Shops to remain shut from Tuesday

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi (KVVES) has said that shops and other commercial establishments across the State will down their shutters indefinitely from Tuesday in protest against the alleged failure on the part of the Centre in resolving the crisis following the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes.

KVVES president T Nazirudeen said that the currency shortage has brought the trade and commerce in the state to a complete standstill.

"Shop owners are facing a crisis as they cannot accept the withdrawn notes from the customers and new notes are not available either. So we have decided to close down the shops from Tuesday onwards until the situation returns back to normal," he said.

"Tax officials are conducting unnecessary inspections at many shops and threatening to register cases against traders alleging possession of unaccounted money in the form of the withdrawn currency notes," he said.