Supreme Court to Hear Petition Seeking Mandatory Disclosure of Ethanol Blend Percentage in Petrol

The Supreme Court is to hear on August 31, 2026, a petition seeking directions to make disclosure of ethanol content mandatory at petrol pumps.  

The matter is listed before a bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale, according to the court's causelist. The petition, filed by Narendra Kumar Goswami, has sought uniform labelling on every petrol dispensing nozzle.  

It wants the exact percentage of ethanol blended in the petrol to be displayed to consumers at the point of sale. 

Disclosure on Fuel Invoices Also Sought 

The plea has also asked for every fuel invoice to clearly state the percentage of ethanol in the petrol purchased. It has sought a national consumer disclosure protocol for all ethanol-blended petrol, to be framed in consultation with the Central Consumer Protection Authority and the Bureau of Indian Standards. 

The petitioner has further asked for an official, publicly available database covering vehicle compatibility with different ethanol blends. The proposed database would allow searches based on the vehicle manufacturer, model, engine type and year of manufacture. 

Request for Review of E20 Compatibility 

The petition has sought an independent expert committee to examine how E20 petrol performs across the existing vehicle fleet. Representatives from the petroleum and natural gas ministry, road transport ministry, Bureau of Indian Standards and independent automobile engineers have been proposed for the panel. 

It has asked the committee to examine issues including fuel efficiency, engine life, maintenance costs, warranties, and insurance.  

The plea has also raised questions around tail-pipe emissions, water use in ethanol production and concerns related to food security and feed diversion. 

Documents and Transition Plan 

The petition seeks the submission of policy files, technical studies, compatibility reports, safety standards, consumer advisories and records of public consultation supporting the compulsory rollout of E20. 

It has also sought a time-bound transition plan for older and non-compatible vehicles. The plea asks authorities to consider making lower-ethanol petrol available where technically, economically and logistically feasible. 

The matter will come up before the Supreme Court on August 31, with the petition seeking directions on disclosure requirements, vehicle compatibility and the wider transition to E20 petrol. 

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Conclusion 

The matter before the Supreme Court seeks directions on displaying ethanol content, publishing vehicle compatibility details and addressing concerns around the E20 rollout. 

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