receipt of services (cases where employer-employee
relationship does not exist)
13. What is the time of supply for supply of director’s
services when they are covered under RCM?
Time
of Supply shall be earliest of:-
i. the date of payment as
entered in the books of account of the recipient or the date on which the
payment is debited in his bank account, whichever is earlier
ii.
61st date from the date of issue of invoice
If it is not possible to
compute time of supply using above method, the time of supply shall be the date
of entry in the books of account of the recipient of supply.
14. Mr. P is a director of ABC Pvt Ltd. On payment
of consideration to Mr. P, ABC Pvt Ltd deducts TDS u/s 192 of Income Tax Act
(TDS on salary). IS GST chargeable on this amount?
Services provided by Mr. P
are in terms of the employment contract. There is employer-employee
relationship, which is proved by the fact that TDS is deducted u/s 192. These
services will not be considered as supply under GST. Hence, not taxable.
15. Mr. Q is a director of ABC Pvt Ltd. On payment
of consideration to Mr. Q, ABC Pvt Ltd deducts TDS u/s 194J of Income Tax Act
(TDS on professional fees). Is GST chargeable on this amount?
Services provided by Mr. Q
constitute as a supply under GST as there is not employer-employee
relationship, which is proved by the fact that TDS is deducted u/s 194J.
Consideration received by the director is taxable on RCM basis in the hands of
the company.