No Tamil No Trade: License Suspension for Shops Without Tamil Name Boards

The Chennai Corporation is likely to announce that trade licenses will be suspended for shops that do not display their name boards in Tamil, as per the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Rules, 2023. This move aims to ensure compliance with the state’s language policy and promote the use of Tamil in commercial establishments.

With around 70,000 trade licenses issued annually, officials will begin inspections this week. Businesses found violating the rule will first receive a show-cause notice. If they fail to comply within the given timeframe, their trade licenses may be revoked or suspended.

The initiative is not limited to Chennai. The Tamil Nadu government is planning to extend the drive to other major cities, including Coimbatore and Madurai, encouraging both commercial and residential buildings to adopt Tamil names.

Nanganallur Connect will continue to monitor updates on this development.