Excise Minister K. Vignesh orders crackdown on illicit liquor, FL2 bar compliance checks

PRESS RELEASE Hon'ble Minister for Prohibition and Excise Thiru Ka. Vigneshwar today (23.05.2026) conducted a review at the Prohibition and Excise Commissionerate. The review meeting was attended by Commissioner of Prohibition and Excise Tmt. S.P. Karthika, IAS, Joint Commissioner-I, and Assistant Commissioners. At this review meeting, the Hon'ble Minister held detailed discussions on the functioning of the department and department-related activities in all districts, and instructed the following measures to be undertaken immediately: 1. District-level officials must conduct field investigations to ensure that Women's Recreation Clubs (FL2) are functioning strictly in accordance with the rules. 2. District-level field staff must maintain continuous and intensive surveillance to ensure there is no illicit arrack brewing, smuggling or sale anywhere in the state. 3. Excise Supervisory Officers must ensure that liquor manufacturing units operate strictly in accordance with the rules. 4. Awareness must be created among the public against the use of illicit liquor, spurious liquor and narcotic substances, with periodic surprise inspections conducted to eliminate them entirely through intensive action. 5. If any violations are detected, strict action will be taken immediately against the persons concerned as well as any officials found complicit in such violations. Issued by: Director, Directorate of Information and Public Relations, Chennai-9