The Tamil Nadu government has reaffirmed a strict 21‑year‑old age limit for the purchase and consumption of all alcoholic beverages, in a fresh bid to curb rising intake among minors, according to a report of news agency PTI. Under the new directives, liquor vendors are barred from selling alcohol to anyone under 21, and shop‑staff have been instructed to verify Aadhaar cards or driving licenses whenever a customer’s age appears in doubt.
A senior Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) official said identity checks are now mandatory for all suspicious cases, underscoring the state’s commitment to enforcing the legal drinking age.
21 வயது உட்பட்டோருக்கு மதுபானங்களை விற்க தடை விதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. மேலும் யார்மேலும் சந்தேகம் ஏற்பட்டால் அவர்களது ஆதார் கார்டு அல்லது ஓட்டுநர் உரிமத்தை சரி பார்த்துக்கொள்ளலாம் என்று உத்தரவு. @CMOTamilnadu | @TVKVijayHQ
— TVK IT Wing – Madurai North (@tvkitwingmaduri) May 14, 2026
Building on an earlier crackdown, the state has ordered the closure of 717 TASMAC‑run liquor outlets across Tamil Nadu, targeting shops located within 500 metres of places of worship, educational institutions and bus terminuses. Of these, 276 outlets are situated near temples and other places of worship, 186 near schools and colleges, and 255 near bus stations and transit hubs. The drains on public health and safety attributed to alcohol have been cited as the primary rationale for the closures, with the government framing the move as a welfare‑oriented step. After the shutdown, the number of TASMAC shops will fall from 4,765 to 4,048 outlets.
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Curbs on hours and continued revenue dependence
In addition to age checks and shop closures, the state government is actively considering a reduction in operating hours for liquor shops. At present, TASMAC outlets function from 12 noon to 10:00 pm across the state, but officials have indicated that the closing time may be advanced to 8 pm under a new proposal being weighed by the administration. Despite these tightening regulations, TASMAC’s contribution to the state exchequer remains substantial: in 2024–25 the corporation raked in Rs 48,344 crore through excise duty and VAT, making liquor revenue the second‑largest source after the registration department.
Closure of over 700 liquor shops in Tamil Nadu
This latest round of shutting 717 outlets dovetails with a much larger, symbolic closure drive from the past, when the state government had shut about 7,171 TASMAC outlets in multiple phases as part of its long‑running phase‑wise prohibition plan. That earlier move was widely seen as an attempt to gradually reduce alcohol availability and consumption, even as TASMAC revenue remained a key pillar of the state budget. The current downsizing, though smaller in scale, echoes the same narrative- a balance between public‑health imperatives and fiscal dependence on liquor taxation.
“With the welfare of the general public in mind, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, C Joseph Vijay, has issued orders to close within two weeks 717 retail liquor shops situated within a 500-metre radius of places of worship, educational institutions and bus stands,” the government release stated earlier.
The move immediately drew support from allies, opposition leaders and women’s groups. Kamal Haasan welcomed the decision and said Tamil families had long demanded the removal of liquor shops near sensitive public places. “Liquor sales should never be a function of the government; the government must take responsibility for regulating the flow of alcohol. Today, it has begun by closing 717 liquor shops. This number must be increased,” Haasan said.
Tamil Nadu Minister and TVK leader Selvi S Keerthana called the decision a direct response to women’s expectations. “This is what the women had expected. On the second day itself, we implemented it. The women are celebrating this announcement,” she said.
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