CM C Joseph Vijay has ordered the closure of 717 government-run liquor shops located within 500 metres of places of worship, educational institutions and bus stands in Tamil Nadu. The order will be implemented within two weeks and is intended to promote public welfare.
CM Joseph Vijay has ordered the shutdown of all government-run liquor shops near worship places, Schools, and Institutions. The new order comes two days after he took control as the Chief Minister.
The leader of the ruling party, Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), C Joseph Vijay, has announced the closure of all alcohol shops just two days after becoming the state's new CM.
It took a week for the TVK to form a government, as the party fell short of the 118-seat majority.
On May 10, 2026, Vijay was sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) tracks illegal funds, claiming that a large amount is being stolen from TASMAC.
They say that officials and politicians charge an extra ₹10 to ₹50 per bottle, and that this money doesn't go to the government; instead, it goes into the leaders' pockets illegally, resulting in almost ₹1,000 being stolen.
The previous government, led by MK Stalin, fought these claims in the Supreme Court, calling them a political attack, but the CBI is now handling this case for a deeper probe.
On the first day 1 as a Chief Minister, he signed three orders, which are,
200 units of Free Electricity.
Singa Penn Special Force for women.
Anti-Narcotic Task Force.
And on May 11, 2026, he signed a closure order for 717 Liquor shops within a 500-metre radius of places of worship, educational institutions, and bus stands, to be implemented within two weeks.
"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-meter radius of places of worship, educational institutions, and bus stands," the government said
TASMAC operates 4,765 liquor shops across the state, of which "276 are near places of worship, 186 are near educational institutions, and 255 are near bus stands", the government said in the official press release.
The government earns more revenue from TASMAC. As of 2025, it has earned ₹48,000 crore, and the closure of TASMAC liquor sales disrupts a significant chunk of the government's income.
This has become the major role that CM C Joseph Vijay has taken on.
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