CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government has revised the rules for bars attached to Tasmac outlets, changing the authorisation procedures to operate individual Tasmac shops and their attached bars and introducing a separate inspection mechanism. The revision comes ahead of the tender for bar licences, which are to be floated across the state soon.
The home, prohibition and excise department notified the amendments to the Tamil Nadu Liquor Retail Vending Rules, 2003, through a government order published in the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette on October 23.
Under the revised rules, the Tasmac board, with the prior approval of the commissioner of prohibition and excise, will decide the upset price or upset percentage and other tender conditions. The corporation will collect the tender amount, remit it to the government by the 25th of the following month and retain 1% as agency commission.
The amendments provide for district-level approvals and separate authorisations for individual shops and bars. They also prescribe a separate inspection mechanism for bars, with officials authorised by collectors empowered to inspect the premises. Both Tasmac shops and attached bars can operate only between noon and 10 pm.
The rules also require shops to maintain daily transaction records and display signboards carrying authorisation details and prescribed warnings in Tamil and English. Shops and bars must be closed on Thiruvalluvar Day, Gandhi Jayanthi, Independence Day and Republic Day, besides other dry days.
