TASMAC customers can lodge police complaints if salespersons collect excess money: Madras High Court
Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan passes the order after being informed that the corporation issued a circular on August 6, 2026, instructing all retail liquor shops to issue bills for every liquor bottle sold by them
On August 7, 2026, the Madras High Court issued an important ruling regarding liquor sales at TASMAC shops in Tamil Nadu. Advocate clerk G. Devarajan had filed a complaint against around 30 TASMAC outlets in and around Chennai for collecting excess money from customers between 2022 and 2026. Justice G.K. Ilanthiraiyan, in this case, directed TASMAC to ensure all retail shops provide bills for every bottle of liquor sold, which was confirmed when the company issued a circular on August 6.
Under this circular, each bottle must be scanned using handheld devices, and customers must receive bills using electronic printers. Both shop supervisors and salespersons are now required to ensure customers are issued with bills, and barricades should be set up to maintain order during sales. The judge also instructed TASMAC's district managers to conduct surprise inspections and take disciplinary action against those who fail to comply.
In addition to these measures, the court ordered police personnel to be deployed at retail liquor shops to prevent any untoward incidents. The judge questioned why TASMAC could not follow the bill-issuance practice followed by supermarkets and even Kerala's liquor sales. TASMAC has been asked to enforce the circular fully, and the court will take action based on the petitioner's complaints regarding past instances of excess collection.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
