CHENNAI: By this March all the outlets of Tasmac will be fully computerised for billing, hence no extra amount will be charged. The customers can pay money by scanning QR codes, said the Tamil Nadu government in the Madras High Court.

Once the computerisation is implemented, by scanning the bottles automatically, the price of the bottle will be shown in the computerised billing system and the extra charging of the customer will be curtailed, said Tasmac.

Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy upheld the circular issued by Tasmac allowing suspension of not only the employee who collected the extra amount at the counter, but all the employees of the shop, including the supervisor.

The judge also made it clear that such action should be taken only if the prima facie made out, that all the employees of the shop are involved in the said action of collecting the extra amount from the customer.

The order was issued while disposing of a petition moved by Tamil Nadu Tasmac Virpanaiyaalargal Nala Sangam seeking to quash the circular.

The petitioner submitted that the concept of punishing vicarious liability or joint liability is unknown to Indian law and sought to quash the circular.

Additional Advocate General (AAG) J Ravindran submitted for Tasmac that the new system will be foolproof in restricting the shop supervisors, the shop employee or any other person from tampering or creating a QR code for a higher sum.

The process is in the offing, before March, all the shops throughout the State will be fully computerised, added the AAG.