Business halts at Sowcarpet as traders allege harassment by GST officials
Traders in Chennai's Sowcarpet and Broadway markets observed a one-day strike to protest alleged harassment and aggressive tactics by GST officials. Merchants are calling for a more transparent inquiry process and a fair penalty mechanism for tax compliance.
Why it matters
The protest highlights the tension between small business owners and tax authorities, reflecting broader concerns about the implementation of tax regulations in the informal economy.
Wholesale traders and shops across Chennai’s Sowcarpet and parts of Broadway remained shut on Saturday as merchants observed a bandh to protest against alleged harassment by officials of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) department.
The shutdown brought business to a standstill in one of the city’s busiest wholesale markets, with key commercial streets such as Narayana Mudali Street, Govindappa Naicken Street, known for its spices and groceries, and Perumal Mudali Street, which houses hundreds of shops selling glass bangles and cosmetics, wearing a deserted look. A one-day closure of shops in these areas would halt retail trade across Tamil Nadu as materials from here travel to even the remotest part of the State.
Chennai’s Ritchie Street, the second-largest electronics market in India after Nehru Palace in New Delhi, also downed its shutters. Ritchie street has over 1,500 shops selling various kinds of electronic goods.
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