Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay Orders Closure of 717 Liquor Outlets Amid Public Welfare Concerns

In one of the biggest moves after assuming office as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, actor-politician Vijay ordered the closure of 717 retail liquor outlets across the state on Tuesday, May 12. Mentioning that the decision was made with the welfare of the public in mind, an official release issued by the government stated that the 717 retail liquor outlets to be shut down within the next two weeks included 276 shops near places of worship, 186 shops near educational institutions, and 255 outlets near bus stands. Soon after the Chief Minister issued the order, Rajya Sabha MP and Makkal Needhi Maiam’s (MNM) founding president, actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan, lauded Vijay for the decision, opining that the sale of liquor should never be the government’s responsibility. According to news agency PTI , the Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) operates a total of 4,765 retail liquor outlets across the state. Don’t Miss | From onscreen messiah to Tamil Nadu CM: The cinematic blueprint behind Vijay’s political ascent Pointing out that this is a long-standing dream for many families in Tamil Nadu, Kamal commended Vijay for taking appropriate action immediately after assuming office. “Liquor sales should never be a function of the government; the government must take responsibility for regulating the flow of alcohol. The Tamil Nadu government must move towards this position. Today, it has begun by closing 717 liquor shops. This number must be increased. This action must be continued. Congratulations,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Kamal Haasan has often spoken out against the rampant sale and use of liquor. Back in 2018, in his column in Ananda Vikatan magazine, the actor-politician noted that although he did not believe in prohibition , he supported reducing alcohol consumption. Questioning the need for so many liquor outlets, he pointed out that it was easier to locate a TASMAC shop than a post office. “This has to be changed,” he stated. 2/2 இரண்டு வாரத்திற்குள் மூடுமாறு மாண்புமிகு தமிழ்நாடு முதலமைச்சர் திரு ச. ஜோசப் விஜய் அவர்கள் உத்தரவு #CMJosephVijay‌ pic.twitter.com/rYfphaAmhM — CMOTamilNadu (@CMOTamilnadu) May 12, 2026 Later, he reportedly advocated for the establishment of counselling centres near liquor shops in the state. In the aftermath of the 2024 Kallakurichi hooch tragedy in Tamil Nadu, he stated that such incidents, unfortunately, continue to occur, regardless of which party comes to power. MNM has been supporting the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) for the past few years and is also part of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) at the national level. In fact, Kamal Haasan reached the Rajya Sabha with the help of DMK. Must Read | When Vijay said he wanted to follow Rajinikanth’s path, then achieved what even Thalaivar couldn’t As per a pact made during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the MK Stalin-led party promised to allocate one seat to MNM in the Rajya Sabha polls. When the time arrived in May 2025, DMK kept its word and allotted a seat to MNM, which, in turn, named Kamal as its candidate. Subsequently, Kamal’s party decided not to contest in the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections and extended unconditional support to the DMK-led alliance. However, it was defeated in the polls by Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). While TVK bagged 108 seats, DMK won only 59 constituencies out of the total 234.