Business halts at Sowcarpet as traders allege harassment by GST officials - The HinduPublished - August 01, 2026 09:13 pm IST - CHENNAIRitchie Street Electronic Market wears a deserted look after traders closed their shops in support of Sowcarpet merchants amid concerns over GST inspections. | Photo Credit: Johan Sathyadas JWholesale 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.“Over the past two years, we have been facing several issues with GST officials. They pull out old bills, question us and demand money,” alleged traders in Sowcarpet. The Hindu spoke to more than 10 traders in the area, all of whom voiced similar concerns. “There is no system to verify the authenticity of a raid. They simply show an ID card, and nowadays anyone can create one. We are not against paying taxes. We just want a transparent system for conducting enquiries and a fair penalty mechanism,” the traders said. “Call us to your office for any questioning don’t barge into our work premises,” they added.Another trader, who is in the clothing business, said: “Many of us take business loans in our wives’ names because women are eligible for various government concessions and schemes. If any issues arise during inspections or enquiries, we do not want the women in our families to face unnecessary difficulties.”While traders have alleged harassment by GST officials, some consumers and retailers said they too have longstanding grievances against businesses in Sowcarpet. “Most of the shops here do not issue bills unless specifically requested. The minute you ask for a bill, they will say the charges will be high. When the world is heading toward digital payments, shops here refuse to accept it. Also, shops here always levy additional charges for card transactions. If they are genuine, they should accept digital payments and cards,” a retailer from Tambaram who shops here regularly said.Many consumers took to social media and alleged that shops in Sowcarpet never provide bills. Officials from the GST office in Chennai could not be reached for comments.Shops that fall under Chennai Timber and Plywood Merchant Association, Tamil Nadu Dyes and Chemicals Merchants Association, The Madras Electric Trades Association (META) and Federation of Tamil Nadu Merchants and Manufacturers Associations (FTMMA) were also closed on Saturday. Most of the shops in Sowcarpet are owned by members of the Marwari, Gujarati and Jain communities, many of whom represent the second and third generations of business families in the area.Published - August 01, 2026 09:13 pm ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }