The Excise Department has called for international competitive bids to establish a new Security Features and Security Features Management System (SFSMS) for liquor products.
The move is aimed at safeguarding domestic excise revenue and curbing the trade in counterfeit liquor.
The new system is expected to replace the security sticker and digital marking system operated by Madras Security Printers (MSP) since 2019.
There have been allegations that the sticker introduced by Madras Security Printers (MSP) has failed to deliver the expected results.
The National Audit Office had previously pointed out that irregularities had occurred in awarding the tender to MSP.
It stated that the increase in the price of 1,000 stickers from US$3.19 to US$5.99 could have resulted in a loss of more than Rs. 166 million to the government in the first year alone.
It was also reported that serious concerns had arisen over the reliability of the
