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'''Alcohol prohibition in Tamil Nadu ''' is governed by the State Prohibition and Excise department as per the Tamil Nadu Prohibition Act, 1937. [[TASMAC]], a state government-owned company, controls the wholesale and retail vending of alcoholic beverages in the State. On 24 May 2016, after her swearing-in, [[J. Jayalalithaa]] announced the closing of 500 liquor shops and the reduction of the business hours of State-run liquor shops across the State.<ref>{{cite news|title=Jayalalithaa closes 500 liquor shops, cuts liquor shop timings by two hours|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Jayalalithaa-cuts-liquor-shop-timing-by-two-hours-closes-500-Tasmac-shops/articleshow/52398161.cms|accessdate=24 May 2016|agency=Times of India}}</ref> On 20 February 2017, the first office order signed by the Chief Minister [[Edappadi K. Palaniswami]] was the closure of 500 liquor outlets owned by the public sector [[TASMAC]]. This is in addition to the 500 liquor outlets closed down by late Chief Minister [[J Jayalalithaa]] in May 2016.

==Prohibition before Independence==
The Madras Abkari Act of 1886 set in place a strict regulation that banned the local manufacturing of alcohol and confined it to central distilleries where excise duty was paid prior to being sold.<ref>{{cite book|title=A World Without Drink: Temperance in Modern India, 1880-1940|publisher=Robert Eric Colvard|section=3}}</ref> This British tax policy favored the consumption of foreign liquors over more traditional drinks such as toddy and country liquors. One fifth of the Madras Presidency population consumed alcohol. Excise revenue from [[Madras Presidency]] accounted for as much as 38% of its total revenue.<ref>{{cite web|title=A Review of A World Without Drink: Temperance in Modern India, 1880-1940|url=http://dissertationreviews.org/archives/10083|website=Dissertation Reviews|accessdate=24 May 2016}}</ref> As per Historian Robert Eric Colvard, alcohol consumption came to be defined as something "foreign" and inherently anti-Indian by nationalists. Major Indian freedom struggle like the Swadeshi, Non-Cooperation, and Civil Disobedience movement played vital role in anti-alcohol agitation.<ref>{{cite book|title=A History of Alcohol and Drugs in Modern South Asia: Intoxicating Affairs|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iTzgCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA176|isbn=9781317916826|last1=Fischer-Tiné|first1=Harald|last2=Tschurenev|first2=Jana|date=2014-01-03}}</ref> When Congress won with majority in Madras Presidency in 1937, [[C. Rajagopalachari]] imposed alcohol prohibition in [[Salem district]] then later extended throughout the presidency.

==Prohibition after Independence==
Though prohibition was relaxed on other states after independence including former Madras Presidency regions, Tamil Nadu continued to adopt total prohibition until 1971.<ref name="Hindumay24">{{cite news|title=Tamil Nadu's experiments with liquor ban|url=http://www.thehindu.com/elections/tamilnadu2016/tamil-nadu-prohibition-politics/article8460791.ece|accessdate=24 May 2016}}</ref> In 1971 the DMK government led by [[M. Karunanidhi]] suspended it in 1971 and allowed the sale of arrack and toddy. But later, the same government stopped the sale of these in 1974.<ref name="frontlinejan">{{cite news|title=A series of tragedies resulting from the consumption of methanol|url=http://www.frontline.in/static/html/fl1901/19010400.htm|accessdate=24 May 2016|agency=Frontline}}</ref> In 1981, the AIADMK government headed by [[M.G. Ramachandran]] lifted prohibition and reintroduced the sale of arrack and toddy. Due to wide use of the methanol in industries and there were no restrictions in other States, In 1984 September methanol was removed from the purview of the Tamil Nadu Prohibition Act. In 1987, the sale of arrack and toddy was again banned. During 1975-76 and 1988–90, illicit liquor claimed many lives in Tamil Nadu. In 1990, the DMK government revived the sale of arrack and toddy. In 1991 July 16, again the sale of arrack and toddy was banned by new government led by [[J. Jayalalitha]].<ref name="Hindumay24"/> Methanol was substituted and consumed under the illegal liquor trade. In 2002, Methanol brought again under Prohibition act<ref>{{cite news|title=Methanol again brought under Prohibition Act|url=http://www.thehindu.com/2002/02/26/stories/2002022602520400.htm|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=2002-02-26|accessdate=24 May 2016}}{{dead link|date=April 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

==TASMAC==
{{Main article|TASMAC}}
Whenever the state government has imposed prohibition, the illegal sale of toddy and arrack along with consumption of methanol, an industrial solvent, has resulted in the loss of several lives. This paved the way for a lifting of the ban.<ref name="frontlinejan"/> In 2001, prohibition was lifted once again and TASMAC became the wholesale monopoly for alcohol. In January 2002, the [[Government of Tamil Nadu|Tamil Nadu government]] under [[O. Panneerselvam]] started selling low-cost liquor through [[TASMAC]]. In 2014-15, the annual revenue of TASMAC was Rs. 26,188 crores and the company sold 48.23 lakh cases of liquor.<ref name="Hindumay24"/>

==Anti-liquor agitations==
59-year-old Gandhian [[Sasi Perumal]] protested to demand closure of a TASMAC shop in [[Kanyakumari]]. During the protest on 31 July 2015, Perumal climbed up a mobile phone tower and began losing his consciousness led to death.<ref>{{cite news|title=Gandhian Sasi Perumal Dies While Staging Demonstration Atop Cellphone Tower|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Gandhian-Sasi-Perumal-Dies-While-Staging-Demonstration-Atop-Cellphone-Tower/2015/07/31/article2950283.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150803013351/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil_nadu/Gandhian-Sasi-Perumal-Dies-While-Staging-Demonstration-Atop-Cellphone-Tower/2015/07/31/article2950283.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 August 2015|accessdate=31 July 2015|agency=New Indian Express|issue=31 July 2015}}</ref> In August 2015, residents of [[Kalingapatty]] village in [[Tirunelveli district]], was led by Mariammal, mother of [[Vaiko]] ransacked nearby TASMAC outlet to call for prohibition in the state.<ref>{{cite news|title=Liquor shop ransacked at Kalingapatti in Tirunelveli district; police fire teargas|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/villagers-ransack-liquor-shop-at-kalingapattti-police-fire-teargas/article7492024.ece|accessdate=24 May 2016|agency=The Hindu}}</ref> On 30 October 2015, police arrested Kovan, a Folk artist and a member of extreme Left group Makkal Kalai Iyakkam, who was criticising government policy on earning revenue by selling liquor.<ref>{{cite news|title=Folk artist, activist Kovan arrested by Chennai police for criticising Jayalalithaa government|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-folk-artist-activist-kovan-arrested-by-chennai-police-for-criticising-jayalalithaa-government-2140188|accessdate=24 May 2016|agency=DNA India}}</ref>

==Related Acts and Rules==
# Tamil Nadu Prohibition Act, 1937<ref>{{cite web|title=PROHIBITION AND EXCISE WING OF HOME, PROHIBITION AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT|url=http://www.tn.gov.in/rti/proactive/home/handbook-prohexcise.pdf|website=tn.gov.in|accessdate=24 May 2016}}</ref>
# The Tamil Nadu Neera and Padaneer Rules, 1939
# The Tamil Nadu Molasses Control and Regulation Rules, 1958.
# The Tamil Nadu Denatured Spirit, Methyl alcohol and Varnish (French Polish) Rules, 1959
# The Tamil Nadu Spirituous Essence Rules, 1972
# The Tamil Nadu Disposal of Articles (Confiscated under Tamil Nadu Prohibition Act, 1937) Rules, 1979
# The Tamil Nadu Distillery Rules, 1981
# The Tamil Nadu Indian Made Foreign Spirit (Manufacture) Rules, 1981
# The Tamil Nadu Liquor (Licence and Permit) Rules, 1981
# The Tamil Nadu Liquor Transit Rules, 1982
# The Tamil Nadu Indian Made Foreign Spirit (Supply by Wholesale) Rules, 1983
# The Tamil Nadu Brewery Rules, 1983
# The Tamil Nadu Prohibition Appeal and Revision Rules, 1983
# The Tamil Nadu Mass Wine Rules, 1984
# The Tamil Nadu [[Chloral hydrate|Chloral Hydrate]] Rules, 1984
# The Tamil Nadu Spirituous Preparation (Control) Rules, 1987
# The Tamil Nadu Rectified Spirit Rules, 2000

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Alcohol in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Alcohol law in India]]
[[Category:Social history of Tamil Nadu]]

Alcohol prohibition in Tamil Nadu - Revision history

KareemOman9338: Creating A Page