TASMAC employees’ union leaders have written to Chief Minister Vijay and the Home Secretary explaining why customers are often charged an additional Rs 10 or Rs 20 over the government-fixed price for liquor bottles sold at retail outlets.
The letter says one reason is linked to the empty-bottle return scheme: an extra Rs 10 is collected per bottle and later refunded when the bottle is returned.
A second issue, the union claims, is an administrative gap where TASMAC does not properly bear shop operating expenses, allegedly leaving staff to manage them based on verbal instructions. The union argues this creates scope for irregularities and calls for liquor to be sold strictly at the notified price, with Tamil Nadu adopting administrative practices followed in Kerala’s state-run outlets.
The union also sought clarity on shop timings. While it supported shops operating from 12 noon to 10 pm, it said computerised billing requires 30 to 90 minutes after sales end to verify and close accounts. It alleged that police have begun strictly enforcing orders that staff must not remain inside shops even a second after 10 pm, causing difficulties.
The letter urged the government to consult employee union representatives while implementing policy and administrative directions to ensure smoother execution.
