Mangalore : Members of the District Swarna Vyapari Sangha and jewellers from Udupi district, staged a protest march from Hotel Navaratna Palace to DC office on Thursday against Union government’s move to levy 1 per cent excise duty, 1 per cent TCS and compulsory PAN for sales exceeding Rs. 2 lakh.

Association president Prashant Shet told that though the jewellers had downed shutters since March 2 in protest, the government had not responded positively. The new rules force jewellers to maintain different books of accounts and other documents.

Jewelers from Mangaluru, Udupi, Puttur, Bantwal and other neighboring places, employees of jewellery firms as well as goldsmiths participated in the jatha.